Common problems stated 1. Valve cover gasket oil leaks - degrading & drying out + cracking Solution - replace the part 2. Cracks in oil filter housing at 70-80k miles - coolant leaks / mixes with engine oil - part cost $300 3. Coolant vent line on cylinder head - affecting 2.3.4 series - replace for free at bmw - cannot handle accessive heat over the life of engine Not many other common problems just have these checked out from time to time, comparatively a cery reliable engine
I work at a dealer in the uk and here’s the problems we see: Vanos central valves- pretty common. Timing chain elongation- less common. Tank vent valve- pretty common. Coolant line from tank to head- pretty common. Injectors- not very common but do fail. Turbo wastegate actuators- pretty common. Heat management- less common. Some piston failures but not very common at all. Overall a good engine but wouldn’t say it’s overly reliable. The B58 doesn’t suffer the same scale of issues.
drove my B48 from 21k off lease from the dealership, to now 84,500 miles. I have had a jb4 from 21k to 33k miles and stage 2 bm3 OTS from 33k to current mileage. Issues so far in order, 54k miles, coolant reservoir return line from the block. This part costs about 25$. When it fails, all coolant will leak out of the engine. You will get an overheat warning after the coolant level has reached 0. not before. Thats a huge problem. Second issue, at 48k rear differential pinion seal. replaced under warranty. 78k seal around the water pump. replaced under CT emissions warranty. Plugs change regularly at 30k miles of usage. gapped to .023. oil change every 5k, 0w-20 (will change to 5w-30 after internal upgrades).
I have a 2018 bmw 330i USA spec I have a stage 2 bm3 catless downpipe ftp chargepipe and xhp stage 3 changed my engine oil at 42000 miles and the car right now has 46000 never changed the spark plugs when should I change it
Dan - 40k is a pretty safe interval to replace the stock plugs on a stock B48. Most people still run OEM NGK 94201 plugs up to Stage 2 without any problems. 46,000 miles is pushing it a bit for Stage 2, since spark plugs foul faster, so we think it would be smart to decrease your spark plug replacement interval closer to 25-30k miles.
Love how genuine and knowledgeable your videos are. Learning a lot about my b48. It’s at 9000 miles right now but your videos help me prepare for the journey ahead. 😊
@@BartoszRybacki0 Way to work, max. 130km/h. 30km per trip. Average consumption is about 7L/100km. While driving moderate. Ive workes in a BMW Dealership for about eight years. Consumption in a 5 Series or X3 20i always 8-11L/100km. If you claim any different, I have to assume you are not telling the truth.
@@Ridorian95 I only got this for two weeks as a replacement cat, when my Camry was being repaired. I only filled it once (fill up average 9L/100) According to what computer says It used less than a 7 on long roads trips, and 11 L/100 or more (as you say) on small trips. It aligns with the 9L/100 fill up average. And internet fuelly averages. But in my opinion it is very good for this size and weight. My small Mitsubishi Lancer 1.8 was much worse - it could never go below 7.5 even with hypermilling tehcniques. Toyota/Lexus 2.0T is worse ;(. Old Civic IX 1.8 is much better, but it is much smaller - 60% of the weight ;) And of course my big Camry Hybrid is much better, but it is a different league. The fillup average after 1 year is around 6L/100. But the BMW 5 (G30) was so quiet. Magic. No wind noise on highway.
I've had all 3 done around 55-60k miles. Luckily I work at BMW so they helped me out with the repairs. Another common issue I've been seeing which my car had was the turbo coolant return line. Other than those typical coolant issues the car has been solid.
Thanks for the great video. I was considering getting a BMW with this engine around 40K miles, but was initially treating that as far away from major issues.
Love the b48 on the f60 manual JCW countryman. You can get up to 280hp with a simple Ecu flash with zero downgrade in reliability. My German mechanic says the only thing he’s seen so far is coolant issues.
My 2020 330i xdrive had 87k miles on it and I lost it due to a flood in South Florida, took the insurance money and got my baby back with 0 miles ❤ I currently live in Gainesville, Florida and have a home in Fort Lauderdale so I drive a lot and also saltwater fish every weekend along the Atlantic, from St. Augustine all the way down to the Florida key’s. In a span of two years I put over 80,000 miles on mine and I only had to keep up with regular maintenance. Oil changes, new tires etc. I did have to replace a rim due to a stress crack at around 84,000 miles but that was it. Bmw definitely hit it out of the park with the b48 and b58 engines. I also bought the oil change service plan at BMW offers for $220 covers 2-3 years unlimited miles I got 6 oil changes in a span of 10 months out of warranty from that, would’ve been more if it wasn’t for the flood. $220/6 comes out to $36 per oil change and I could’ve easily gotten that down to $18 per oil change if I would’ve had it for an extra year.
hey zach, love what you're doing at 8020. An experienced BMW technician told me that the reason why Oil Filter housing on B4x engines might leak is that the filter cup was over-torqued during oil filter replacement. The torque is 25 Nm, NOT Ft-lb! It is enough to crack a the plastic washer within the housing. would love to hear what you think.
Hi TJ, thank you for the kind words. That is correct in that the oil filter cap has torque specs of 25nm (~18 lb-ft). Over-tightening the cap could potentially cause some issues, but I also suspect the oil filter housing is a component that we'll see having more issues as the B48/B58 continue aging. Leaking oil filter housings & gaskets have long been an issue on many BMW engines around the 8-12 year and 100,000-120,000 mile ballpark.
