Despite widespread assumptions to the contrary, the BMW N55 engine is actually a quite reliable one. In no particular order, the valve cover and gasket, water pump, oil filter housing gasket, and VANOS solenoids are the four most frequent issues with the N55. The majority of the parts are inexpensive, and none of these are particularly serious problems. However, if you consistently service your car at the BMW dealership or independent repair shops, the repair costs might start to mount, and I believe this is where the myths about BMW reliability come into play.
Also, bear in mind that this is not a comprehensive list of potential issues with the N55; just because something is on the list does not indicate that it will always be a problem. The “average” N55 and what goes wrong with the “average” engine are the subjects of our investigation. Many N55s with 100,000 miles have not required any out-of-pocket spending on repairs, but others with many fewer miles may do so at a cost of thousands each year. It all comes down to how well you take care of your N55, as well as some random chance. In general, the BMW N55 engine is a dependable one that is simple to tune to produce excellent horsepower and torque.
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What is the lifespan of a BMW N55 engine?
The BMW N55 engine should have little trouble surviving beyond 150,000 miles, and some owners say their engines have exceeded 250,000 miles. Although you will need to start spending more money on repairs as the engines wear out more quickly, owners have reported that changing turbos and engine gaskets can be pricey.
At its foundation, the 3.0L inline 6-cylinder engine that powers the N55 is renowned for being incredibly dependable. Since the inline six-cylinder engine has been produced by BMW for more than 30 years, the company’s entire research and development effort went into the 2010 release of the N55.
The N55 is more dependable than the engine it replaced, the N54, although it doesn’t last quite as long as its replacement, the B58. Overall, the most crucial thing you can do for your N55 engine is to take care of it and avoid pushing it over its breaking point.
Improved Reliability For The BMW N55
Although performance improvements are the showy and enjoyable alternatives you can use on a regular basis, they aren’t the most crucial. BMW engineers gave its basic engine the pieces it needed to perform at that level since they were well aware of its limitations. The health and dependability of your engine are in jeopardy as increased performance places more stress on components that might not be designed for more power. The finest power-boosting tweaks make sure the engine can handle the extra power.
The N55 turbo is dependable.
The N54 and N55 turbochargers are both highly trustworthy. The weak internals of the N55s are the problem. Don’t overdo the tunes; N55 rod bolts are prone to expand, so make sure the VANOS recall has been carried out.
BMW turbos are they reliable?
The strains that a turbocharger must endure seem like a prescription for mechanical disaster, with operational temperatures that soar to 1,500 degrees Fahrenheit and internal speeds that soar over 100,000 rpm.
And indeed, during prior spikes in turbo popularity, catastrophes occurred frequently. Consumers may be wondering whether they should be concerned about the reliability of these devices now that automobiles with turbocharged engines have increased to over 20% of new sales, according to Honeywell, a major components supplier.
The automotive turbocharger, which uses a small turbine powered by the engine’s exhaust to spin a compressor section, is merely a pump intended to force more air into an engine. Because of the technology, automakers may use smaller engines to achieve the necessary horsepower while also achieving higher fuel efficiency. Because of this, as new models are released, turbo engines are becoming more and more well-liked.
Inadequate materials and insufficient lubrication have been blamed for the turbo failures of previous decades. In either case, the malfunctions can damage a carmaker’s reputation and the repairs are expensive. Therefore, the technology-using automakers can’t afford any errors.
They made blunders in the past. Some 1980s cars’ turbos proved to be problematic. When the engine was running, the turbine bearings were lubricated, but when it was shut off, they overheated, turning the lubricating oil into deposits of hardened ash. Customers started to avoid turbos.
The influx of turbocharged vehicles suggests that the issues have been resolved, at least in part. The reliability of turbos has increased, according to Mike Katerberg, a senior powertrain engineer at General Motors, who also noted that the warranty rate for GM turbos is extremely low and that they don’t rank among the top 15 most often failing engine components. Internal parts can withstand high speeds better thanks to lubrication circuits for bearings and cooling that continues after shutdown; the turbo housings are composed of more robust alloys.
Real-world durability is still up for debate. Consumer Reports magazine, which conducts extensive owner surveys, has observed certain problems.
According to Douglas Love, a magazine spokesman, “Traditional turbos from Audi, Volkswagen, and BMW have proved reliable when they are relatively new but developed issues as they aged.” “Newer turbo engines, like the Ford EcoBoost, haven’t always proven dependable, even at first.”
Condensation-related issues with acceleration were reported by Ford owners to NHTSA, however failures of the turbo itself don’t seem to be frequent. Turbo failure issues have been reported by NHTSA for the Volkswagen Passat TDI and the BMW 535is (which uses a turbodiesel engine). Additionally, a 2015 A3 model’s turbo failure was reported in an Audi service bulletin in August.
Other problems exist besides turbo longevity. Small turbocharged engines aren’t delivering on the fuel-efficiency claims by the manufacturers, according to a Consumer Reports report from February 5, 2013.
