{"canonVersion":{"checklist":1,"defects":2},"defectsRelease":{"format":3,"release":"2026.10.1","dossiers":15},"attribution":{"source":"Elgarde","url":"https://elgarde.com","license":"CC-BY-4.0","repository":"https://github.com/ElgardeCom/elgarde"},"disclaimer":"Elgarde is a self-service checklist, not a certified, mechanical or legal inspection and not professional advice. Defect entries are known weak points to check on a model — never a claim about any individual car.","defectsDisclaimer":"Each entry describes a known weak point of a model, engine or gearbox, based on published sources. It is not a statement about any individual car and not a diagnosis. An entry does not mean that a given car has the defect; the absence of an entry does not mean that a car is sound. Prevalence figures are estimates for the stated population and method, with their biases, and cannot be applied to a single car. The data is provided as is, without warranty (CC-BY-4.0, section 5); it is not a certified, mechanical or legal inspection. Naming a manufacturer or its product is not an assessment of that manufacturer; source links show where each fact comes from. To report an error, open an issue at github.com/ElgardeCom/elgarde or write to support@elgarde.com. We correct mistakes.","lang":"en","defect":{"id":"n47.chain","aliases":[],"revision":1,"updatedAt":"2026-10-13","title":"BMW N47 2.0 diesel: rear timing chain wear and failure","summary":"BMW ran a workshop campaign in 2015 (0011540300) fitting a new chain tensioner to N47 2.0 diesels built up to the end of 2008. On the N47 2.0 diesel the timing chain sits at the gearbox end of the engine; sources describe wear of the chain, guide rails or tensioner, a chain that lengthens and rattles and, in extreme cases, engine damage.","checklistPrompt":"N47 diesel timing chain (rear of engine) — check for stretch and rattle","component":"engine.timing.chain","mechanism":"A timing chain at the transmission end drives the camshafts. Wear of the chain, the sprockets, the guide rails or the tensioner lets the chain lengthen; early engines had sharp-edged sprockets, and BMW introduced a new crankshaft part number from January 2009. The lengthened chain rattles and the timing can drift; in extreme cases the engine can be severely damaged. Because the chain is at the rear, the replacement is extensive work. According to a BMW workshop note as reported by L'argus, the risk is higher if maintenance was missed or oils of variable quality were used.","applicability":{"models":[{"id":"bmw.1series","label":"BMW 1 Series"},{"id":"bmw.2series","label":"BMW 2 Series"},{"id":"bmw.3series","label":"BMW 3 Series"},{"id":"bmw.5series","label":"BMW 5 Series"},{"id":"bmw.x1","label":"BMW X1"},{"id":"bmw.x3","label":"BMW X3"}],"when":{"all":[{"engine":{"ids":["bmw.n47d20"]}},{"productionDate":{"from":"2007-03","to":"2015-12"}}]},"markets":["EU"],"hint":"Only BMW 2.0 diesels with the N47 engine (N47D20), built from March 2007 to about 2015 (sources give September 2014 or 2015). Petrol engines and the later B47 diesel are outside this entry.","notes":"BMW splits production into bands: before 5 January 2009 (the cars that, according to BMW, did not receive later improvements; covered by the 2015 campaign up to the end of 2008), 5 January 2009 to 1 March 2011, and later. Other N47 variants (1.6 N47D16, N47S, N47T) are not confirmed by the sources used here. No official recall specifically for the chain was identified in the sources used here. According to a legal trade report, a German appeal court (OLG Frankfurt am Main, 2017) treated chain noise on its own as a comfort issue, not a substantial defect. The end of production is given as September 2014 by one encyclopedia entry and as 2015 by two magazines."