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BMW X5: N63 4.4L V8 timing-chain stretch & guide wear (xDrive50i E70/F15)

N63 4.4L V8 timing-chain stretch & guide wear (xDrive50i E70/F15) is a common engine fault on the BMW X5 on the 2010–2018 cars, and we rate it major. Putting it right costs $4,000 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 41 documented faults on the BMW X5.

Vehicle
BMW X5
Only on
Bi-Turbo / twin-turbo
Engine
N63
Years
2010–2018
Fuel
petrol
System
Engine

This page covers the BMW X5 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 X5 faults41 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

Beyond its well-known oil consumption, the X5 xDrive50i's N63 4.4L twin-turbo V8 suffers timing-chain stretch and worn plastic guides/tensioners - a core item in BMW's N63 Customer Care Package. As the chain stretches it rattles on cold start and throws camshaft-correlation codes; if a tensioner fails the chain can jump and cause catastrophic valve damage. It is a major, labour-heavy job buried in the hot vee, so chain history is critical on a high-km 50i.

What you would notice

  • Timing rattle on cold start
  • Camshaft-correlation / timing fault codes
  • Rough running or loss of power

How to check it

Where to look. Timing chains, guides and tensioners on the 4.4L V8 (inside the vee)

  1. Listen for a timing rattle on cold start and scan for correlation codes.

  2. Ask whether the timing chain, guides and tensioners have been replaced or whether the N63 Customer Care Package covered them, and get documentation.

Parts involved: Timing chain.

What it costs to put right

$4,000 to $9,000 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 and guides been replaced, or was the CCP done?”
  • “Any timing rattle on cold start or correlation codes?”

Now check the BMW X5 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.

  • Fluid MotorUnion – Valve Stem Seal & Timing Chain job in E70 X5 N63
  • Go-Parts – BMW 4.4L V8 Camshaft/Timing faults (N63/S63)

BMW X5 buyer questions

Is n63 4.4l v8 timing-chain stretch & guide wear (xdrive50i e70/f15) serious on a BMW X5?

We rate it major and common on the BMW X5. Beyond its well-known oil consumption, the X5 xDrive50i's N63 4.4L twin-turbo V8 suffers timing-chain stretch and worn plastic guides/tensioners - a core item in BMW's N63 Customer Care Package. As the chain stretches it rattles on cold start and throws camshaft-correlation codes; if a tensioner fails the chain can jump and cause catastrophic valve damage. It is a major, labour-heavy job buried in the hot vee, so chain history is critical on a high-km 50i.

How much does it cost to fix on a BMW X5?

$4,000 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 X5 years are affected?

Our research records this fault on the 2010–2018 BMW X5. 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?

Listen for a timing rattle on cold start and scan for correlation codes. Ask whether the timing chain, guides and tensioners have been replaced or whether the N63 Customer Care Package covered them, and get documentation. Look here: Timing chains, guides and tensioners on the 4.4L V8 (inside the vee)