@@gregthesplintercell yea! Only things I’ve had to replace are the OFH, serpentine belt, and the front auxiliary water pump, the other two are literally 45 min jobs that I did in by front driveway
@@gregthesplintercell most of the stuff is caused by heat, and since the b48 doesn’t have as much power I wonder if that would let it last longer, one thing for sure, get a heat shield for the turbo, helps a lot with heat soak
Got a N26 with 200,000 on it, only issue was rats ate my wiring...... After some bush mechanic hotwiring its never skipped a beat. Took the car bush, cracked the automatic gearbox on a rock going offroad but no leak so continued driving. So far a very reliable car, after i pay off my home im going to start replacing parts with aftermarket bit, should be fun. Only other issue is a shredded a tire 300km from the nearest city, packed it with grass and it got me to a town, found a tire in a backyard of a native dude, he charged me $750 for it, I didn't have a choice really so we got it and put it on with lever bars. Honestly next time I drive 6800km I'll be packing a spare.
@@8020Media yeah no worries, I don't find BMW engines unreliable, I do find they have electronic problems and soy covered wired are a magnet for rodents. I'd love to have a b48 but I like my car too much, so many adventures
Great video, Zach. Thanks a lot! Question: If I reach a BMW store to buy a certified pre-owened, do I have the RIGHT to ask the dealer to check for those common issues before taking the car home? I say common issues like: water pump, injector failure, coolant leaks.
You can certainly ask them to confirm that they aren't issues but if the pump isn't broken already, injectors aren't bad, and there are no coolant leaks then there really isn't anything for them to fix. CPO cars come with some form of extended warranty and usually are pretty meticulously cared for so I would feel pretty comfortable purchasing a CPO car. Most of these issues won't really pop up until higher mileage.
@@8020Media what would be a “high mileage” for you? Because those issues will happen on 90% of bmws. Thus, would you think I could request a “preventive replacement”?
I would say 100k+ miles. Water pumps can go out at way earlier if you run the car hard in high heat and get unlucky. If you properly take care of the car it should be pretty reliable. Realistically I'd say you have a 0% chance of getting them to preventatively fix the problem, especially if it's a CPO vehicle with extra warranty on it already. It's honestly part of the cost of owning a BMW, which is why a lot of people don't.
You’ll have CPO so if anything breaks it’ll be covered! But coolant pipes and fittings will break over time due to heat and how brittle it gets. Water pump will leak, heat management module, turbo coolant return line and sometimes feed lines
Mine has been a pain in the ass. Oil filter housing ($3,000) cracked, and water pump took a dump at 60,000 miles ($1,000). Next one will definitely be a 6 or 8 cylinder.
At what mileage did your oil filter housing go out? I have a 19 X3 and thats the only part that concerns me due to it could possibly mix coolant with the engine oil
The coolant vent line is a problem even for the 1 series F20/21. I tried to have a BMW workshop read about this problem by presenting the BMW USA recall, but they replied that it is not valid for Italy and that they have never heard of this problem (even though there are enough of these cases also here in Italy). Spoiler, I had my mechanic change the hose and as they touched it to remove it, it broke at the ends. 70k km
Thanks for the specific content! I’m eyeing a 330e coming from a tuned 2017 A3. I’ll take these issues over the water pump time bomb in the EA888 (amazing engine though).
Picked up a 22 bmw x2 x28i and the car is a beast, after a full day of driving I realized the car has 70k km and still drives strong and like new(70k km for a bmw rental is like 200k on a regular car) these cars can take a beating and I plan to push it to its limits
Just had my oil filter housing crack at 82k on a 2018 b48… was lovely. Got my coolant vent line fixed last year, now have an evap system service action…
Hello Zach. I appreciate you creating these videos for the public. I plan on purchasing a 2023 MINI Cooper S, this model is on Consumer Report’s recommendation list. I’ve contacted owners and they have had no issues with the 3rd generation. I value your opinion, it’s a 2023 model with the B48 engine, do you think bmw worked out all the bugs and ironed out the kinks from 2014 models? Do you agree with Consumer Reports? Please advise. I plan on getting my MINI in 2 weeks.
Leo - Typically the newer an engine is, the more likely the manufacturer has worked out a lot of the issues. This isn't to say that the MINI you end up with will have NO issues at all. But Consumer Reports do a lot of testing and are typically pretty reliable.
Thank you for this video! Much appreciated and very helpful. Considering my wife and I are about to purchase a 2024 X4 30i (note: the M40i / B58 engine X4 that we test drove had a much stiffer ride which is why we are avoiding that engine/vehicle combination). I'm here doing some research on what I can expect in terms long term reliability from this B48 engine (30i). As a senior citizen that worked on my own cars back in the 60's and 70's, valve cover gasket leaks, etc. were always common although much easier to replace. We have no issues paying a mechanic to replace aging gaskets, etc. which as you said, will happen to any car engine as it ages.
The B48 has an avantage over the B58 in weight. It's actually noticiable. You dont get the 6 cylinder grunt ofc, but the car actually feels a bit more nimble.
Do you recommend aftermarket aluminum replacements such as the oil filter housing or transmission cover? Sounds like seals should be part of preventative maintenance for these engines.
Is the B48 more reliable than the N20? I am looking to buy a F30 320i produced in 2016, does anyone know if it will have the N20 or the B48 engine? I am based in the UK: thank you.
Have my eye on a 2018 420i Gran Coupe and a 2018 428i Gran Coupe. Both around 25K miles. What would you recommend? I believe the 420i has the B48 engine and the 428i? N20? Thanks in advance! 🙏🏻
What about the balance shaft bearing? I heard it is a problem just like the 911 Porsche boxster. Any info on that? I am kind of concerned as I am about to buy my 3 series 2017.
