KNOWN FAULTS · BMW

BMW Serie 1 (E81/E82/E87/E88) 116i / 118i / 120i common problems.

2004–2011 · Petrol

Sources are not verified in real time and no entry confirms that your car is affected.

2 known faults with sources

N43 and N13 chain and guidesTiming / lubrication

Engine / equipment: N43 four-cylinder petrol (116i, 118i, 120i E87 and 318i, 320i E90, 2007–2011) and N13 (114i, 116i, 118i F20 and 316i F30, 2011–2016)
Period mentioned: 2007–2016
Symptoms: Chain rattle on cold starts, VANOS engine light, rising oil consumption and, in severe cases, the engine seizing with no prior warning.
Possible cause described: On the N43 the plastic chain guides break and their debris can block the oil pump strainer, starving the engine of oil. On the N13 the chain stretches and the tensioner fails (BMW improved it on later engines), and the turbo diverter valve, the valve cover ventilation membrane and the VANOS solenoids also fail.
Check for the garage: Listen to a cold start, check the oil filler cap for plastic debris and read VANOS codes.
Cost cited in the source: Chain kit: several hundred to over a thousand euros depending on the garage; a seized engine, far moreA rough figure from the original database, not an up-to-date quote.

Corrupted FRM3 module (lights and windows)Electrical and electronic systems

Engine / equipment: FRM3 footwell module (lights, indicators and windows): 1 Series E81 to E88, 3 Series E90 to E93, X1 E84, Z4 E89, X5 E70, X6 E71 and E72 and MINI R55 to R61
Period mentioned: 2004–2015
Symptoms: After a flat battery, a battery change or disconnection, or a jump start: lights, indicators or windows stop working, side or dipped lights stay on and diagnostics cannot communicate with the module (for example code 00A3C1).
Possible cause described: The module's EEPROM gets corrupted by low or unstable voltage: a flat battery, jump starting, overcharging from a faulty alternator or loose terminals. It is a module software fault, not a wiring fault.
Check for the garage: Check the battery and charging and try communicating with ISTA. If the module does not respond, it can be repaired by rewriting its EEPROM (specialist services or programmers) instead of being replaced, then coded. Use a voltage maintainer when working on the car.
Cost cited in the source: Repair by a specialist service: from about €20–60 plus postage; new module with dealer coding: considerably moreA rough figure from the original database, not an up-to-date quote.