2011 335d - Occasional Belt Squeal at Start Up

pondo · 08-23-2012, 11:50 AM

Finally took my car to the dealer for the a/c belt squeal. I was told the belt looked blued and was probably slipping on the a/c pulley. $220 fix @ $31 for the belt and 1.5 hrs of labor ($125/hr labor rate).

Dealer couldn't replicate my car failing to start 5 times in a row yesterday though!

As an aside...I have a 2012 528 xdrive loaner and it's an under-powered poor steering boat! I want my diesel back asap!

taibanl · 08-23-2012, 10:20 PM

wait...you PAID to fix this? FOUL!

e90335Diesel · 11-02-2012, 01:05 AM

Hey guys! so ive been a lurker for a while and finallly decided to sign up!
I have a 2011 335D (22K miles on it) and was wondering if any you guys have had similar problems? I dont know if its my car or the dealership!
So I did notice the belt squeal coming from the engine on cold start up..I went in September to get this checked out, the dealership acknowledged the problem and said it was a faulty fan belt and replaced it. There was no more squeal!

2 Weeks later, Im driving on, It was a pretty hot day so my A/C was blasting, then all of a sudden it stopped blowing hot air.. I took it in to the dealership, they said they had previously installed a faulty belt and replaced it yet again with a brand new belt.
Another 2 weeks go by and I'm noticing my air not cooling as it used to.. So i brought it in once again. After a few days they stated there was a leak in my evaporator core and that they are going to replace it... So i picked up my car, I was driving home from the dealership everything seemed fine.. then out of no where the power that supplies the A/C control panel goes out.. and well as my glove compartment light and even noticed my trunk light out. The very next day i head back to my dealer. They said the wiring came lose and they had to redo it..
It has been a few days, everything seems fine as for now , but i fear something else is going to go wrong :x

So I did some researching around and I did find a couple threads about e90's having A/C issues.. but i feel this is total dealership negligence... I have taken my car one to many times to the dealership and its getting kind of frustrating.. I'm still under warranty so everything was taken care of but this seems kind of ridiculous.. any thoughts?

Puerto Rican 335d · 11-02-2012, 07:20 AM

yep the STEALERSHIP!! mechanics are INCOMPETENT!!! I suggest you try to find another stealership these guys dont know WTF they are doing!!!

FormerRotor · 11-03-2012, 10:14 PM

On a positive note, Welcome to the club (officially). On a not-so-positive note, Sorry to hear about those issues, e90335d.

The d's do have a/c issues, but not like those you're describing, IIRC. The biggest problem is the belt squeal at startup which (depending on your dealer) will be diagnosed as a bad belt, compressor, or both. Many members and some dealers have resolved this by using an Aftermarket belt. I'm leaning toward poor workmanship considering your laundry list of malfunctions, though.

Find out who the most reputable dealership is locally and start taking it there to see if maybe the issues start to fade into memory. Hopefully they do. If not, you may have gotten the bad apple of the bunch. :-/

Keep us in the loop & we'll keep our fingers crossed for you.

e90335Diesel · 11-05-2012, 02:04 PM

hey guys! thanks for the welcome. I figured it was most likely an issue with the dealership.. Poor workmanship indeed. Its just ridiculous they cant take the time to make sure everything is fixed proper before handing back the car. I will def service it somewhere else. In the mean time I did contact BMW North America and told them my issues..I got a call back from they said they will "investigate" the problem. Also I decided to contact a couple Lemon Law lawyers to see if my case applies. I have all the records handy. California as a pretty strict lemon law policy which protects its customers. I used to have an A4 which had constant transmission issues and they ended up purchasing back the car. I love the 335D, im sure you guys all agree its def a special BMW gem to own. ahh I just hope this is not going to be a reoccurring problem. Ill keep you guys updated!

e90335Diesel · 12-19-2012, 05:50 AM

So just wanted to give an update: Contacted BMW NA. they said they would pay me 2 payments which came out to be a little over 1K. I asked what happens if this problem happens again, then they said they would consider a buyback. A spoke to a lawyer he said if it does happen again then you are good, they will calculate the buyback with the mileage i had the first time I took it in for the A/C issue. So overall im pretty happy with the outcome. Just wanted to let you guys know! So far i havent had any cooling issues, its winter so i usually blast the heat on but I noticed that when i have it up on high temp and the medium blow setting , it does whistle a little... any of you guys have this problem or is this normal?

