[drummerman15]

I've had several different "opinions" from the stealerships on what the issues are with this car (there are many) - it is a 2011 X5 with the N63 dual turbo setup. Shortly after buying the car, it started to continually go into low power fault mode under heavy acceleration (i.e. when the turbos are supposed to kick in). The codes would always say something like a misfire in a cylinder and you would just have to turn the car off and it would reset - you were good until you tried to accelerate too fast. Again, always a misfire code or something with coils. I've replaced all of the spark plugs and coils, some oil feeder tubes, etc. and nothing ever solved the issue. I then took it to the stealership to give them another chance to figure it out. When the car was returned, as soon as you started it, the warning came on the screen that the car was overheated (never before had I received that warning). The service tech asked if I had everything done to the car they suggested (they suggested changing a spark plugs I had just changed) and said they couldn't let me take it. I left it for another day and when it was returned, same warnings. The tech said that, when I brought the car in, the coolant for the turbos (separate coolant tank) was empty and damaged the turbos. (price to fix = $7k). They said the warning was associated with the temp sensor on the turbos and I could disregard since the turbos never work anyway. When I got the car home, I lifted up the hood and found that the turbo coolant tank was empty and the cap was left on the fan shroud. [My wife is convinced that someone test drove the car real hard and damaged it somehow].

Since then, we just drive easy so the turbos never try to kick on and we have no problems. Now, the VANOS is fouled up and the car immediately goes into fault mode on startup. The codes show VANOS on bank 1. Of course, the VANOS is blocked by the turbo intercooler so I need to take that off to get to it. I also have an appointment at a new stealership on Monday to get the air bag replaced. I'm also going to have them look into the turbo issue and try to give me their story as to what is going on.

I am perplexed tat my turbos could burn up without coolant yet I never received any type of warning from a car that warns you about everything. I can't imagine that they did not think to put a "turbo coolant level sensor" if they are using 2 separate coolant tanks. I am also at a loss as to how my turbos could be burned up if, every time they try to kick in, the car goes into a fault mode. Also, never once when it went into a fault mode did a code mention any kind of issue with the turbos or cooling - always a misfire or coil. Only after leaving it at the stealership did this new overheating problem arise.

Is there something I've missed or they have missed? Is it possible that it is just a fouled up sensor somewhere in the turbo path or the separate coolant pump that would cause these issues? Any help on what to tell the stealership on Monday would be much appreciated.

Thanks in advance.