BMW VANOS faults and limp mode

Which cars are affected?

VANOS is BMW’s system for adjusting the camshaft timing. This page covers VANOS and cam timing faults on BMW engines.

Two DVSA recalls cover VANOS faults:

• R/2014/068 appears in the DVSA listings for the 2009 3 Series and the 2011 5 Series.
• R/2024/191 names the N51, N52 and N55 engines.

Whether your car is included depends on the individual car, not just the model. If you are not sure which engine your BMW has, put the registration in the enquiry form and we will check. For other BMW work, see our BMW and MINI specialist page.

What are the symptoms?

The symptom described in the recall is the engine dropping into emergency mode, often called limp mode.

When you book, tell us:

• when the car went into limp mode, for example from cold or under acceleration
• which warning lights or messages you saw
• whether it has happened before

What causes it?

In the recalled cars, the screws that hold the VANOS unit together can loosen or break. That causes oil to leak inside the unit and the camshaft timing to go wrong, which is what puts the engine into limp mode.

Whatever the car, we test to find the cause before we decide what is wrong.

How do you confirm the fault before fitting parts?

A fault code is not a repair. Before we quote for any parts, we:

• check your registration for open recalls, because recall work is done by BMW’s network
• read the fault data stored in the engine’s control unit with our diagnostic equipment
• compare the target and actual camshaft angles in the live data
• test the VANOS solenoids

We then show you what we found and send a written price. No part is fitted until you give us your written approval.

What does the repair involve?

If the car is covered by an open recall, BMW’s network does that work, and we tell you so before anything else.

Out of recall, the repair depends on what the tests find. Where the VANOS unit screws have loosened, the accepted repair is to replace the screws, and the VANOS unit itself if the screws have failed. We carry out VANOS and cam timing work in-house.

Once the work is done, we verify the repair, including a road test where appropriate.

How long does it take?

It depends on what the tests find. The recall check and fault reading come first, and we tell you the result before any further work.

Before any work starts, you get a written price and a promised time for your next update. If the car needs to stay with us, ask about a courtesy car when you book.

Is there a recall?

Yes, for some cars. DVSA lists VANOS recalls R/2014/068 and R/2024/191.

Whether a recall applies depends on the individual car, so check your registration on gov.uk. Recall work is done by BMW’s network, not by us.