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BMW 3 Series: N20 2.0L turbo timing-chain guide failure (328i / 320i F30)

N20 2.0L turbo timing-chain guide failure (328i / 320i F30) is a common engine fault on the BMW 3 Series on the 2012–2015 cars, and we rate it critical. Putting it right costs $2,500 to $4,500 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
N20
Years
2012–2015
Fuel
petrol
System
Engine

This page covers the BMW 3 Series as a model. Some faults only affect particular engines or build years — enter a plate below to narrow the list to one car.

All BMW 3 Series faults88 documented faults on this model

What you are looking at

The front of a dual overhead camshaft engine with the timing cover removed, exposing the timing chain and sprockets.Example of the part — not this vehicle

The front of a twin-cam engine with the timing cover off — chain, sprockets and guides.

Logansenf · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

What goes wrong

The 2.0L turbo four (N20) in the 328i and 320i - especially 2012 to early-2015 builds - suffers premature timing-chain and plastic guide wear. The guides crack and shed plastic into the sump, the chain stretches, and in the worst case it skips or snaps, destroying the engine (valve-to-piston contact). The tell-tale is a rattle like marbles in a tin for a second or two on cold start, or a whine at 1,500-2,500 rpm. This is a critical, expensive fault to catch before purchase.

What you would notice

  • Rattle like marbles in a can for 1-3 seconds on cold start
  • Whine/whirr from the front of the engine at 1,500-2,500 rpm
  • Timing/camshaft correlation fault codes
  • Metal or plastic flakes in the oil

How to check it

Where to look. Timing chain and plastic guides at the front of the 2.0L engine

Insist on a genuinely cold first start and listen for a rattle from the front of the engine. Ask whether the timing chain, guides and tensioner have been replaced with updated parts (a big plus). Have it scanned for camshaft-correlation codes. Walk away from any 328i that rattles on cold start unless the chain job is documented.

Parts involved: Timing chain, Turbocharger.

What it costs to put right

$2,500 to $4,500 at New Zealand independent workshop rates. That is for this job on its own, not for the car.

An estimate, in NZD, for the repair as normally carried out. What a specific car costs depends on which part has failed and what it damaged on the way — treat this as the floor for a negotiation, not a quote.

Ask the seller

  • “Has the timing chain, guides and tensioner been replaced?”
  • “Does it rattle for a second or two on cold start?”

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.

Not sure what you would be paying for? See what a full KickTyres check includes.

Where this comes from

The failure described above is documented in the sources below. The inspection instructions and the cost estimate are KickTyres’ own interpretation of them.

  • Motronix – BMW N20 Timing Chain Failure guide
  • Atlantic Motorcar – BMW N20 Timing Chain Problems

BMW 3 Series buyer questions

Is n20 2.0l turbo timing-chain guide failure (328i / 320i f30) serious on a BMW 3 Series?

We rate it critical and common on the BMW 3 Series. The 2.0L turbo four (N20) in the 328i and 320i - especially 2012 to early-2015 builds - suffers premature timing-chain and plastic guide wear. The guides crack and shed plastic into the sump, the chain stretches, and in the worst case it skips or snaps, destroying the engine (valve-to-piston contact). The tell-tale is a rattle like marbles in a tin for a second or two on cold start, or a whine at 1,500-2,500 rpm. This is a critical, expensive fault to catch before purchase.

How much does it cost to fix on a BMW 3 Series?

$2,500 to $4,500 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 first start and listen for a rattle from the front of the engine. Ask whether the timing chain, guides and tensioner have been replaced with updated parts (a big plus). Have it scanned for camshaft-correlation codes. Walk away from any 328i that rattles on cold start unless the chain job is documented. Look here: Timing chain and plastic guides at the front of the 2.0L engine