BMW 840i
Closed-deck aluminium block as standard — a feature normally reserved for racing engines. Water-cooled turbo with mechanical wastegate linkage that rattles at cold start — by design, not dangerous. Barely audible at idle; from 3,000 rpm a rich, deep six-cylinder thrust builds linearly to 6,500. The B58 sounds fuller than the S55 from outside — but inside the motorsport aggression is absent. Dual injection (direct + port) reduces intake valve carbon build-up significantly. The PCV membrane in the valve cover is the known weakness: BMW had to extend the warranty to 15 years. Plastic oil filter housing cracks around 100,000 km — coolant mixes into oil, act immediately. Oil changes every 10,000 km; inspect the cooling system from 70,000 km. Tuning: Stage 2 brings 500 hp — the closed deck makes it possible.
Six-cylinder elegance
B58 in the 8 Series — lighter than the V8, sporting character.
Engine Weaknesses 12
On B58-equipped M140i/M240i the oil filter can disintegrate on first change and distribute filter material through the oil circuit. BMW covers the costs with proven service history.
Symptoms: Oil pressure warning, metallic noises, engine damage after oil change
The plastic oil filter housing becomes brittle from heat cycling and cracks — often during oil changes from overtightening the filter cap. Coolant and oil mix; engine damage likely if unnoticed.
Symptoms: Milky oil on the filler cap, coolant loss without visible leak, oil pressure warning, coolant level drops slowly
The PCV membrane in the integrated valve cover tears or hardens from heat cycles. Crankcase builds positive pressure, oil is forced through seals. BMW extended the warranty to 15 years/150,000 miles.
Symptoms: Whistling or squealing from the engine bay, white or blue smoke, rough idle, oil in the charge pipe or air filter
Many B58 owners observe a regularly dropping coolant level without external leaks. Suspected components are heat exchanger gaskets, plastic lines, and the expansion tank cap.
Symptoms: Coolant warning message; coolant level regularly low after topping up; no visible leak on the ground
The mechanical seal of the belt-driven water pump fails prematurely. Coolant seeps from the weep hole below the pulley. Often only slowly detectable — early visual inspection is advisable.
Symptoms: Coolant residue or drops under the engine, coolant level drops without major visible leak, coolant level warning
The small plastic bleed hose between the oil filter housing and expansion tank becomes brittle and develops hairline cracks. Often perceived as coolant loss with no obvious cause.
Symptoms: Coolant loss without visible puddle, damp spot at oil filter housing, pressure loss in cooling system
The standard plastic charge pipe between the intercooler and throttle body bursts under boost pressure — especially on tuned cars or in summer. Immediate limp mode.
Symptoms: Immediate power loss, limp mode, audible hissing or bang when it splits, engine runs with severely reduced power
Like the B48, the B58 turbocharger wastegate linkage rattles by design on cold start and at low revs. BMW has issued a specific repair kit as a goodwill measure.
Symptoms: Metallic clattering or rattling from the turbo area on cold start; sounds like a loose metal bolt; usually only in the first few minutes
VANOS solenoid valves on the B58 get clogged by oil-contaminated deposits or fail electrically. Individual valves are cheap to replace; delay risks follow-on damage to the camshaft phasers.
Symptoms: Idle fluctuation; power loss below 3,000 rpm; ticking on cold start similar to a diesel; fault code 2A82 or 2A87
Direct injection does not wet the intake valves — blowby vapours bake carbon onto them. The B58 also has port injection which slows carbon build-up significantly compared to pure DI engines.
Symptoms: Rough cold start, power loss at higher revs, misfires, increased fuel consumption
The auxiliary belt tensioner rattles on cold start — sometimes from just a few thousand kilometres. BMW warranty repair, but problem can return after replacement.
Symptoms: Metallic rattling or clattering on cold start, noise fades after warm-up, worsens when AC is switched on
The rubber valve cover gasket hardens from extreme heat cycling and leaks oil onto spark plugs and the engine block. Separate from the PCV issue — pure seal degradation without membrane failure.
Symptoms: Burning oil smell, oil marks on engine block below valve cover, oil on spark plugs, slight oil consumption
Vehicle Weaknesses 14
The optional laser headlights cannot be repaired when faulty — they must be completely replaced. A single headlight costs around 5,700 € at BMW; total including fitting and calibration is 5,000–7,000 € per side.
The B58 in the 840i G14 tends to coolant loss through faulty heat exchangers and cracked plastic radiator fittings.
Like the G14, the G15's optional laser headlights cannot be repaired when faulty. A single headlight costs around 5,700 € plus ~1,000 € for fitting and programming.
Like the G15, the G16's optional laser headlights cannot be repaired when faulty. A single headlight costs ~5,700 € plus fitting and programming.
The G14's adaptive suspension shows damper wear at higher mileages. Standard dampers can be fitted as a cheaper alternative but require ISTA coding.
The adaptive suspension shows damper wear above 100,000 km. At over 1,800 kg, wear accelerates.
Faulty electronics in the comfort access door handle can cause a short circuit on the CAN bus line and elevated battery drain.
The iDrive 7 system shows sporadic navigation and Apple CarPlay crashes. GPS coordinates occasionally shown incorrectly. System was not updated to OS8.
M Sport or M Performance brakes tend to squeal heavily in city traffic and exhibit slight brake judder. Inherent to the pad material.
iDrive 7 shows sporadic system crashes, incorrect GPS data, and Apple CarPlay freezing. System was not updated to iDrive OS8 even after the facelift.
The deep front bumper on the G15 is particularly prone to stone chips. Paint thickness is described as below average for this price bracket. PPF is standard practice for many owners.
The G16's flat coupé roofline limits rear headroom. On older examples, creaking noises also emerge from the rear cabin.
The G16's iDrive 7 shows the same stability issues as the G15: sporadic CarPlay crashes, GPS errors, and occasional audio dropouts.
Same issue as the G15: M Sport brake pads are inherently prone to squealing at low speeds.