BMW N57 (N57D30)EGR valveFire risk
EGR cooler leaks with risk of engine fire on the BMW N57
Why this rating?
Critical severity: It can destroy the engine or gearbox, or affects safety.
Frequency very frequent: This is not a garage suspicion but a defect acknowledged by the manufacturer itself through successive service campaigns since 2018, with new waves in 2020 and 2022 and an admission by BMW in 2024 that the earlier repairs had not been sufficient; BMW did not offer a genuinely revised cooler design until 2022, almost a decade after the start of the affected production window. This is a systemic problem acknowledged by the manufacturer with no definitive fix for years, not a simple preventive check.[1][2]
Symptoms
- The coolant level drops without any visible leak under the car, a sign that the cooler is starting to leak internally.[3]Coolant level drops: other faults that cause it · Garage soon
- A smell of burning or exhaust fumes, especially after long journeys.[3]Burning smell: other faults that cause it · Garage soon
- White, sweet-smelling smoke if coolant leaks through into the exhaust.[2]White smoke: other faults that cause it · As soon as possible
Why it happens
The EGR cooler can suffer internal leaks that let glycol coolant pass into the gas recirculation circuit, where it mixes with soot and oil residue; that mixture can reach combustion temperatures with the hot exhaust gases.[2]
The N57 is covered by the same campaign as the N47 and B47: a specialist garage that has handled several waves of this repair expressly cites the N57 among the affected six-cylinder engines, alongside the four-cylinder ones.[2]
If it is not repaired: In the worst case, the mixture of coolant, soot and oil can reach combustion temperatures and cause an engine fire; BMW treats it as serious enough to offer the inspection and, if needed, the replacement free of charge within its service campaigns.[1]
Affected cars and years
The European campaign of August 2018 limited the affected six-cylinder diesel engines to those built between July 2012 and June 2015. A BMW/MINI specialist garage documents later extensions (2018, 2020, 2022 and 2024) that would also have covered other units, expressly naming the N57 alongside the N47 and B47 among the engines included.[1][2]
| Version | Years | Codes |
|---|---|---|
| N57D30 204-211 hp, single turbo (U0/UL, 2010-2013) | 2010–2013 | N57D30U0N57D30UL |
| N57D30 245-258 hp, single turbo (O0/O1, 2008-2019) | 2008–2019 | N57D30O0N57D30O1N57D30OL |
| N57D30 299-313 hp twin turbo (T0/T1, 2009-2019) | 2009–2019 | N57D30T0N57D30T1N57D30TOP |
Models fitted with the affected versions
BMW
- BMW Serie 3 E902008–2012
- BMW Serie 3 F302012–2019
- BMW Serie 5 F102010–2017
- BMW X3 F252011–2017
- BMW Serie 7 F012008–2015
- BMW X4 F262014–2018
- BMW X5 E702010–2013
- BMW X5 F152013–2018
- BMW X6 E712010–2014
- BMW X6 F162014–2019
How much it costs to repair
Includes: Inspection and, if necessary, replacement of the EGR cooler; within an active BMW service campaign, the check and the part are free.[1]
We have not found a verified quote in Spain for this repair outside a campaign, specific to the larger cooler of the six-cylinder block (different from the one fitted to the four-cylinder B47).
Prices in Spain, including VAT. A workshop hour costs on average €38–66 at independent garages and €77–134 at dealerships in Spain, depending on the region and the brand. How we calculate costs
How to check for it before buying a used car
- Ask a BMW dealer to check, using the vehicle identification number (VIN), whether the car has any outstanding EGR service campaign, specifically for six-cylinder engines built between July 2012 and June 2015.[1]
- Watch whether the coolant level drops without visible stains under the car, or whether you notice a burning smell after a long journey.[3]
Parts needed
The part or kit that fixes this fault, according to the sources.
- Buy part at Autodoc (affiliate link, opens in a new tab)
EGR cooler (revised design)[2]
Replaces the original part with a redesigned version from another supplier, available according to a specialist garage since 2022, intended to reduce the risk of internal leaks.
Affiliate links to Autodoc: if you buy, MotorFiable may receive a commission at no cost to you. Check compatibility using the registration number or the VIN before ordering. More information
How to prevent it
- Before buying, use the VIN to check whether the car has already been through any of BMW's service campaigns relating to the EGR cooler.
- Do not ignore a coolant loss with no visible leak or a smell of burning: have the EGR checked as soon as possible.[3]
Recalls, campaigns and claims
Technical campaignBMW · August 2018
European service campaign for EGR cooler fire risk
In August 2018 BMW extended to Europe a service campaign that, according to the Spanish press, affected some 324,000 diesel vehicles in the 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 Series and the X3, X4, X5 and X6, with four-cylinder engines built between April 2015 and September 2016 and six-cylinder (N57) engines built between July 2012 and June 2015.[1]
Technical campaignBMW · October 2018
Worldwide extension and new waves (2018-2024)
According to a BMW/MINI specialist garage, in October 2018 the campaign was extended worldwide to around 1.6 million vehicles with four- and six-cylinder engines (the N57 expressly cited alongside the N47 and B47) built between August 2010 and August 2017, with new waves in December 2020 and November 2022 (the latter with more than 25 different campaign codes in Europe) and an admission by BMW in March 2024 that the earlier repairs had not been sufficient on some 800,000 vehicles, with revised-design coolers available only since 2022. We have not been able to verify these figures with a second independent source.[2]
What owners say
Frequently asked questions
Does BMW's EGR cooler campaign affect the N57 engine?
