MajorCommonFluid Leaks

BMW X3: Oil filter housing gasket leak onto the drive belt (3.0 N55 turbo petrol, X3 xDrive35i)

Oil filter housing gasket leak onto the drive belt (3.0 N55 turbo petrol, X3 xDrive35i) is a common fluid leaks fault on the BMW X3 on the 2011–2017 cars, and we rate it major. Putting it right costs $450 to $1,100 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 46 documented faults on the BMW X3.

Vehicle: BMW X3
Engine: N55
Years: 2011–2017
Fuel: petrol
System: Fluid Leaks

This page covers the BMW X3 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 X3 faults46 documented faults on this model

What you are looking at

No photograph available

We do not hold a verified photograph of the Turbocharger yet. We would rather show none than show a picture of a different part.

What goes wrong

An oil filter housing gasket leak is a known issue on the 3.0 N55 turbo petrol six in the X3 xDrive35i. The rubber gaskets between the oil filter housing and the block harden with age and heat, and oil runs down onto the drive belt and its tensioner. An oily belt can slip or shred, and pieces can be drawn in behind the front crank seal. The fix is new gaskets, or a new housing on high-kilometre engines.

What you would notice

Burning oil smell
Oil on the front of the engine and on the drive belt
Squealing drive belt
Oil drips under the front of the car

How to check it

Where to look. Front of the engine, oil filter housing and drive belt

Look at the oil filter housing at the top of the engine and down the front of the block for wet oil, and check the drive belt and tensioner for an oily, glazed or frayed belt.
Smell for burning oil after the drive.
Ask whether the oil filter housing gasket has been replaced.
If a workshop inspection is possible: inspect the belt and tensioner from underneath with the undertray off.

Parts involved: Turbocharger.

What it costs to put right

$450 to $1,100 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 oil filter housing gasket been replaced?”
“Has the drive belt been replaced recently, and why?”

Now check the BMW X3 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.

BMW X3 buyer questions

Is oil filter housing gasket leak onto the drive belt (3.0 n55 turbo petrol, x3 xdrive35i) serious on a BMW X3?

We rate it major and common on the BMW X3. An oil filter housing gasket leak is a known issue on the 3.0 N55 turbo petrol six in the X3 xDrive35i. The rubber gaskets between the oil filter housing and the block harden with age and heat, and oil runs down onto the drive belt and its tensioner. An oily belt can slip or shred, and pieces can be drawn in behind the front crank seal. The fix is new gaskets, or a new housing on high-kilometre engines.

How much does it cost to fix on a BMW X3?

$450 to $1,100 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 X3 years are affected?

Our research records this fault on the 2011–2017 BMW X3. 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?

Look at the oil filter housing at the top of the engine and down the front of the block for wet oil, and check the drive belt and tensioner for an oily, glazed or frayed belt. Smell for burning oil after the drive. Ask whether the oil filter housing gasket has been replaced. If a workshop inspection is possible: inspect the belt and tensioner from underneath with the undertray off. Look here: Front of the engine, oil filter housing and drive belt