D - We haven't heard much on these. Wouldn't say it's necessarily common or something that should prevent you from buying. Make sure to check maintenance records.
Hey man! Great video I just have some questions. Looking for a b48 / b58 (this is my first car). I’ve slimmed it down to a 21’ 530i lci or an older 17’-18’ 540i or 530i. I do plan on doing a good ole down pipe and a tune regardless on which I get. My question is should I get a gen2 b48 or gen1 and as far as bang for your buck goes along with reliability should I get a b48 or b58? Thanks bro
if i was looking for a used bmw 3 series, would you recommend buying a model with the n20/n26 or b48 long term reliability wise? This is assuming both cars have similar mileage and maintenance history. I would be trying to buy one 2014 or newer because the dashboard-light website notes a sharp decrease in powertrain defects that year.
J - In our personal opinion, we like the B48 more. Toyota using it for their Supra goes a long way. Again, this is our opinion, so don't make your purchasing decision based on us. We also have a N20 video for your research: ua-cam.com/video/EdpZd1-7f-U/v-deo.html
N20 had an issue in earlier model years with timing chain guides. Usually resulted in engine failures. If you insist on a N20, look for one made in 2015 or later, when they updated the guides. I had a 2016 with approx. 54k miles. Owned it a year and put on about 10k miles and had no issues. In general, I believe the B48 is a better option if available.
I have a 120i f20 with the b48 from 2018 and my coolant vent line broke while driving the car. This resulted in the car overheating, got the line replaced the day after but now she is taking a half liter every month. Getting a little bit worried the head gasket may be beginning to leak due to the overheating 😬
Hello Zach, thank you for your video, I became a new subscriber! I am just wondering do you think these issues are improving as the newer car models come out? like for the 2024 models? I am planning to get a bmw x4 2024 xdrive 30i, which I believe holds a B48. Would it be comparatively reliable comapring with other car model has same engine? Thank you!
I own a 20 330i xdrive I brought with 40k mikes now has 90k and it’s very reliable as long as you Keep Your maintenance up they last longer they make modern cars more reliable than back then
Xin - Yes, usually the newer a car is, the more likely a brand has fixed issues from earlier models. So long as it is maintained properly, you should be good!
Hey 8020 media, i have a 2017 330i xdrive bmw with 59K miles and have a major oil consumption issue, the car has zero leaks and is not running rich, do you have any recommendations on what parts could be contributing to that? every search tells me my engine is bad or my piston rings yet the car runs perfect with no performance problems, no smoke, and no rough idle, any tips would help! Thanks!
I am fixing to retire from contracting and have always wanted a BMW, either the 3 series or the 5 series, but am very scared of all the horror stories about cost of repairs. I just spent $900 on maintenance with sparkplug change for a Toyota Highlander Limited so I can only imagine what routine maintenance is for the BMW. I do love that front end on those things though. What can you tell me that will put my mind at ease from all the other horror stories I have heard on UA-cam. Although I have heard good things about the B48/B58.
The key to affordable maintenance is avoiding the dealership and DIY'ing as much as you can. Spark plugs and ignition coils will run you like $400 in parts on something like the B58. You can DIY them in probably an hour or two even if you don't have much mechanical skill. Dealership will probably charge you 4-6 hours of labor at $200/hr which is ludicrous. Indy shops are still going to be in the $125/hr range but they'll probably charge you 2 hours of labor instead. Oil changes are more expensive if you use the oil you should use - we do all of our own oil changes and it still costs us probably $75-$100 in oil and oil filters per car. But general maintenance isn't the issue...it's when something goes wrong. When something goes wrong, valve cover leak, fuel injectors, fuel pump, etc. you are pretty much always going to be staring down a $1k+ repair if you don't have the skills to fix it yourself. If you're looking at high mileage engines that's when you're going to run into a lot more issues with oil leaks, water pumps, fuel injectors, etc. Ultimately - yes, they are expensive to fix when something goes wrong.
Get a B58. Everything good about the b48 is in the b58, only difference is the b48 is a 4 cyl and the b58 is a 6 cyl. B58 is much faster and you can do a lot more with that engine than the b48.
Might be a really dumb question. Is it possible that the oil housing cracking is due to over torquing the oil case cover? Unless everyone is using a torque wrench its very easy to apply too much torque.
Un B48 NO es un B58 solamente por tener algunas piezas "en común". Son motores totalmente diferentes, incluso entre un B47 y un B48 hay bastante diferencia.
We very much understand that a B48 is not a B58 - I don't think we said it was a B58 but rather that it's a very similar engine in design. The B47 is a diesel so yes, those are certainly different. And it isn't that they just use some of the same parts. From a technical and design standpoint there is certainly a lot in common between the two.
@@8020Media Entonces no cabe afirmar que un B48 produce +300 BHP. No importa lo mucho que compartan en diseño. Hay un B48 y un B58, así como las variantes TU que hacen diferencia entre un B58 y un B58TU. Dos cilindros, dos pistones y otras cosas más hacen un motor totalmente diferente. Así como el diésel no es lo mismo que la gasolina y, por ende, son motores diferentes, así tampoco existe relación alguna totalmente directa alguna entre un B38, B48 y un B58. Aspectos en común, podría ser, pero eso no los hace idénticos. Por algo existen las nomenclaturas en cada marca. En fin, como sea.
