Are we letting BMW off the hook for S65 Bearing Issue?

[Dr. Dre]

As I've stated before. I've worked as a district manager in the automotive business for almost 20 years.

I know this will sound counter intuitive, but each time we replace the rod bearing on our own dime are we letting BMW off the hook?

If the bearings aren't failing because essentially we're taking preventative steps, NHTSA cannot issue a safety recall for something that's not occurring in significant numbers.

Again, I replaced mine on my own dime because I didn't want a 3500 pound paper weight. Did I unknowingly let BMW off the hook? If I'm driving down the highway and the engine locks up it's clearly a safety issue.

This is the same reason why Hyundai/Kia had to recall almost a million vehicles.

It's important to note that vehicle manufacturer's don't issues recalls. This is done by NHTSA. If NHTSA says you have to issue a recall as a manufacturer you basically don't have much of a choice.

Just a theory.

[Transfer]

Sure, but whattaya gonna do? They built an 8400 RPM V8 that is amazing in all other ways and no one wants that paper weight. So you spend the dough for the bearings or you stay in warranty as long as you can stomach the cost.

BMW won't be held responsible.

[Honda]

If percentage of failure is less than 1% according to some websites statistics, how do you expect BMW to do a recall?

[UPSROD]

And they are all now out of warranty!

[delirium330]

Please no more RB threads...

[Dr. Dre]

Originally Posted by UPSROD

And they are all now out of warranty!

That's correct but a recall is not related to a vehicle being in warranty or not.

[pbonsalb]

Since BMW has not yet accepted responsibility, the owner must either roll the dice with the original bearings or change them. Most owners are rolling the dice and experiencing no issues.

I changed mine when the warranty expired. I never expected BMW to take responsibility and did not want to roll the dice. I don’t feel like I let BMW off the hook since it was never on the hook once the warranty expired.

[Montaver]

I think a more pertinent question would be - If you printed out every thread on this forum about rod bearings and laid them end on end, how many times would it reach to the moon and back?

[Solo_M_Tech]

: :

[pbonsalb]

I am in favor of keeping the issue alive. That is my response to BMW.

[L4ces]

Perhaps if folks complained on social media it would get their attention and perhaps a response.

It seems that many customers on this forum have moved on to the latest model.

[dparm]

NHTSA won't recall shit. This isn't a safety issue like seat belts, brakes, etc. The engine isn't going to suddenly seize while you're driving on the highway.

If you think this is such a huge cover-up or whatever, go hire a lawyer and take BMW to court. These threads serve no useful purpose other than fearmongering.

[Shiza]

I think a good question is if not one single person ever preventatively replaced their rod bearings, would the failure percentage be high enough for BMW to do a recall? I guess we will never know.

[Helmsman]

And while BMW isn't paying the bills the insurance companies are. Not sure how it works elsewhere but over here the insurance except for accident, theft, damage etc include "bumper to bumer warranty" covering everything except wear parts. Works up to 75k miles/8 years whatever comes first.
Hence there is a reason the insurance price increased on a regular bases. These engines are painful for their wallet which they obviously drain from their customers.

Either way you turn you pay. Correct, while BMW are getting of the hook.

[pbonsalb]

Originally Posted by donadio91

I think a good question is if not one single person ever preventatively replaced their rod bearings, would the failure percentage be high enough for BMW to do a recall? I guess we will never know.

My guess is maybe 10% of cars have had their bearings replaced. They are probably a representative sample of the remaining cars. The bearings come out and look bad. But probably most of the cars would have driven years more. There has not been the sharp increase in failures I expected as the cars age — all are 5-10 years old.

So there would be more failures but not like double the number among all cars since only 10% have been replaced.

[Bemo]

Who's gonna let their motor blow up and "take one for the team" so we may inch closer to a possibly successful class action against the Munich bean counters?
As I look to buy a used E92, this preventive maintenance will be the first thing I'd do!
If you have 25 stacks of high society kicking around, bless! Donate! Don't spend it on a rebuilt S65...

[Dr. Dre]

Originally Posted by dparm

NHTSA won't recall shit. This isn't a safety issue like seat belts, brakes, etc. The engine isn't going to suddenly seize while you're driving on the highway.

If you think this is such a huge cover-up or whatever, go hire a lawyer and take BMW to court.

I work for Kia Motors America which is owned partly owned by Hyundai. I wonder why why NHTSA forced us to recall own engines for the essentially the same condition. Clearly there are a lot more Kia/Hyundai's running around compared to e9X M3s.

I never said anything about cover up. I do think they should take responsibility for the issue. I would be easy to take them to court, even small claims court to get back my $2500.

[Dr. Dre]

Originally Posted by Bemo

Who's gonna let their motor blow up and "take one for the team" so we may inch closer to a possibly successful class action against the Munich bean counters?
As I look to buy a used E92, this preventive maintenance will be the first thing I'd do!
If you have 25 stacks of high society kicking around, bless! Donate! Don't spend it on a rebuilt S65...

There seems to be a lot of guys on this forum who believe the rod bearing issues non issue. They might end up taking one for the team. I guess.

[Law]

Originally Posted by Dr. Dre

I work for Kia Motors America which is owned partly owned by Hyundai. I wonder why why NHTSA forced us to recall own engines for the essentially the same condition. Clearly there are a lot more Kia/Hyundai's running around compared to e9X M3s.

I never said anything about cover up. I do think they should take responsibility for the issue. I would be easy to take them to court, even small claims court to get back my $2500.

It's so easy then why don't you do it, tough guy?

[dparm]

Originally Posted by Dr. Dre

I work for Kia Motors America which is owned partly owned by Hyundai. I wonder why why NHTSA forced us to recall own engines for the essentially the same condition. Clearly there are a lot more Kia/Hyundai's running around compared to e9X M3s.

I never said anything about cover up. I do think they should take responsibility for the issue. I would be easy to take them to court, even small claims court to get back my $2500.

In that case, it seems like you know how to handle this situation -- so go do something about it. Take them to small claims court, call NHTSA, start a class action, or whatever. Everyone just creates threads or replies "me too".

There was someone who tried to start a class action in NJ a while ago but I think the judge threw it out since too few people actually joined it.

[delirium330]

We need the forum mods to make an executive decision on new RB threads. In another non-auto related forum I frequent, this topic is classic example of something that would eventually get banned, unless the new thread or existing thread responses added something net new and material to the discussion.

No offense to the OP, I think everyone on the forum is guilty of starting or contributing to a RB thread, including myself.

[doogee]

Originally Posted by Honda

If percentage of failure is less than 1% according to some websites statistics, how do you expect BMW to do a recall?

Link to source? This is new information I think everyone would like to see.