Dealership... major screw up. Now what

[Likeanowl]

So yesterday I took my car in for spark plugs. Got it back last night and drove home with no issues. Today I’m driving and go to get on the highway, under NORMAL acceleration, not flooring it, suddenly hear a huge rush of air. I instantly knew what it was... charge pipe gone. Pull over, pop the hood and sure enough one of the two is totally detached from the turbo. I look a little closer and notice that it looks like the head of the bolt that holds the pipe to the turbo is sheared clean off. Meaning the rest of the bolt is still in the turbo... what my assumption is, is that the tech that torqued it down over torqued the bolt and snapped the head off then left the pipe on and probably hoped it would hold. Well it didn’t.

Anybody have any advice on how to handle this? Should I demand a new turbo be put in place? I really do not trust them to attempt to drill out the rest of it and put a new bolt in. Honestly... this isn’t the first issue I’ve had at this dealership. Would I be out of place to demand my car be taken elsewhere and they have to foot the bill? My biggest concern is that debris got in the turbo and now the engine is a ticking time bomb. Even if I demand they take it apart how can I know they actually will? This is a mess.

Also, pictures were hard to take as it was dark but here’s a few for reference.

[Mazen189]

Ah wtf !!
Yeah I would demand a new turbo. I would also demand that mechanic to stay the hell away from you car.

I'm sure they'll take care of it tho

[FastM3CT]

Sounds like a honest mistake and I am sure the dealer will resolve the issue without any question.

Keep us posted on the resolution..

[Likeanowl]

Originally Posted by FastM3CT

Sounds like a honest mistake and I am sure the dealer will resolve the issue without any question.

Keep us posted on the resolution..

You think shearing the head of the bolt and not telling anyone was an honest mistake? Sounds to me more like not taking responsibility for a mistake and trying to get away with it. And now I’m seriously pissed.

[FriedPiston]

Originally Posted by Likeanowl

You think shearing the head of the bolt and not telling anyone was an honest mistake? Sounds to me more like not taking responsibility for a mistake and trying to get away with it. And now I’m seriously pissed.

At first glance, I thought that wasn't the factory collar bolt, but rather a hex bolt with washer. But yes, that definitely looks like a stripped bolt, which requires quite a bit of carelessness to achieve.

In the bigger picture of things, and in IMO, this is not that big of a big deal, but certainly worth complaining about. I wouldn't go in to the dealership expecting more than a charge pipe replacement, along with a complimentary loaner and car wash. Definitely not something that would warrant a turbo replacement, unless there's clear and indisputable contamination caused by poor workmanship.

[Likeanowl]

Originally Posted by FriedPiston

At first glance, I thought that wasn't the factory collar bolt, but rather a hex bolt with washer. But yes, that definitely looks like a stripped bolt, which requires quite a bit of carelessness to achieve.

In the bigger picture of things, and in IMO, this is not that big of a big deal, but certainly worth complaining about. I wouldn't go in to the dealership expecting more than a charge pipe replacement, along with a complimentary loaner and car wash. Definitely not something that would warrant a turbo replacement, unless there's clear and indisputable contamination caused by poor workmanship.

The reason I brought up the turbo was because 1: if any debris got in there that turbo is now just a bomb waiting to go off.
And 2: because now there’s just a flush sheared bolt in there. Only way to get it out is by drilling it and trying to retap the hole. And I know from experience in my industry and dealing with hundreds of sheared bolts, maybe 10% of the time you get the old one clean out and a new one in with no damage. The other 90% usually ends in a mangled mess or some really shady work around. And that is absolutely not happening with my car.

[FriedPiston]

Originally Posted by Likeanowl

The reason I brought up the turbo was because 1: if any debris got in there that turbo is now just a bomb waiting to go off.
And 2: because now there’s just a flush sheared bolt in there. Only way to get it out is by drilling it and trying to retap the hole. And I know from experience in my industry and dealing with hundreds of sheared bolts, maybe 10% of the time you get the old one clean out and a new one in with no damage. The other 90% usually ends in a mangled mess or some really shady work around. And that is absolutely not happening with my car.