Hey I have a 2018 125i 23k kms on it. I really want to do a stage 2 remap on it, downpipe, intercooler upgrade and spark plugs upgrade on it. Obviously I’m worried about encountering engine issues it’s the last thing I want because of how expensive these things are to service and replace and I don’t have warranty either. Do you think I’m going to encounter a lot of issues with it or I should be ok and not encounter too much wallet hammering problems till about the 80k mark ?
Ben - It all depends on how well you maintain it. The higher the stage, the more stress you put on the engine. We can't give you our word on you not encountering any issues up to the 80k mark because every engine is different. However, if you stay on top of maintenance, you should be okay. Keep us updated.
At 60.000km rear differencial completely busted, BMW did not want to change it because car was already older than 2 years that cost 2500€ , despite know problems with diffs since E46, at 70.000 km injectors failure needed to replace them thats a 1200€ just for injectors. So not even 70.000km driven and yet with all service intervals done between 10-15k km already needed to put like almost 4k in repair costs. So fingers crosed everything else holds. And car is stock from new.
Common problems stated
1. Valve cover gasket oil leaks
- degrading & drying out + cracking
Solution - replace the part
2. Cracks in oil filter housing at 70-80k miles
- coolant leaks / mixes with engine oil
- part cost $300
3. Coolant vent line on cylinder head
- affecting 2.3.4 series
- replace for free at bmw
- cannot handle accessive heat over the life of engine
Not many other common problems just have these checked out from time to time, comparatively a cery reliable engine
O - Thanks for doing this. It will certainly be helpful for future viewers!
3 -
2, 3, 4 series from the F line. G line 3 series has been on the market for 5 years now so it's useful to point out
I really appreciate b48 specific content!! Thanks
b00STR - Thanks for the feedback! We plan on releasing much more B48 content in the future.
I work at a dealer in the uk and here’s the problems we see:
Vanos central valves- pretty common.
Timing chain elongation- less common.
Tank vent valve- pretty common.
Coolant line from tank to head- pretty common.
Injectors- not very common but do fail.
Turbo wastegate actuators- pretty common.
Heat management- less common.
Some piston failures but not very common at all.
Overall a good engine but wouldn’t say it’s overly reliable. The B58 doesn’t suffer the same scale of issues.
A - Thanks for taking the time to share these insights!
drove my B48 from 21k off lease from the dealership, to now 84,500 miles. I have had a jb4 from 21k to 33k miles and stage 2 bm3 OTS from 33k to current mileage. Issues so far in order, 54k miles, coolant reservoir return line from the block. This part costs about 25$. When it fails, all coolant will leak out of the engine. You will get an overheat warning after the coolant level has reached 0. not before. Thats a huge problem. Second issue, at 48k rear differential pinion seal. replaced under warranty. 78k seal around the water pump. replaced under CT emissions warranty. Plugs change regularly at 30k miles of usage. gapped to .023. oil change every 5k, 0w-20 (will change to 5w-30 after internal upgrades).
Jeramie - Thanks for taking the time to type all of this out! Very helpful for future viewers!
Really, helpful.
Experienced the same thing but at 28k miles for the coolant return line
I have a 2018 bmw 330i USA spec
I have a stage 2 bm3 catless downpipe ftp chargepipe and xhp stage 3 changed my engine oil at 42000 miles and the car right now has 46000 never changed the spark plugs when should I change it
Dan - 40k is a pretty safe interval to replace the stock plugs on a stock B48. Most people still run OEM NGK 94201 plugs up to Stage 2 without any problems. 46,000 miles is pushing it a bit for Stage 2, since spark plugs foul faster, so we think it would be smart to decrease your spark plug replacement interval closer to 25-30k miles.
Love how genuine and knowledgeable your videos are. Learning a lot about my b48. It’s at 9000 miles right now but your videos help me prepare for the journey ahead. 😊
Ab - Thanks for the feedback! We have some other videos on the B48 out currently and plan to roll out some more in the future!
@@8020Media more b48 vids !
Im at 138.000km with my B48 120i, no Problems whatsoever. A bit thirsty, but absolutely reliable
R - Thanks for taking the time to share your experience!
Thirsty? I had it for a test in 520i, it was super frugal.
Maybe it depends on the usage ;)
@@BartoszRybacki0 Way to work, max. 130km/h. 30km per trip. Average consumption is about 7L/100km. While driving moderate.
Ive workes in a BMW Dealership for about eight years. Consumption in a 5 Series or X3 20i always 8-11L/100km. If you claim any different, I have to assume you are not telling the truth.
@@Ridorian95 I only got this for two weeks as a replacement cat, when my Camry was being repaired. I only filled it once (fill up average 9L/100)
According to what computer says It used less than a 7 on long roads trips, and 11 L/100 or more (as you say) on small trips. It aligns with the 9L/100 fill up average. And internet fuelly averages. But in my opinion it is very good for this size and weight.
My small Mitsubishi Lancer 1.8 was much worse - it could never go below 7.5 even with hypermilling tehcniques. Toyota/Lexus 2.0T is worse ;(. Old Civic IX 1.8 is much better, but it is much smaller - 60% of the weight ;)
And of course my big Camry Hybrid is much better, but it is a different league. The fillup average after 1 year is around 6L/100.
But the BMW 5 (G30) was so quiet. Magic. No wind noise on highway.
I've had all 3 done around 55-60k miles. Luckily I work at BMW so they helped me out with the repairs. Another common issue I've been seeing which my car had was the turbo coolant return line. Other than those typical coolant issues the car has been solid.
M - Thanks for taking the time to share your experience!
looking at getting a g20 3 series and having videos like these help so much with research!