},"engines":[{"id":"bmw.n47d20","family":"N47","codes":["N47D20","N47D20U0","N47D20O0","N47D20T0"],"fuel":"diesel","displacementCc":null,"powerKw":[105,130,150],"label":"BMW N47 2.0 diesel (N47D20)"}],"gearboxes":[],"severity":"critical","safety":false,"critical":true,"evidenceGrade":"well_documented","symptoms":[{"id":"s1","text":"Metallic rattle at cold start, often for a few seconds","stage":"early"},{"id":"s2","text":"Scraping or grinding from the rear of the engine around 1,500 rpm","stage":"early"},{"id":"s3","text":"Engine warning light, loss of power or hard starting","stage":"late"}],"inspection":[{"id":"i1","method":"document","text":"Confirm the N47 engine and the build date (door-pillar label or dealer VIN query) and place the car in BMW's bands: before 5 January 2009, up to 1 March 2011, or later.","redFlag":"Built before 5 January 2009 with no record of chain work.","tools":[]},{"id":"i2","method":"document","text":"Ask for the status of BMW campaign 0011540300 and for invoices of any chain, guide rail, tensioner or crankshaft work.","redFlag":"No chain work on record for a car built before 2009: price the repair in.","tools":[]},{"id":"i3","method":"listen","text":"Start the engine from fully cold and listen at the rear of the engine for rattle, then for scraping around 1,500 rpm.","redFlag":"Rattle or scraping: have a specialist check the chain before buying.","tools":[]},{"id":"i4","method":"document","text":"Check the oil-change history: changes every 10,000–15,000 km rather than long-life intervals only.","redFlag":"No oil history, or long-life intervals only.","tools":[]}],"repair":{"remedy":"Replacement of both timing chains with guide rails, tensioners and seals; the work is extensive because the chain sits at the gearbox end of the engine.","cost":{"currency":"EUR","low":1500,"high":2500,"basis":"Germany: magazine range; a published workshop offer for the full chain job is about 1,850 EUR (about 550 EUR more on X models / all-wheel drive).","asOf":"2026-03","what":null,"evidence":["ev_bm_e09a","ev_bm_e08"]},"worstCase":null,"manufacturerProgramme":{"text":"BMW workshop campaign 0011540300 (network notified on 23 January 2015) fits a newly developed chain tensioner to cars built up to the end of 2008. In France, BMW's after-sales service told L'argus in 2015 that repair costs were covered close to 100% where maintenance had followed the manufacturer's recommendations.","evidence":["ev_bm_e01"]}},"evidence":["ev_bm_e01","ev_bm_e03","ev_bm_e05","ev_bm_e08","ev_bm_e09a","ev_bm_e09b","ev_bm_e10","ev_bm_e11"],"prevalence":["pv_n47_none"],"disclaimer":"Each entry describes a known weak point of a model, engine or gearbox, based on published sources. It is not a statement about any individual car and not a diagnosis. An entry does not mean that a given car has the defect; the absence of an entry does not mean that a car is sound. Prevalence figures are estimates for the stated population and method, with their biases, and cannot be applied to a single car. The data is provided as is, without warranty (CC-BY-4.0, section 5); it is not a certified, mechanical or legal inspection. Naming a manufacturer or its product is not an assessment of that manufacturer; source links show where each fact comes from. To report an error, open an issue at github.com/ElgardeCom/elgarde or write to support@elgarde.com. We correct mistakes."},"evidence":[{"id":"ev_bm_e01","type":"specialist_press","tier":2,"defects":["n47.chain"],"supports":["existence","mechanism","applicability","manufacturer_acknowledgement","remedy"],"scope":null,"source":{"publisher":"L'argus","title":"Fiabilité BMW : problèmes de chaîne de distribution sur le 2.0 diesel","url":"https://www.largus.fr/actualite-automobile/fiabilite-bmw-problemes-de-chaine-de-distribution-sur-le-20-diesel-6313385.html","identifier":null,"publishedDate":"2015-06-18","retrievedAt":"2026-10-13","language":"fr","archive":{"url":"https://web.archive.org/web/20250426001711/https://www.largus.fr/actualite-automobile/fiabilite-bmw-problemes-de-chaine-de-distribution-sur-le-20-diesel-6313385.html","capturedAt":"2025-04-26","sha256":null},"license":"proprietary","reuse":"cite","status":"archived"},"quote":null,"translation":null,"note":"BMW