Yes: a BMW/MINI specialist garage that has handled several waves of this repair expressly cites the N57 among the six-cylinder engines included, built between July 2012 and June 2015 according to the 2018 European extension.[1][2]
Is the repair free?
Yes, as long as the vehicle is within an active BMW service campaign; outside that window we have not found a public quote in Spain specific to the six-cylinder block's cooler.[1]
How do I know whether my BMW with an N57 engine has had the EGR check?
Ask an official dealer to check, using the VIN, whether the car has any outstanding campaign relating to the EGR; if it has already been done, it should appear in the service history.[1]
Why have there been several waves of this campaign since 2018?
Because, according to a specialist garage, the first repairs did not resolve the problem definitively; BMW acknowledged in 2024 that the measures applied until then had not been sufficient and that only the redesigned coolers available since 2022 offer a lasting solution.[2]
What can you do now?
We will put you in touch with a partner only if you authorise it in the form.
Other BMW N57 faults
- Critical severityFrequency: CommonTimingRear timing chain wearThe N57 inherits from the N47 the timing chain at the rear of the block, next to the gearbox, which complicates any repair. Unlike the N47, there is no documented campaign or wave of mass claims, and cases of serious wear appear mainly above 200,000 km.
- High severityFrequency: CommonTurboLoss of thrust on twin-turbo versions due to the vacuum circuit or the actuatorOn the twin-turbo versions (335d, 535d, xDrive35d/40d) it is common to lose thrust at low revs because of a degraded vacuum circuit or dirt in the actuator that synchronises the turbos, not because of a mechanical turbo failure. The variable-geometry turbo is also cited, more generically.
- Medium severityFrequency: CommonOtherCrankshaft pulley vibration damper wearThe N57's crankshaft vibration damper (pulley) wears with use and, according to a technical guide to the engine, usually needs replacing between 80,000 and 120,000 km, giving warning with abnormal noises before failing completely.Appears at around 80,000 km
More faults with the EGR valve on other engines and cars
- Critical severityFrequency: Very frequentBMW B47EGR cooler leaks with risk of engine fireYes: the EGR valve cooler can suffer internal coolant leaks which, mixed with soot and oil, can reach combustion temperatures; BMW has launched several technical campaigns since 2018 to inspect and replace it because of the risk of engine fire.Repair (garage): €500–€1,500
- High severityFrequency: Very frequentOM651EGR and particulate filter clogging, and emissions software updatesThe particulate filter and EGR clog up with short journeys, as on any diesel with these systems. In addition, Germany's KBA required software updates on several models with this engine between 2018 and 2021 because of a function that reduced EGR outside a temperature range.Repair (garage): €800–€2,500
- Medium severityFrequency: Very frequentOM642Emissions defeat device (AdBlue/EGR) and software update campaignGermany's KBA found indications of emissions manipulation in cars with the OM642 engine (alongside the OM651): AdBlue dosing and the EGR changed between the test bench and the road. Mercedes-Benz denied it, but in 2018 it recalled hundreds of thousands of diesels in Europe.
- Medium severityFrequency: Very frequent2.0/2.2 D-4DEGR valve clogged with sootYes: the EGR valve clogs with soot very frequently across the whole 1AD/2AD D-4D family, especially with urban use and short journeys, and it usually causes a loss of power or the engine warning light to come on.Appears at around 45,000 km
- Medium severityFrequency: Very frequent1.9 TDIEGR valve clogged with carbonThe 1.9 TDI's EGR valve fills with carbon deposits, especially on short, urban journeys, and it is the fault that appears in the statistics for every model and output consulted, from the rotary pump to the unit injector.Repair (garage): €350–€450Appears at around 50,000 km
- High severityFrequency: Occasional2.2 / 2.4 / 3.2 TDCi (Puma)EGR valve and EGR cooler faults on the 2.2 TDCiThe sources point to the EGR valve (jerking from around 50,000 km, according to CarVerif) and the EGR cooler (coolant leaking into the oil, according to AutoTrader) as weak points of the 2.2; on the Transit, Haynes cites faults with the EGR valve and hoses.
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Sources
Every fact on this page links to its source. If you find an error, let us know.
- 324.000 diésel de BMW tendrán que pasar por el taller en Europa, por un posible riesgo de incendio en la EGRDiariomotor · Motoring press · published 8 August 2018 · consulted 27 September 2026 · in Spanish
- Motor BMW B47 - Reparación EspecializadaDasercars · Technical documentation · consulted 27 September 2026 · in Spanish
- Motor BMW N57 - Reparación EspecializadaDasercars · Technical documentation · consulted 27 September 2026 · in Spanish