Bilal - Good to hear. Thanks for the feedback! Keep us updated with what you end up doing.
Thanks for the great video. I was considering getting a BMW with this engine around 40K miles, but was initially treating that as far away from major issues.
Lance - We have a B48 and love it. This video is not made to scare, it's simply made to inform.
Here I am, listing very carefully and taking notes.... thank you guys
Kal - Love to hear. Hope it helped!
Love the b48 on the f60 manual JCW countryman. You can get up to 280hp with a simple Ecu flash with zero downgrade in reliability. My German mechanic says the only thing he’s seen so far is coolant issues.
Deal - Very true! Thanks for adding this insight!
My 2020 330i xdrive had 87k miles on it and I lost it due to a flood in South Florida, took the insurance money and got my baby back with 0 miles ❤
I currently live in Gainesville, Florida and have a home in Fort Lauderdale so I drive a lot and also saltwater fish every weekend along the Atlantic, from St. Augustine all the way down to the Florida key’s. In a span of two years I put over 80,000 miles on mine and I only had to keep up with regular maintenance. Oil changes, new tires etc. I did have to replace a rim due to a stress crack at around 84,000 miles but that was it. Bmw definitely hit it out of the park with the b48 and b58 engines. I also bought the oil change service plan at BMW offers for $220 covers 2-3 years unlimited miles I got 6 oil changes in a span of 10 months out of warranty from that, would’ve been more if it wasn’t for the flood. $220/6 comes out to $36 per oil change and I could’ve easily gotten that down to $18 per oil change if I would’ve had it for an extra year.
Sebas - We couldn't agree more! Thanks for sharing your experience!
The 302hp version has been for sale here in the US for quite a few years. sold in the X2 M35i and the M235i gran coupe.
AI - Thanks for the insight!
hey zach, love what you're doing at 8020. An experienced BMW technician told me that the reason why Oil Filter housing on B4x engines might leak is that the filter cup was over-torqued during oil filter replacement. The torque is 25 Nm, NOT Ft-lb! It is enough to crack a the plastic washer within the housing. would love to hear what you think.
Hi TJ, thank you for the kind words. That is correct in that the oil filter cap has torque specs of 25nm (~18 lb-ft). Over-tightening the cap could potentially cause some issues, but I also suspect the oil filter housing is a component that we'll see having more issues as the B48/B58 continue aging. Leaking oil filter housings & gaskets have long been an issue on many BMW engines around the 8-12 year and 100,000-120,000 mile ballpark.
in the b58 as well! my 340i at 120k miles just cracked on the oil filter housing lol about to change it tomorrow
Sam - So sorry to hear this.. Thanks for sharing your experience.
wow I didn't know BMW's could last that long.
@@gregthesplintercell yea! Only things I’ve had to replace are the OFH, serpentine belt, and the front auxiliary water pump, the other two are literally 45 min jobs that I did in by front driveway
@@samuelgutierrez5686 Do you think the B48 engine would be just as reliable? And last just as long? How is it in comparison to the B58?
@@gregthesplintercell most of the stuff is caused by heat, and since the b48 doesn’t have as much power I wonder if that would let it last longer, one thing for sure, get a heat shield for the turbo, helps a lot with heat soak
Got a N26 with 200,000 on it, only issue was rats ate my wiring...... After some bush mechanic hotwiring its never skipped a beat.
Took the car bush, cracked the automatic gearbox on a rock going offroad but no leak so continued driving. So far a very reliable car, after i pay off my home im going to start replacing parts with aftermarket bit, should be fun.
Only other issue is a shredded a tire 300km from the nearest city, packed it with grass and it got me to a town, found a tire in a backyard of a native dude, he charged me $750 for it, I didn't have a choice really so we got it and put it on with lever bars. Honestly next time I drive 6800km I'll be packing a spare.
Kisha - Thanks for sharing your experience!
@@8020Media yeah no worries, I don't find BMW engines unreliable, I do find they have electronic problems and soy covered wired are a magnet for rodents. I'd love to have a b48 but I like my car too much, so many adventures
Completely agree!
Great video, Zach. Thanks a lot!
Question: If I reach a BMW store to buy a certified pre-owened, do I have the RIGHT to ask the dealer to check for those common issues before taking the car home? I say common issues like: water pump, injector failure, coolant leaks.
You can certainly ask them to confirm that they aren't issues but if the pump isn't broken already, injectors aren't bad, and there are no coolant leaks then there really isn't anything for them to fix. CPO cars come with some form of extended warranty and usually are pretty meticulously cared for so I would feel pretty comfortable purchasing a CPO car. Most of these issues won't really pop up until higher mileage.
@@8020Media what would be a “high mileage” for you?
Because those issues will happen on 90% of bmws. Thus, would you think I could request a “preventive replacement”?
I would say 100k+ miles. Water pumps can go out at way earlier if you run the car hard in high heat and get unlucky. If you properly take care of the car it should be pretty reliable. Realistically I'd say you have a 0% chance of getting them to preventatively fix the problem, especially if it's a CPO vehicle with extra warranty on it already. It's honestly part of the cost of owning a BMW, which is why a lot of people don't.
You’ll have CPO so if anything breaks it’ll be covered! But coolant pipes and fittings will break over time due to heat and how brittle it gets. Water pump will leak, heat management module, turbo coolant return line and sometimes feed lines
Mine has been a pain in the ass. Oil filter housing ($3,000) cracked, and water pump took a dump at 60,000 miles ($1,000). Next one will definitely be a 6 or 8 cylinder.
