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SIB 11 16 15: Exhaust fault codes

Exhaust fault codes on N20 engines (2009–2018); BMW explains the cause and the approved repair.

BMW service bulletin · NHTSA ID 10151249 · Apr 2016 · also written SI B11 16 15, B111615

What it covers

A service bulletin tells BMW technicians how to diagnose or fix a known issue. It is not a recall: a repair under a bulletin is normally paid by the owner unless the car is still under warranty or a warranty extension applies.

N20 and N26 engine: Smoke from Exhaust when Starting a Cold Engine. When starting a cold engine, blue smoke can be seen emitting from the exhaust tailpipe for approximately 10-20 seconds. No turbo charger boost faults are stored and no drivability issues can be detected.

NHTSA's summary of this communication (excerpt)

Official document on NHTSA (PDF) →

Details

Bulletin numberSIB 11 16 15
Also written: SI B11 16 15, B111615, 11 16 15, SIB-11-16-15, SI B111615
NHTSA ID10147235, 10151072, 10151249 (revisions)
Document IDs filedB111615
TypeService bulletin
Date (first filed Sep 2015)
Models320i, 328d, 328i, 330e, 330i, 335i, 340i, 428i, 430i, 435i, 440i, 5 Series Gran Turismo, 528i, 535d, 535i, 550i, ActiveHybrid 3, ActiveHybrid 5, M5, X1 SAV, X3, Z4
Model years2009–2018
ChassisE60, E84, E89, E90, E92, E93, F07, F10, F25, F30, F31, F32, F33, F34, F36
EnginesN20
Component (NHTSA)Engine
Engine And Engine Cooling › Engine › Gasoline › Turbo/Supercharger
Engine And Engine Cooling › Engine › Other Fuel Types › Turbo/Supercharger
Engine And Engine Cooling › Exhaust System

Model, year and engine coverage comes from NHTSA's records. Not every car in this range is affected; the official document lists the exact production dates and conditions.

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Source: NHTSA Manufacturer Communications (public data). BimmerBench is not affiliated with BMW or NHTSA. The title and description above are our own plain-English summary; the full bulletin is BMW's document, linked above.