Rear timing chain wear
Attaches to N57 at engine level · Engine · carried by 7 variants across 4 chassis
Overview
Rear timing chain wear is a occasional fault recorded against N57 at engine level, typically from 180–300k km. It shows up as rattle from the bulkhead end of the engine on start-up, worst when cold. Where it's documented, the repair runs €1,800–€3,000 (engine out at an independent, costs dated 2026-07), and it can be checked before you buy. 7 variants across 4 chassis in this database inherit it.
What happens
Symptom. Rattle from the bulkhead end of the engine on start-up, worst when cold.
Cause. Same rear-mounted chain architecture as the four-cylinder N47, but with a materially lower failure rate on the six.
How to check it
Cold start
Cold start. Listen at the bulkhead. The six isn't the four. This is a real but much rarer failure, and it shouldn't by itself put you off the engine.
You get one. If the engine is warm when you arrive, come back another day.
Every variant that carries this
| Variant | Chassis | Body | Years | Risk | Good buy | Cost as % of good buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 325d N57 | E90 | sedan | 2010–2011 | R3 | €7,200 | 33% |
| 325d N57 | E91 | wagon | 2010–2012 | R3 | €7,650 | 31% |
| 325d N57 | E92 | coupe | 2010–2013 | R3 | €8,300 | 29% |
| 330d N57 | E90 | sedan | 2008–2011 | R3 | €8,500 | 28% |
| 330d N57 | E91 | wagon | 2008–2012 | R3 | €9,050 | 27% |
| 330d N57 | E92 | coupe | 2008–2013 | R3 | €9,000 | 27% |
| 330d N57 | E93 | convertible | 2008–2013 | R3 | €8,750 | 27% |
The last column is the point. The same repair is an inconvenience on one variant and a reason to scrap the car on another. A failure costing a quarter of the vehicle's value changes the purchase decision regardless of how rare it is.