Fl - Sorry to hear this, however, we appreciate you taking the time to add your experience.
At what mileage did your oil filter housing go out? I have a 19 X3 and thats the only part that concerns me due to it could possibly mix coolant with the engine oil
The B48E variant is in the US. At a minimum on the 2020 and above MINI cooper JCW ALL4 models and the MINI Cooper GP3.
Scott - Thanks for sharing this insight!
The coolant vent line is a problem even for the 1 series F20/21. I tried to have a BMW workshop read about this problem by presenting the BMW USA recall, but they replied that it is not valid for Italy and that they have never heard of this problem (even though there are enough of these cases also here in Italy).
Spoiler, I had my mechanic change the hose and as they touched it to remove it, it broke at the ends. 70k km
Dark - Very interesting that they would deny it.. Thanks for sharing this!
I also had a coolant pipe problem,luckily I got it fixed before the car overheated
Justin - Thanks for adding your experience!
Thanks for the specific content! I’m eyeing a 330e coming from a tuned 2017 A3. I’ll take these issues over the water pump time bomb in the EA888 (amazing engine though).
S - Very true! Thanks for the feedback. We also have this video if you're looking to mod the B48: ua-cam.com/video/UT0ErqdtDCU/v-deo.html
2021 530i b48 engine at 35k miles. All good so far
D - Nice, just make sure to keep up with maintenance!
@@8020Media oh yea trying to. Got oil change recently and replaced rear brake pads for the first time
D - Nice! You should be good then.
I would hope so. 35k is low
How is the timing chain/guide on a g20 330i (2019-2022)? Does it have the same problems like the previous models? Thx
C - The newer, the better!
Picked up a 22 bmw x2 x28i and the car is a beast, after a full day of driving I realized the car has 70k km and still drives strong and like new(70k km for a bmw rental is like 200k on a regular car) these cars can take a beating and I plan to push it to its limits
Awesome! Keep us updated on how it goes. Tons of resources for mods and things like that over at bmwtuning.co
My b46 is in the shop now for a coolant leak from the hose going to the turbo
J - Sorry to hear this, however, thanks for sharing your experience!
Just had my oil filter housing crack at 82k on a 2018 b48… was lovely. Got my coolant vent line fixed last year, now have an evap system service action…
A - So sorry to hear this.. Thanks for sharing your experience.
How much does it cost?
Thank you very much for the effort! Nice video!
Smart - Thanks for the feedback! We hope it was helpful.
Hello Zach. I appreciate you creating these videos for the public. I plan on purchasing a 2023 MINI Cooper S, this model is on Consumer Report’s recommendation list. I’ve contacted owners and they have had no issues with the 3rd generation. I value your opinion, it’s a 2023 model with the B48 engine, do you think bmw worked out all the bugs and ironed out the kinks from 2014 models? Do you agree with Consumer Reports? Please advise. I plan on getting my MINI in 2 weeks.
Leo - Typically the newer an engine is, the more likely the manufacturer has worked out a lot of the issues. This isn't to say that the MINI you end up with will have NO issues at all. But Consumer Reports do a lot of testing and are typically pretty reliable.
Thank you for this video! Much appreciated and very helpful. Considering my wife and I are about to purchase a 2024 X4 30i (note: the M40i / B58 engine X4 that we test drove had a much stiffer ride which is why we are avoiding that engine/vehicle combination). I'm here doing some research on what I can expect in terms long term reliability from this B48 engine (30i). As a senior citizen that worked on my own cars back in the 60's and 70's, valve cover gasket leaks, etc. were always common although much easier to replace. We have no issues paying a mechanic to replace aging gaskets, etc. which as you said, will happen to any car engine as it ages.
J - Thanks for the feedback! B48's can be great if maintained properly.
The B48 has an avantage over the B58 in weight. It's actually noticiable. You dont get the 6 cylinder grunt ofc, but the car actually feels a bit more nimble.
Mike - Thanks for sharing this insight!
Fyi....hold the head of the ratchet in one hand so you don't put leverage loads on the oil filter housing.
Some great info here. Thanks BMW!
Do you recommend aftermarket aluminum replacements such as the oil filter housing or transmission cover? Sounds like seals should be part of preventative maintenance for these engines.
M - You don't need to go aftermarket, but they may last longer!
Hi, I am looking at buying a 2022/2023 X4 xDrive 30i M Sport G02 LCI with 5,000 km on it. Looks really nice. Is it a good reliable car?
S - Yes. It all depends on how you maintain it.
75,000, zero cost so far. Coolant line replaced for free. Changed plugs once....oil at 10k intravels.
BMW - Thanks for sharing your experience!
Is the B48 more reliable than the N20? I am looking to buy a F30 320i produced in 2016, does anyone know if it will have the N20 or the B48 engine? I am based in the UK: thank you.
A - We have a great article of this on our BMW website: bmwtuning.co/n20-vs-b48/
@@8020MediaAwesome and wholesome! Thanks bud 🥰
A - Not a problem! Keep us updated.
Have my eye on a 2018 420i Gran Coupe and a 2018 428i Gran Coupe. Both around 25K miles. What would you recommend? I believe the 420i has the B48 engine and the 428i? N20? Thanks in advance! 🙏🏻
T - Kind of depends on budget and what you're looking to get out of a car. If it were us, we would say B48, but the N20 is also a great engine.
What about the balance shaft bearing? I heard it is a problem just like the 911 Porsche boxster. Any info on that? I am kind of concerned as I am about to buy my 3 series 2017.