Timujin · 12-22-2012, 08:40 AM

Took car in yesterday for oil change and mentioned the belt squeal. They were not able to duplicate problem. Which is fine because it's cool weather.

FormerRotor · 12-22-2012, 10:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Timujin

Took care in yesterday for oil change and mentioned the belt squeal. They were not able to duplicate problem. Which is fine because it's cool weather.

You may still be able to duplicate. Try starting the car after it sits overnight and immediately hit MAX A/C. If this works, turn off the a/c before you park at night and drive to the dealer without letting it turn on the next morning. Stop car, start up in front of the s/a, hit max ac, and cross your fingers. This always worked for me when I needed to show the dealer. Hopefully it helps you as we'll. good luck!

taibanl · 01-24-2013, 05:32 PM

Here is the official bulletin.

Note it says to replace with a DIFFERENT belt from another vehicle, NOT the belt listed on e90 parts diagram.

FormerRotor · 01-25-2013, 10:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by taibanl

Here is the official bulletin.

Note it says to replace with a DIFFERENT belt from another vehicle, NOT the belt listed on e90 parts diagram.

Thanks Taibanl. Great post!

dzlmoose · 05-27-2013, 11:33 AM

Add me to the club.

It's soo funny how when you first hear this you start looking around at other cars and blaming them for the sound.

rogerdiaz · 06-15-2013, 03:10 PM

I have BMW GOLD Extended Warranty. this is not covered per my dealer. I am having your issues. ridiculous

dzlmoose · 06-15-2013, 09:52 PM

Mine was covered no problem. Just sent my SA the PDF.

rogerdiaz · 06-15-2013, 11:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dzlmoose

Mine was covered no problem. Just sent my SA the PDF.

Were you under or over 50k when you got this fixed. Thanks.

335dFan · 06-16-2013, 08:59 AM

Thanks for having this come back to the top of the stack. Mine has started doing this on hot afternoons when I start the car to drive home from work. Squeals for about 5 seconds or so shortly after cranking her up. The PDF should be really helpful with the dealer, so thanks much for that. It's funny how things like this can alter one's plans; I have thought I might want to deal with this before taking a long trip to the hot Southwest.

FormerRotor · 06-22-2013, 07:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rogerdiaz

Were you under or over 50k when you got this fixed. Thanks.

I was. The solution is an aftermarket belt which most dealers would consider a wear & tear item. Some dealers diagnose as a compressor failure which may be covered by an extended warranty

myculito · 06-17-2014, 02:48 PM

Does anyone have a DIY for this? Since I am out of my standard warranty period, the dealer will not pay to replace this belt.

Therefore, I REFUSE to pay the dealer for this item, and would like to tackle it myself, as I am pretty handy. Can anyone guide me in the right direction?

rogerdiaz · 06-17-2014, 03:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by myculito

Does anyone have a DIY for this? Since I am out of my standard warranty period, the dealer will not pay to replace this belt.

Therefore, I REFUSE to pay the dealer for this item, and would like to tackle it myself, as I am pretty handy. Can anyone guide me in the right direction?

I heard it is easy. But find an Indy mechanic. Real cheap.

skychismo · 06-17-2014, 09:39 PM

I have a CPO that was doing this. Brought it in and they fixed it under warranty. SIB 64 08 11. The new part number is 11-28-7-520-177

taibanl · 06-18-2014, 09:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by myculito

Does anyone have a DIY for this? Since I am out of my standard warranty period, the dealer will not pay to replace this belt.

Therefore, I REFUSE to pay the dealer for this item, and would like to tackle it myself, as I am pretty handy. Can anyone guide me in the right direction?

I would approach them again.

The original part was defective the day it rolled off the production line, that is why they switched parts. Though you may not have had symptoms until after warranty expiration, the defect existed during your warranty.

Yozh · 06-18-2014, 10:52 PM

It is quite easy to replace on your own.

