BMW 3 Series: N13 1.6T timing chain stretch and tensioner wear (316i)
N13 1.6T timing chain stretch and tensioner wear (316i) is a common engine fault on the BMW 3 Series on the 2012–2015 cars, and we rate it critical. Putting it right costs $3,000 to $9,000 at New Zealand independent workshop rates. Below is what goes wrong, the symptoms to notice on a test drive, where to look, and what to ask the seller before you hand over any money. It is one of 88 documented faults on the BMW 3 Series.
- Vehicle
- BMW 3 Series
- Engine
- N13
- Years
- 2012–2015
- Fuel
- petrol
- System
- Engine
What you are looking at
Example of the part — not this vehicleThe front of a twin-cam engine with the timing cover off — chain, sprockets and guides.
What goes wrong
The 1.6-litre N13 in the 316i. The chain, its plastic guides and the tensioner are lightly built for the load a turbocharged engine makes, so the chain stretches, the guides break up, and the car sets a camshaft-to-crankshaft correlation fault — or, if the chain jumps, bends every valve. The giveaway is a rattle in the first few seconds after a cold start, and that is the only easy moment to hear it. Labour usually dwarfs the parts, and the engines that fail early are almost always the ones with stretched oil-change intervals.
What you would notice
- Rattle or rustle from the gearbox end of the engine for two to five seconds after a cold start
- Engine warning light with a camshaft/crankshaft timing complaint
- Rough running, loss of power, or a refusal to start once the rattle has been ignored
- Metallic debris found in the oil filter at a service
How to check it
Where to look. Back of the engine, between the engine and the gearbox bellhousing — listen from the bulkhead side of the engine bay, not the front of the engine.
Insist on a genuinely cold start — the car must not have been run that morning, so arrange to arrive first thing or ask the seller to leave it parked overnight. Stand beside the driver's door with the bonnet up and the window down and listen hard to the first five seconds: a rattle from the bulkhead end of the engine, not the front pulley end, is the one that matters. Ask for the full service history and check the oil change intervals, because a stretched N13 chain almost always follows long intervals or missed services. Ask whether the timing chain has already been replaced and, if so, whether the tensioner and guides were done at the same time. A quiet cold start on a car with a stack of oil-change invoices is the reassurance you are looking for.
What it costs to put right
$3,000 to $9,000 at New Zealand independent workshop rates. That is for this job on its own, not for the car.
Ask the seller
- “Has the timing chain, tensioner and guides been replaced, and do you have the invoice?”
- “How often has the oil been changed, and at what kilometres?”
- “Is there any rattle on the first start of the day?”
Now check the BMW 3 Series you are actually looking at
Everything above is true of the model, and it is free. What it does not tell you is whether THIS car has been looked after: its odometer history and whether the reading has ever gone backwards, whether there is still money owing on it, whether it has been reported stolen, how many owners it has had and what it is really worth today. That comes from the official records for that plate. Enter the plate for the free details, or get the full history and a market valuation from $13.49.
Where this comes from
- Baby BMW Forum — 'N13, N20, N43, N47 Timing Chain Issues Megathread'
- Honest John Back Room forum — 'BMW F20 118i facelift with N13 engine — Timing chain'
- EngineScope engine reliability profile — BMW N13
- Baby BMW Forum — 'DIY Timing Chain Replacement and Service on BMW F20 116i N13 Engine'
BMW 3 Series buyer questions
Is n13 1.6t timing chain stretch and tensioner wear (316i) serious on a BMW 3 Series?
We rate it critical and common on the BMW 3 Series. The 1.6-litre N13 in the 316i. The chain, its plastic guides and the tensioner are lightly built for the load a turbocharged engine makes, so the chain stretches, the guides break up, and the car sets a camshaft-to-crankshaft correlation fault — or, if the chain jumps, bends every valve. The giveaway is a rattle in the first few seconds after a cold start, and that is the only easy moment to hear it. Labour usually dwarfs the parts, and the engines that fail early are almost always the ones with stretched oil-change intervals.
How much does it cost to fix on a BMW 3 Series?
$3,000 to $9,000 at New Zealand independent workshop rates. That figure is for this job on its own. A car showing the symptoms on this page is usually worth either walking away from or negotiating down by at least the repair figure.
Which BMW 3 Series years are affected?
Our research records this fault on the 2012–2015 BMW 3 Series. Build dates move around, especially on imported cars, so treat the range as the years to look hardest at rather than a guarantee either way. The official records tell you the exact build and first registration date for the car in front of you.
How do I check for it before I buy?
Insist on a genuinely cold start — the car must not have been run that morning, so arrange to arrive first thing or ask the seller to leave it parked overnight. Stand beside the driver's door with the bonnet up and the window down and listen hard to the first five seconds: a rattle from the bulkhead end of the engine, not the front pulley end, is the one that matters. Ask for the full service history and check the oil change intervals, because a stretched N13 chain almost always follows long intervals or missed services. Ask whether the timing chain has already been replaced and, if so, whether the tensioner and guides were done at the same time. A quiet cold start on a car with a stack of oil-change invoices is the reassurance you are looking for. Look here: Back of the engine, between the engine and the gearbox bellhousing — listen from the bulkhead side of the engine bay, not the front of the engine.