D - We haven't heard much on these. Wouldn't say it's necessarily common or something that should prevent you from buying. Make sure to check maintenance records.
Would be cool if the after-market would come up with bullet proof solutions for these issues.
Eric - We agree!
@8020Media This is my favorite Car channel. Great work / videos . Thank you ! BTW I have a B48 engine in my BMW.
Eric - We appreciate the support! We don't plan on stopping anytime soon.
Great video
Butkus - Thanks for the feedback!
Hey man! Great video I just have some questions. Looking for a b48 / b58 (this is my first car). I’ve slimmed it down to a 21’ 530i lci or an older 17’-18’ 540i or 530i. I do plan on doing a good ole down pipe and a tune regardless on which I get. My question is should I get a gen2 b48 or gen1 and as far as bang for your buck goes along with reliability should I get a b48 or b58? Thanks bro
K - We think this video would help you out dramatically: ua-cam.com/video/V6ClkCprklU/v-deo.html
Let us know if you have any other questions.
I own 2021 g21 and strange thing i had is sometimes coolant get low and other times when i check is in normal level … is very confusing
S - May want to check the sensor. Keep us updated. Thanks for sharing your experience.
if i was looking for a used bmw 3 series, would you recommend buying a model with the n20/n26 or b48 long term reliability wise? This is assuming both cars have similar mileage and maintenance history. I would be trying to buy one 2014 or newer because the dashboard-light website notes a sharp decrease in powertrain defects that year.
J - In our personal opinion, we like the B48 more. Toyota using it for their Supra goes a long way. Again, this is our opinion, so don't make your purchasing decision based on us. We also have a N20 video for your research: ua-cam.com/video/EdpZd1-7f-U/v-deo.html
N20 had an issue in earlier model years with timing chain guides. Usually resulted in engine failures. If you insist on a N20, look for one made in 2015 or later, when they updated the guides. I had a 2016 with approx. 54k miles. Owned it a year and put on about 10k miles and had no issues. In general, I believe the B48 is a better option if available.
I have a 120i f20 with the b48 from 2018 and my coolant vent line broke while driving the car. This resulted in the car overheating, got the line replaced the day after but now she is taking a half liter every month. Getting a little bit worried the head gasket may be beginning to leak due to the overheating 😬
A - That is what it is sounding like. Have you had it looked at? That's quite a bit every month.
Technically we do get the high horsepower b48 in the us and canada in the mini jcw and now the x1 m35i
Ashwin - Thanks for the insight.
Are the b46c similar to b48? I have the b46c in my 2020 mini Cooper Clubman s all4. Just want to know what to watch out for lol
Jesus - Yes they are similar engines!
Hello Zach, thank you for your video, I became a new subscriber! I am just wondering do you think these issues are improving as the newer car models come out? like for the 2024 models? I am planning to get a bmw x4 2024 xdrive 30i, which I believe holds a B48. Would it be comparatively reliable comapring with other car model has same engine? Thank you!
I own a 20 330i xdrive I brought with 40k mikes now has 90k and it’s very reliable as long as you Keep
Your maintenance up they last longer they make modern cars more reliable than back then
@@cardellperry954 Good to hear, thank you man!
Cardell - Thanks for taking the time to share your experience and help out our viewers!
Xin - Yes, usually the newer a car is, the more likely a brand has fixed issues from earlier models. So long as it is maintained properly, you should be good!
@@8020Media Thank you!
I replaced the cooler line before there recall and paid for it. Then had to get redone after recall but they never paid me for doing it the first time
N - Sorry to hear.
Hey 8020 media, i have a 2017 330i xdrive bmw with 59K miles and have a major oil consumption issue, the car has zero leaks and is not running rich, do you have any recommendations on what parts could be contributing to that? every search tells me my engine is bad or my piston rings yet the car runs perfect with no performance problems, no smoke, and no rough idle, any tips would help! Thanks!
A - Have you had it looked at?
with this coolant issues any engine versions were improved? after some year? I have 2020 mk5 2.0 and they don't have information on the website.
M - The newer, the better. But you should still be good.
Would be the 7 series with 2.0 v4 b48 reliable?
M - This video is for all B48's, regardless of model.
How is oil and coolant mixing going to be detectable with no dipstick?
The lack of a dipstick doesn't help, but it would be evident during an oil change. You might also notice sludge underneath the oil fill cap.
I am fixing to retire from contracting and have always wanted a BMW, either the 3 series or the 5 series, but am very scared of all the horror stories about cost of repairs. I just spent $900 on maintenance with sparkplug change for a Toyota Highlander Limited so I can only imagine what routine maintenance is for the BMW. I do love that front end on those things though. What can you tell me that will put my mind at ease from all the other horror stories I have heard on UA-cam. Although I have heard good things about the B48/B58.
The key to affordable maintenance is avoiding the dealership and DIY'ing as much as you can. Spark plugs and ignition coils will run you like $400 in parts on something like the B58. You can DIY them in probably an hour or two even if you don't have much mechanical skill. Dealership will probably charge you 4-6 hours of labor at $200/hr which is ludicrous. Indy shops are still going to be in the $125/hr range but they'll probably charge you 2 hours of labor instead. Oil changes are more expensive if you use the oil you should use - we do all of our own oil changes and it still costs us probably $75-$100 in oil and oil filters per car. But general maintenance isn't the issue...it's when something goes wrong. When something goes wrong, valve cover leak, fuel injectors, fuel pump, etc. you are pretty much always going to be staring down a $1k+ repair if you don't have the skills to fix it yourself. If you're looking at high mileage engines that's when you're going to run into a lot more issues with oil leaks, water pumps, fuel injectors, etc.