08-23-2012, 11:50 AM	#67
pondo Enlisted Member 6 Rep 44 Posts Drives: Join Date: Jan 2009 iTrader: (0)	Finally took my car to the dealer for the a/c belt squeal. I was told the belt looked blued and was probably slipping on the a/c pulley. $220 fix @ $31 for the belt and 1.5 hrs of labor ($125/hr labor rate). Dealer couldn't replicate my car failing to start 5 times in a row yesterday though! As an aside...I have a 2012 528 xdrive loaner and it's an under-powered poor steering boat! I want my diesel back asap!
	Appreciate 0 Quote

08-23-2012, 10:20 PM	#68
taibanl Brigadier General 281 Rep 4,121 Posts Drives: BMW Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: NA iTrader: (4)	wait...you PAID to fix this? FOUL!
	Appreciate 0 Quote

11-02-2012, 01:05 AM	#69
e90335Diesel New Member 1 Rep 12 Posts Drives: 335D Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: Los Angeles,CA iTrader: (0)	Hey guys! so ive been a lurker for a while and finallly decided to sign up! I have a 2011 335D (22K miles on it) and was wondering if any you guys have had similar problems? I dont know if its my car or the dealership! So I did notice the belt squeal coming from the engine on cold start up..I went in September to get this checked out, the dealership acknowledged the problem and said it was a faulty fan belt and replaced it. There was no more squeal! 2 Weeks later, Im driving on, It was a pretty hot day so my A/C was blasting, then all of a sudden it stopped blowing hot air.. I took it in to the dealership, they said they had previously installed a faulty belt and replaced it yet again with a brand new belt. Another 2 weeks go by and I'm noticing my air not cooling as it used to.. So i brought it in once again. After a few days they stated there was a leak in my evaporator core and that they are going to replace it... So i picked up my car, I was driving home from the dealership everything seemed fine.. then out of no where the power that supplies the A/C control panel goes out.. and well as my glove compartment light and even noticed my trunk light out. The very next day i head back to my dealer. They said the wiring came lose and they had to redo it.. It has been a few days, everything seems fine as for now , but i fear something else is going to go wrong :x So I did some researching around and I did find a couple threads about e90's having A/C issues.. but i feel this is total dealership negligence... I have taken my car one to many times to the dealership and its getting kind of frustrating.. I'm still under warranty so everything was taken care of but this seems kind of ridiculous.. any thoughts?
	Appreciate 0 Quote

11-02-2012, 07:20 AM	#70
Puerto Rican 335d Brigadier General 231 Rep 3,488 Posts Drives: Montego Blue 335d Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Puerto Rico(Dominican Republic 03/2017) iTrader: (0)	yep the STEALERSHIP!! mechanics are INCOMPETENT!!! I suggest you try to find another stealership these guys dont know WTF they are doing!!! __________________ RENNtech Flash(Lenny Wu)/WAGNER IC Enkei Rajin 18"/Execuhitch Hitch/Koni FSD Soft Ride Bike Rack/Brava Synthetic Motor Oil(Made in Puerto Rico)/Meth(in the works)/CBU done w Andrew EGR Race Pipe (whoa! what an animal it is now)
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11-03-2012, 10:14 PM	#71
FormerRotor Lieutenant Colonel 104 Rep 1,617 Posts Drives: 2011 335d, M-Sport Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: MD iTrader: (5) Garage List 2011 BMW 335d [0.00]	On a positive note, Welcome to the club (officially). On a not-so-positive note, Sorry to hear about those issues, e90335d. The d's do have a/c issues, but not like those you're describing, IIRC. The biggest problem is the belt squeal at startup which (depending on your dealer) will be diagnosed as a bad belt, compressor, or both. Many members and some dealers have resolved this by using an Aftermarket belt. I'm leaning toward poor workmanship considering your laundry list of malfunctions, though. Find out who the most reputable dealership is locally and start taking it there to see if maybe the issues start to fade into memory. Hopefully they do. If not, you may have gotten the bad apple of the bunch. :-/ Keep us in the loop & we'll keep our fingers crossed for you. __________________ My Picture Threads (Oldest to Newest): 1 2 3 Join BMW CCA! (Use my link and I get credit )
	Appreciate 0 Quote

11-05-2012, 02:04 PM	#72
e90335Diesel New Member 1 Rep 12 Posts Drives: 335D Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: Los Angeles,CA iTrader: (0)	hey guys! thanks for the welcome. I figured it was most likely an issue with the dealership.. Poor workmanship indeed. Its just ridiculous they cant take the time to make sure everything is fixed proper before handing back the car. I will def service it somewhere else. In the mean time I did contact BMW North America and told them my issues..I got a call back from they said they will "investigate" the problem. Also I decided to contact a couple Lemon Law lawyers to see if my case applies. I have all the records handy. California as a pretty strict lemon law policy which protects its customers. I used to have an A4 which had constant transmission issues and they ended up purchasing back the car. I love the 335D, im sure you guys all agree its def a special BMW gem to own. ahh I just hope this is not going to be a reoccurring problem. Ill keep you guys updated!
	Appreciate 0 Quote