workshop campaign 0011540300 (network notified 23 January 2015) with a new chain tensioner for 1, 3, 5 Series and X3 with the N47 built up to the end of 2008; BMW's production bands 1 March 2007–5 January 2009, 5 January 2009–1 March 2011 and later; new crankshaft reference from January 2009; cover close to 100% with maintenance history.","confidence":"medium","reviewedAt":"2026-10-13","reviewStatus":"source_verified"},{"id":"ev_bm_e03","type":"specialist_press","tier":3,"defects":["n47.chain"],"supports":["applicability"],"scope":null,"source":{"publisher":"Wikipedia","title":"BMW N47 (English)","url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BMW_N47","identifier":null,"publishedDate":null,"retrievedAt":"2026-10-13","language":"en","archive":{"url":"https://web.archive.org/web/20260925110235/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BMW_N47","capturedAt":"2026-09-25","sha256":null},"license":"CC-BY-SA-4.0","reuse":"cite","status":"archived"},"quote":null,"translation":null,"note":"Encyclopedia entry: N47 production March 2007 to September 2014. Used only for the production window, alongside the academic source.","confidence":"medium","reviewedAt":"2026-10-13","reviewStatus":"source_verified"},{"id":"ev_bm_e05","type":"court_decision","tier":2,"defects":["n47.chain"],"supports":["legal_outcome"],"scope":null,"source":{"publisher":"IWW Institut (Autorecht aktuell)","title":"NW-Handel Rechtsprechungsreport 2017","url":"https://www.iww.de/asr/autorecht/nw-handel-rechtsprechungsreport-die-wichtigsten-urteile-des-jahres-2017-zum-nw-handel-auf-einen-blick-f109782","identifier":"OLG Frankfurt a.M. 24 U 26/15; 24 U 85/15","publishedDate":"2018-01-02","retrievedAt":"2026-10-13","language":"de","archive":{"url":"https://web.archive.org/web/20261013080942/https://www.iww.de/asr/autorecht/nw-handel-rechtsprechungsreport-die-wichtigsten-urteile-des-jahres-2017-zum-nw-handel-auf-einen-blick-f109782","capturedAt":"2026-10-13","sha256":null},"license":"proprietary","reuse":"cite","status":"archived"},"quote":null,"translation":null,"note":"Legal trade report of OLG Frankfurt am Main judgments of 21 April 2017 (24 U 26/15, 24 U 85/15): chain noise on N47 BMWs was held to be an acoustic comfort issue, not a substantial defect. The judgments themselves were not consulted.","confidence":"medium","reviewedAt":"2026-10-13","reviewStatus":"source_verified"},{"id":"ev_bm_e08","type":"specialist_press","tier":2,"defects":["n47.chain"],"supports":["symptom","cost"],"scope":null,"source":{"publisher":"repareo.de","title":"N47 Motor: Motorschaden — Anzeichen, Probleme, Kostenbeispiele","url":"https://www.repareo.de/n47-motor-motorschaden/","identifier":null,"publishedDate":null,"retrievedAt":"2026-10-13","language":"de","archive":{"url":"https://web.archive.org/web/20260518001921/https://www.repareo.de/n47-motor-motorschaden/","capturedAt":"2026-05-18","sha256":null},"license":"proprietary","reuse":"cite","status":"archived"},"quote":null,"translation":null,"note":"Workshop booking platform: chain replacement offer of about 1,850 EUR (both chains, guide rails, tensioners, seals, oil and coolant), plus about 550 EUR on X models / all-wheel drive; cold-start rattle and warning light as symptoms.","confidence":"medium","reviewedAt":"2026-10-13","reviewStatus":"source_verified"},{"id":"ev_bm_e09a","type":"specialist_press","tier":2,"defects":["n47.chain"],"supports":["existence","symptom","cost"],"scope":null,"source":{"publisher":"auto motor und sport","title":"Steuerkettenprobleme bei BMW N47-Motoren: Symptome, Kosten, Lösungen","url":"https://www.auto-motor-und-sport.de/tech-zukunft/steuerkettenprobleme-bei-bmw-n47-motoren-symptome-kosten-loesungen/","identifier":null,"publishedDate":"2026-03-26","retrievedAt":"2026-10-13","language":"de","archive":{"url":"https://web.archive.org/web/20260617203958/https://www.auto-motor-und-sport.de/tech-zukunft/steuerkettenprobleme-bei-bmw-n47-motoren-symptome-kosten-loesungen/","capturedAt":"2026-06-17","sha256":null},"license":"proprietary","reuse":"cite","status":"archived"},"quote":null,"translation":null,"note":"Magazine: N47 built 2007–2015; metallic rattle at cold start; chain repair typically 1,500–2,500 EUR; The magazine states that later engine generations largely resolved the issue (no BMW statement is quoted). No failure percentage is given.","confidence":"medium","reviewedAt":"2026-10-13","reviewStatus":"source_verified"},{"id":"ev_bm_e09b","type":"specialist_press","tier":2,"defects":["n47.chain"],"supports":["prevalence"],"scope":null,"source":{"publisher":"auto motor und sport","title":"Steuerkettenprobleme beim BMW N47: Ursachen und Lösungen","url":"https://www.auto-motor-und-sport.de/tech-zukunft/steuerkettenprobleme-beim-bmw-n47-ursachen-und-loesungen/","identifier":null,"publishedDate":"2026-08-04","retrievedAt":"2026-10-13","language":"de","archive":{"url":"https://web.archive.org/web/20261013081128/https://www.auto-motor-und-sport.de/tech-zukunft/steuerkettenprobleme-beim-bmw-n47-ursachen-und-loesungen/","capturedAt":"2026-10-13","sha256":null},"license":"proprietary","reuse":"cite","status":"archived"},"quote":null,"translation":null,"note":"Second article from the same magazine: no failure percentage. Cited because a '20%' figure attributed online to this magazine does not appear in it.","confidence":"medium","reviewedAt":"2026-10-13","reviewStatus":"source_verified"},{"id":"ev_bm_e10","type":"specialist_press","tier":2,"defects":["n47.chain"],"supports":["existence","mechanism"],"scope":null,"source":{"publisher":"Gebrauchtwagenberater.de","title":"BMW N47 Probleme und Haltbarkeit","url":"https://gebrauchtwagenberater.de/bmw-n47-probleme/","identifier":null,"publishedDate":"2024-09-14","retrievedAt":"2026-10-13","language":"de","archive":{"url":"https://web.archive.org/web/20261013081214/https://gebrauchtwagenberater.de/bmw-n47-probleme/","capturedAt":"2026-10-13","sha256":null},"license":"proprietary","reuse":"cite","status":"archived"},"quote":null,"translation":null,"note":"Most affected are the first production years, which had sharp-edged sprockets; model years 2014–2015 the least affected.","confidence":"medium","reviewedAt":"2026-10-13","reviewStatus":"source_verified"},{"id":"ev_bm_e11","type":"technical_analysis","tier":2,"defects":["n47.chain"],"supports":["applicability"],"scope":null,"source":{"publisher":"University of Miskolc","title":"T. Fekete, 'Maintenance of the N47 internal-combustion diesel engine', Design of Machines and Structures 12(2), 64–72","url":"https://doi.org/10.32972/dms.2022.015","identifier":"doi:10.32972/dms.2022.015","publishedDate":"2022","retrievedAt":"2026-10-13","language":"en","archive":null,"license":"proprietary","reuse":"cite","status":"no_archive"},"quote":null,"translation":null,"note":"Academic maintenance paper giving the early N47 codes N47D20U0 (105 kW), N47D20O0 (130 kW) and N47D20T0 (150 kW, twin turbo). Its statement about a recall cites a secondary source and is not used.","confidence":"medium","reviewedAt":"2026-10-13","reviewStatus":"source_verified"}],"prevalence":[{"id":"pv_n47_none","kind":"none","value":null,"unit":null,"numerator":null,"denominator":null,"ci":null,"population":null,"outcome":null,"baseline":null,"method":null,"evidence":["ev_bm_e09a","ev_bm_e09b"],"confidence":null,"caveats":[],"noReliableFigure":true,"reason":"No verified share of N47 engines with chain failure has been published. A '20%' figure attributed online to auto motor und sport does not appear in two of its N47 articles."}],"attributions":[]}