Ultimately - yes, they are expensive to fix when something goes wrong.
Get a B58. Everything good about the b48 is in the b58, only difference is the b48 is a 4 cyl and the b58 is a 6 cyl. B58 is much faster and you can do a lot more with that engine than the b48.
F - Can't deny this.
It’s B58 in the Toyota Supra, I think😊
S - They have both B48 and B58 options.
Can I install a 2021 B48 engine on a 2016 F10 528i?
U - If you have the budget.
Are there electrical and mechanical parts that I need to change, or just change the engine?
U - Personally, we don't think it's worth it..
Might be a really dumb question. Is it possible that the oil housing cracking is due to over torquing the oil case cover? Unless everyone is using a torque wrench its very easy to apply too much torque.
P - Not a dumb question at all! This is certainly a possibility.
No, they crack inside allowing a coolant leak. It’s plastic so it gets brittle and breaks
No it cracks because the car constantly is getting hot and cold
The inside breaks
good content
Thanks for watching!
Whats the difference b48b20a vs b48b20a
S - hmmm
What is the break in period for a B48 engine?
Sneeder - Typically the first 1,000 miles.
Just a small correction, the b48t1 has been in the US for some time now, anything fwd based with a 35 designation and the jcw clubman.
Erick - Thanks for the insight here.
and jcw countryman
Coolant pipe starts to leak. There is a recall on this.
Justin - Thanks for adding this insight!
B48 primarily European Market B46 US Market
Ralf - That isn't necessarily true. There's a good amount of B48's state side.
Un B48 NO es un B58 solamente por tener algunas piezas "en común". Son motores totalmente diferentes, incluso entre un B47 y un B48 hay bastante diferencia.
We very much understand that a B48 is not a B58 - I don't think we said it was a B58 but rather that it's a very similar engine in design. The B47 is a diesel so yes, those are certainly different. And it isn't that they just use some of the same parts. From a technical and design standpoint there is certainly a lot in common between the two.
@@8020Media Entonces no cabe afirmar que un B48 produce +300 BHP. No importa lo mucho que compartan en diseño. Hay un B48 y un B58, así como las variantes TU que hacen diferencia entre un B58 y un B58TU. Dos cilindros, dos pistones y otras cosas más hacen un motor totalmente diferente. Así como el diésel no es lo mismo que la gasolina y, por ende, son motores diferentes, así tampoco existe relación alguna totalmente directa alguna entre un B38, B48 y un B58. Aspectos en común, podría ser, pero eso no los hace idénticos. Por algo existen las nomenclaturas en cada marca.
En fin, como sea.
Similar and identical are two different words Giloh.
Hey I have a 2018 125i 23k kms on it. I really want to do a stage 2 remap on it, downpipe, intercooler upgrade and spark plugs upgrade on it.
Obviously I’m worried about encountering engine issues it’s the last thing I want because of how expensive these things are to service and replace and I don’t have warranty either.
Do you think I’m going to encounter a lot of issues with it or I should be ok and not encounter too much wallet hammering problems till about the 80k mark ?
Ben - It all depends on how well you maintain it. The higher the stage, the more stress you put on the engine. We can't give you our word on you not encountering any issues up to the 80k mark because every engine is different. However, if you stay on top of maintenance, you should be okay. Keep us updated.
Great video and new subscriber. I have a 2022 Toyota Supra 2.0 with the B46/48. Does the coolant vent line issue affect this car? Thanks!
Reality - Thanks for the feedback! We have seen a few Supra's affected by this.
B38 cracked oil filter housing on 180k km
Just - Sorry to hear this, however, thanks for adding your experience.
At 60.000km rear differencial completely busted, BMW did not want to change it because car was already older than 2 years that cost 2500€ , despite know problems with diffs since E46, at 70.000 km injectors failure needed to replace them thats a 1200€ just for injectors. So not even 70.000km driven and yet with all service intervals done between 10-15k km already needed to put like almost 4k in repair costs. So fingers crosed everything else holds. And car is stock from new.
Jure - So sorry to hear about your experience. Sounds like you got unlucky, but hopefully you see more reliability in the future.
B48 in the Toyota Supra? 7:20 , I tougt it was the B58...
Mekke - It uses both the B48 and B58…
Why does this remind me of Tweetie?
nop. the b58 is
Is what?
Technically it’s a 1.9 liter engine.
J - What?
Those issues are not even worth making a video about. They happen across different makes and models of cars. Even japanese.
Mike - It may not be worth it to you, but to others it is.
mikä on paree engine 48 vai 58
This will help you out: ua-cam.com/video/V6ClkCprklU/v-deo.html
😢
M - Do you have a B48?
7:18 Toyota is using the b58 inline 6 twin scroll turbo in the supra, not the b48 inline 4 twin scroll turbo. Get your facts straight 😂
Aniv - It uses both the B58 and B48.....
There’s also a 4 cylinder Supra using the b48. Get your facts straight, genius. Some peoples kids man smh.
Toyota uses the b48 in the 2.0 and the B58 in the 3.0. GeT yOuR fAcTs RiGhT
Twin scroll turbo? Never heard of that only a twin scroll supercharger
@@felixramos5808 yup. It’s a thing.
Those engines are trash and nowhere near as good as the N20
B - Certainly not trash. But the N20 and B48 are great engines.
No the b58 is the most reliable
Everyone is held to their own opinion, but don't think we said the B48 is more reliable than the B58.