12-19-2012, 05:50 AM	#73
e90335Diesel New Member 1 Rep 12 Posts Drives: 335D Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: Los Angeles,CA iTrader: (0)	So just wanted to give an update: Contacted BMW NA. they said they would pay me 2 payments which came out to be a little over 1K. I asked what happens if this problem happens again, then they said they would consider a buyback. A spoke to a lawyer he said if it does happen again then you are good, they will calculate the buyback with the mileage i had the first time I took it in for the A/C issue. So overall im pretty happy with the outcome. Just wanted to let you guys know! So far i havent had any cooling issues, its winter so i usually blast the heat on but I noticed that when i have it up on high temp and the medium blow setting , it does whistle a little... any of you guys have this problem or is this normal?
	Appreciate 0 Quote

12-22-2012, 08:40 AM	#74
Timujin Major 355 Rep 1,005 Posts Drives: GMC Sierra Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: California iTrader: (9) Garage List 2010 BMW M3 [0.00]	Took car in yesterday for oil change and mentioned the belt squeal. They were not able to duplicate problem. Which is fine because it's cool weather. __________________ We grow food to feed the animals so we can eat the animals Last edited by Timujin; 06-15-2013 at 11:04 PM..
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05-27-2013, 11:33 AM	#78
dzlmoose Lieutenant 122 Rep 541 Posts Drives: Trek 7.2, 2001 M5 Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Toronto, Canada iTrader: (0)	Add me to the club. It's soo funny how when you first hear this you start looking around at other cars and blaming them for the sound.
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06-15-2013, 03:10 PM	#79
rogerdiaz Captain 28 Rep 743 Posts Drives: 2015 335i Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Raleigh, NC iTrader: (2)	I have BMW GOLD Extended Warranty. this is not covered per my dealer. I am having your issues. ridiculous
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06-15-2013, 09:52 PM	#80
dzlmoose Lieutenant 122 Rep 541 Posts Drives: Trek 7.2, 2001 M5 Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Toronto, Canada iTrader: (0)	Mine was covered no problem. Just sent my SA the PDF.
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06-16-2013, 08:59 AM	#82
335dFan Jumping Jack Flash 327 Rep 1,692 Posts Drives: 2021 X3 M40i Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: California (east of Sacramento) iTrader: (0) Garage List 2021 BMW X3 M40i [0.00] 2017 Toyota Prius [0.00]	Thanks for having this come back to the top of the stack. Mine has started doing this on hot afternoons when I start the car to drive home from work. Squeals for about 5 seconds or so shortly after cranking her up. The PDF should be really helpful with the dealer, so thanks much for that. It's funny how things like this can alter one's plans; I have thought I might want to deal with this before taking a long trip to the hot Southwest. __________________ 2021 X3 M40i: M Sport Differential, Adaptive M Suspension. Previous BMWs: 1971 BMW 2002, 1973 BMW R75/5, and 2011 BMW 335d Previous Other Vehicles: '67 Cougar, '70 911e, '86 Jetta Diesel, '05 and '12 Foresters, et al.
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06-17-2014, 02:48 PM	#84
myculito Private 11 Rep 64 Posts Drives: 2011 BMW 335d Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: United States iTrader: (0)	Does anyone have a DIY for this? Since I am out of my standard warranty period, the dealer will not pay to replace this belt. Therefore, I REFUSE to pay the dealer for this item, and would like to tackle it myself, as I am pretty handy. Can anyone guide me in the right direction?
	Appreciate 0 Quote

06-17-2014, 09:39 PM	#86
skychismo Private First Class 5 Rep 134 Posts Drives: 2011 335D Join Date: May 2014 Location: United States iTrader: (0)	I have a CPO that was doing this. Brought it in and they fixed it under warranty. SIB 64 08 11. The new part number is 11-28-7-520-177
	Appreciate 0 Quote

06-18-2014, 10:52 PM	#88
Yozh Colonel 871 Rep 2,611 Posts Drives: 2011 335d M-Sport Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: Wet Coast iTrader: (4)	It is quite easy to replace on your own.
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