The GM engineer Katerberg noted that the turbo will outperform the larger normally aspirated engine under light loads at constant cruise speed since it operates without boost and the benefits of reduced displacement come into play.
Which BMW engine has the best reliability?
BMW is known for producing high-end vehicles. You could be wondering if they are trustworthy, and the answer is that they are absolutely trustworthy. Even though they have quite high price tags, they are still worth the money. They have superb and potent engines that will allow you to use them at their maximum speed.
- 1. BMW B58 Motor
- 2. BMW M20 Motor
- 3. BMW M50 Motor
- 4. BMW S62 Motor
- 5. BMW N52 Motor
- 6. BMW M54 Motor
When did BMW install the N55 engine?
I own a 2011 135i with a pre-09/10 build date. Is it as straightforward as anything 2011+ is n55, or is there a quick way to determine whether I have n54 or n55?
In reality, BMW began producing the N55 in September 2009. They produced some alongside the N54 but not many. Thus, choosing an engine only based on build date is not guaranteed.
For these production months, BMW began producing “some” N55s in addition to the regular N54 output:
The best approach to determine whether an automobile is a N55 is probably to see if it has a DCT. It is a N54 if it has a car. If it’s a 6MT, you’ll need to examine the engine. See the images shown above to identify the different engines.
In addition, to respond to the OP’s initial query regarding his Sept. 2010 construction date, I can confirm that your engine is a N55.
What makes the N55 so great?
The N54 and N55 engines from BMW are quite comparable to one another and practically operate identically when stock. Although either turbo set-up spools rapidly and produces outstanding power throughout the low end and midrange, the N55 twin-scroll turbo gives a slightly faster turbo spool and delivers peak torque 100 RPM’s sooner than the N54. However, this difference is negligible. The N54 is the more effective engine mod-for-mod because of its two turbos and forged internals. The N55, however, has emerged as the more dependable engine. N54s are infamous for having frequent troubles, especially in the beginning, although these problems have since been fixed. The N54 and N55 are unlikely to be at the top of your list if you’re searching for an all-around dependable vehicle.
Although I’m sure you already knew that before even clicking this page, our choice is N54.
N55 or B58, which is more dependable?
With the exception of the quiet exhaust tone, the B58 is regarded as the superior performing engine.
If you’re thinking about buying a used radiator, make sure it has rock guards installed because they are quite expensive to replace and refill and are highly delicate. Guards weren’t initially standard on BMW vehicles until December 2017.
With the exception of the radiator problem, the B58 has shown itself to be largely reliable, with very few instances of crank sensor and VANOS actuator problems being documented on this site. Anecdotally, N55 is more trustworthy.
When did the 335i get the N55?
The single turbo N55 engine replaced the twin turbo N54 in 335i models beginning with the 2011 model year. Piezo injectors were replaced with solenoid-style injectors in the N55. This was a significant improvement in terms of reliability over the N54’s problematic piezo injectors. The N55 utilizes the same gasoline pump as the N54, though. A more durable solution to the HPFP problems wasn’t discovered until around 2011 or 2012. Though it’s expected that by 2020 most would have failed and been replaced with the newest models, some early model N55s may still retain the defective pumps.
What vehicles run on the N55 engine?
- 2009-2017 F10/F11/F07 535i.
- 2010-2013 E90/E91/E92/E93 335i.
- 2010-2013 E82/E88 135i.
- F25 X3 xDrive35i 2010–2017.
- E70 X5 xDrive 35i, 2011–2013.
- 2011-2015 F30/F31 335i.
- E71 X6 xDrive 35i, 2011–2014.
- E84 X1 xDrive35i from 2012 to 2015.
Is the N55 a good tuning tool?
Despite being inferior to its N54 counterpart mod for mod, the BMW N55 is nevertheless a powerful, easily tuneable engine that can produce about 400whp with a few straightforward bolt-ons and an E-85 mixture. While cruising normally, the N55 feels stock; nevertheless, apply hard throttle, and the N55 soon serves as a reminder that it is far from stock. The N55 continues to be a dependable, poised engine even after being modified. Overall, the BMW N55 is a reliable and all-around driveable engine that is tuner-friendly and capable of producing enough power with the factory turbo to satisfy the majority of fans.
How durable are N55 turbos?
It’s challenging to estimate this with precision. In general, more boost will shorten the stock N55 turbo’s lifespan. N55 turbos, for instance, have been known to run 50,000 miles or more when operated at 23 psi. However, even at 20 psi, the stock turbo may opt to go off significantly sooner. You must be willing to take some risk in order to drive the N55 turbo to its breaking point. However, a relatively safe limit for the stock turbo should be around around 20psi.
Once you exceed 21 psi, you start to leave the N55 turbo’s efficient operating range. In other words, you would be increasing the turbo’s workload significantly for rather small performance benefits. Feel free to use the stock turbo if an upgrade is on the horizon for you. Before deciding to let go, it will likely continue to produce more boost, possibly even up to 26–27 psi.