So you caught the infamous BMW M bug, huh? We get it, they are incredible cars, but they are certainly not cheap to maintain. If you’re in the market for an M car with the S58 engine, you are at the right place because there will be a lot to cover on this specific engine.
Doing your own homework before you purchase a used or a new car is always a smart thing to do. We are saying this from our long experience working on cars. Each engine has some problems. Some of them have more issues, while some of them do not. And this is why we are here to pinpoint these problems for you.
First, we will discuss the basic BMW S58 engine specs. Then, we are going to cover the common BMW S58 engine problems, and once we clear the problems we will cover the applications of this engine. So, without further ado, let’s dive into the article.
Basic BMW S58 Engine Specs
Now before we start discussing the BMW S58 engine problems, let’s cover the common S58 engine specs and learn what numbers this engine produces.
The S58 engine is an engine that was developed from the B58. If you are into BMWs, you know that the standard engines have the B in the engine code, while the M-Sport models have the S. So, the S58 is the high-performance version of the B58.
In general, this is an inline-6 engine that features twin mono-scroll turbochargers. The block and the cylinder head are made of aluminum and the engine has a displacement of 3.0L.
The compression ratio of the engine is 9.3:1 and has a maximum rev limit of 7,200 rpm. This engine implements direct injection and also features double VANOS (variable valve timing) and also Valvetronic (variable valve lift).
There is only one version of the S58 engine and this is the S58B30T0. Basically, the same engine code is throughout all the applications.
But the power the engine delivers varies from the model of the car. The least powerful version produces 338 kW (453 hp), while the most powerful version makes 375 kW (503 hp).
The most powerful version is kept for the Competition models. Later on in the article, we are going to cover every one of them.
Common BMW S58 Engine Problems
Common BMW S58 engine problems include:
- Clicking/Rattling Noise From Engine Bay
- Oil Cooler Mounted Very Low
- Idle Surging After Refuel/Almost Stalling
- Oil Leaks
- Coolant Consumption
- Rod Bearing Failure
- Main Bearing Failures
Now that we listed the main problems with this engine, now let’s further elaborate on each of them. The thing to note first is that these are no serious issues and this engine is not plagued by serious problems. But there are a few things to take into account. So, let’s elaborate on them.
Clicking/Rattling Noise From Engine Bay
A few owners reported rattling or clicking noises developing from the engine. It is not clear yet whether this was a camshaft lifter problem or problems with the timing chain.
But these sounds are common on some of these engines. As the owner noted on the X3 forum, the sound comes and goes away. Meaning that is intermittent.
In these situations, it is a very smart thing to take your BMW to your local dealership and let them take care of the issue.
If the vehicle is producing these sounds, it means that the engine has problems and this is not a normal thing. Clicking sounds are never a good thing, period.
What is worth noting is that this problem occurs less frequently, there are a couple of reports that make it enough common to list it here. Unfortunately, our research came to no conclusion on what could be the root of the problem, since the owners did not report how they sorted out the problem.
Oil Cooler Mounted Very Low
Another drawback when it comes to this engine is that this engine has its oil cooler mounted very low. It is right above the front splitter.
This means that a small accident could easily damage the oil cooler and if you keep on driving, you can lose all of your oil and the engine will run dry.
This is why we advise that whenever you scrape your bumper or have similar frontal contact, check for leaks.
Since this component can easily leak out, all the oil and your engine will be totaled out. This is not a serious issue, but we only list this problem only as a precaution for you as a future owner of the S58 powered BMW M.
Idle Surging After Refuel/Almost Stalling
Another problem that was reported by an owner in the link that we previously attached is the situation when you have idle surging after a refuel. This problem reportedly also led to an engine stall.
This problem also happens intermittently, sometimes it happens and sometimes it doesn’t. According to the owner, this only happens after refueling.
When it comes to this problem, it is worth noting that this can be caused by problems with the breather valve of the car.
The breather valve is also a problem on the B58 engine which is the low-power output version of the S58.
If you are confused by the name, this breather valve is the PCV valve. The positive crankcase recirculation valve, which relieves the pressure from the crankcase.
In addition to this, this problem can also be caused by a bad fuel filter, bad fuel pump (both HPFP and low-pressure pumps), as well as by the EVAP system. What is worth noting is that this is not a serious issue.
Oil Leaks
Oil leaks are also common on the S58 engine. This is a BMW engine and for BMWs, leaking oil is pretty much the normal stuff. Nothing new, even though these engines leak a lot less compared to the older engines.
These engines leak from the oil filter housing, valve covers, and also from the timing covers. More specifically an owner complained that their S58 engine was experiencing oil leaks from the timing covers.
This requires pulling out the engine and transmission to get the issue sorted. That’s why checking out for leaks is something that we really recommend since these repairs can be really expensive to sort and cost you thousands of dollars.
Coolant Consumption
Coolant consumption was also noted, especially on the B58 engine. It is not clear what is consuming the coolant on most of these engines, and the problem does not happen to every engine.
For the S58 engine, we haven’t witnessed complaints, but this doesn’t mean that this cannot happen since they are basically the same engine underneath the skin.
This is why we advise that, at least, you be aware of this possibility and always make sure that you have your coolant level at the recommended level.
Rod Bearing Failure
Rod bearing failures were also reported on the S58 engine. Even though many people think that this engine is bulletproof, this is not actually the case.
But it is worth noting that not all of these engines are bad. It is probably a batch that had these issues.
What is good is that there was a service bulletin issued on models produced between May 15 2019 and October 23, 2020. You can check the following link for the affected models.
Main Bearing Failures
Besides rod bearing failures, there were also main bearing failures reported as well. The main bearings are the ones that hold the crankshaft in place. While the rod bearings move the pistons up and down.
This was also a bad batch of engines, probably. There was another recall on this issue for models produced between July 13, 2021, and September 23, 2021. More on the affected vehicles you can check in the following link.
BMW S58 Engine Applications
Now let’s cover the main applications of this BMW S58 engine.
338 kW (453hp)
- 2023 – Present BMW G87 M2
344 Kw (461hp)
- 2019 – 2022 G20 Alpina B3
353 kW (473hp)
- 2019 – Present BMW F97 X3 M
- 2019 – Present BMW F98 X4 M
- 2021 – Present BMW G80 M3
- 2021 – Present BMW G82 M4
364 kW (488hp)
- 2023 – Present G20 Alpina B3
375 kW (503hp)
- 2019 – Present BMW F97 X3 M Competition
- 2019 – Present BMW F98 X4 M Competition
- 2021 – Present BMW G80 M3 Competition
- 2021 – Present BMW G82 M4 Competition
FAQ
What Are The Common Problems With BMW S58 Engine?
This engine is still new and there are barely even vehicles that clocked 100,000 miles (ca. 160,934 km). So, problems with these engines are not that common, yet. Even though there were two recalls, one for the main bearings and one for rod bearings. In addition to this, there were oil leaks and strange clicking or rattling noises coming from the engine. But overall, nothing too serious, just make sure that the engine you intend to buy was recalled for these issues or not.
Is The BMW S58 Engine Reliable?
Yes, in general, the S58 engine is really reliable. These engines even with a tune can make up to 600 horsepower and run this amount of power steadily without major hiccups since the whole power plant is made to be pretty much bulletproof. But everything has its limits, so above 600 hp, there could be problems, and you will have to go for aftermarket upgrades.
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