It would be nice to get a new turbo, but boost pressure builds up, and at 18-21 psi, that's quite a bit of pressure for debris to fall right in. If there are any debris, it would get blown right back up to the IC unit, before it would find its way to the throttle body. If debris even makes it to the engine, the oil filter housing would ultimately catch the dirt, which can then be cleared with 1-2 oil changes.

The head of the bolt looks stripped, but perhaps not the thread itself on the compressor outlet. Looks to be easily removable with a pair of pliers or vice grips with no drilling required. If anything serious went into the turbo compressor, you will definitely hear a noticeable grinding noise followed by a bang or two.

This is just my opinion, which is worth two pennies. I hope you get everything sorted to your satisfaction.

[icegrill]

1.Should not have been returned after mechanic snapped the bolt with an impact driver.
2. I agree, given the heat of the turbo extraction of the stud will be difficult using conventional methods.
3. Keep us posted and sorry. I don't think a new turbo and pipe is out of the question.

[behindthen0thing]

That exact thing happened to me.
I think they replaced the turbo. I assumed they had done a helicoil repair but when I had my Turbos changed later one of them looked newer than the other.
I had to complain to BMW corporate to get anything done though because they were blaming my aftermarket charge pipes. It was after a spark plug change.
It took over two weeks to get it resolved

[rapsquared]

The bolt can be extracted, no need to re tap anything. I'm sure they will take care of you.

[Djdnav]

This really isn’t that big of a deal.

Bolts break, especially if it’s the wrong grade. The threads that the bolt screws in to are aluminum, so over torquing the bolt would generally strip out the threads before breaking a bolt in half.

They’ll probably inspect the compressor wheel, chase the threads and put a new bolt in. Worst case, they’ll tap and helicoil the threads. I highly doubt you’ll get a new turbo out of this.

[MilehighM3]

Rather than stripped I would say the bolt was overtorqued. The bolt had too much stress on it and when it got hot the head snapped off. This is evident by the fact the car was okay the first time you drove it. The good thing is once the bolt head is gone there's no torque on the the remaining portion and it'll come right out, making it a simple fix. Debris won't fall in- it's the outlet side of the turbo which always has positive pressure, blowing everything out of the way. The dealer made a mistake sure. They could also blame it on the aftermarket charge pipes that are aluminum vs. the factory plastic pipes, a sub par bolt if the factory bolts weren't used and/or the JB4 that's shown connected in the picture. Extra boost = extra heat which causes additional expansion. Not to mention the bolt could've been compromised by whomever installed the charge pipes the last time. I would ask them to fix it, but careful what you wish for if you go in guns blazing. Just my .02. Keep us updated.

[FastM3CT]

Originally Posted by Likeanowl

You think shearing the head of the bolt and not telling anyone was an honest mistake? Sounds to me more like not taking responsibility for a mistake and trying to get away with it. And now I'm seriously pissed.

Based on the pictures it appears the bolt snapped from being over torqued with heat-stress added to cause the break.

I am not sure if it left in this condition and I am really sorry this happened but I am sure the dealer will address this without question. It's just a frustrating issue to deal with.

Also based on some of your comments, is there another dealer close by to switch to after this is addressed?

[allinon72]

If part of that bolt made it to the turbo, you would know it in a split second. The carnage would be unmistakable.

[ShoNufff]

Take it back and get them to fix it or get you a new turbo.

[Likeanowl]

Well it’s there currently. The very first words out of my SA’s mouth was “I’d highly doubt our tech could have done that but we‘ll look into it and see if it’s something we should cover or not.”

Already have bmw NA dialed up and ready to call. Here we go...

[FriedPiston]

Originally Posted by Likeanowl

Well it’s there currently. The very first words out of my SA’s mouth was “I’d highly doubt our tech could have done that but we‘ll look into it and see if it’s something we should cover or not.”

Already have bmw NA dialed up and ready to call. Here we go...

Most SAs are not technical. Hence, the reason why they work at the front, not in the back. I would skip the SA and speak directly with the Service Manager for a thorough investigation.

There shouldn't be a need to contact BMWNA, unless the Service Manager refuses to do the right thing.

[TopJimmy]

Get a close up pic of the sheared bolt. Hopefully the break looks fresh. That would be a nice pic to show a service manager. I would call in and ask who the general manager and service manager are, just to get names. Then ask for the service manager on the phone. Ask when they'll be in so you can come in and "get their help". Being nice goes far. Go in and explain the situation like "maybe the tech never realized the bolt sheared on that last turn...", but don't blame. Don't insist on a new turbo, just ask to have the bolt removed and replaced. You should get a yes. If you get a no then politely leave and call BMW Corp.

[Likeanowl]

Was told the charge pipe hasn’t been damaged and it just needs a new bolt. I stayed cool and they helped me out. I am still worried that more issues may happen down the road though. I get that mistakes happen but what if a month from now the turbo blows from this? I’d have no way of proving this was the cause even if I knew it was. Just bummed over all.

[FriedPiston]

Originally Posted by Likeanowl

Was told the charge pipe hasn’t been damaged and it just needs a new bolt. I stayed cool and they helped me out. I am still worried that more issues may happen down the road though. I get that mistakes happen but what if a month from now the turbo blows from this? I’d have no way of proving this was the cause even if I knew it was. Just bummed over all.

It doesn't appear damaged. I had to bust out my OEM charge pipes to confirm.

Uncertainty is never a good feeling, and for the less mechanically inclined folks, situations like this will always be hard to fathom. As many have chimed in on this thread, this issue isn't all that serious. But if it makes you feel better, below are some of the options I would suggest looking into:

1. Request for a visual inspection of the turbo compressor and housing.

A. If they refuse a courtesy service check, request for your vehicle history record to be noted that visual check was refused by the servicing dealer, and that damage to the turbo compressor is undetermined at this time.

2. As a sub-condition of Item 1A, request for at least two courtesy oil changes, to help flush out any debris that may have been collected in the compressor housing.

3. At the very least, request for a technician to hookup a shop-vac on the turbo outlet in an attempt to pick up any debris.

4. If you're feeling lucky, request for additional compensation for the inconvenience, and for making you feel uneasy. Attached is a set of BMW goodies I received as part of their M Vehicle - Customer Satisfaction program. This could be a regional thing, but my SA was the one who gave the hookup simply for a routine oil change service.

[allinon72]

Originally Posted by Likeanowl

Was told the charge pipe hasn’t been damaged and it just needs a new bolt. I stayed cool and they helped me out. I am still worried that more issues may happen down the road though. I get that mistakes happen but what if a month from now the turbo blows from this? I’d have no way of proving this was the cause even if I knew it was. Just bummed over all.

I understand that you're upset, but what would make your turbo blow a month from now? If something got sucked in during the incident, it would be instantly granaded. It's not a gradual process.

[papasmurf_m3]

Originally Posted by TopJimmy

Get a close up pic of the sheared bolt. Hopefully the break looks fresh. That would be a nice pic to show a service manager. I would call in and ask who the general manager and service manager are, just to get names. Then ask for the service manager on the phone. Ask when they'll be in so you can come in and "get their help". Being nice goes far. Go in and explain the situation like "maybe the tech never realized the bolt sheared on that last turn...", but don't blame. Don't insist on a new turbo, just ask to have the bolt removed and replaced. You should get a yes. If you get a no then politely leave and call BMW Corp.

Agreed! To the OP, I know you're pissed. I've had my share of bad experiences at the dealer. But, walking in their and demanding a new turbo wont get you anywhere. Try to be calm and nice first. Exhaust all your available options first. GL!