2008 X5 3.0si E70 - Camshaft actuator failure
 

I am helping a friend family with their 2008 X5 3.0si (I trust it is a E70 engine). The car has logged just over 90k miles. The engine light came up recently and I took it to a local AutoZone store. They helped reading the troubleshooting code out as P0012: Camshaft position - timing over-retarded bank 1. It also points to a camshaft actuator failure - mechanical timing condition. I was told that this X5 had an engine stall last week.

I am wondering if there is a DIY instruction sheet with photos for this repair. I need to know the location of this actuator to assess if I can handle the work. I do most routine maintenance and small repair work on my family cars but I am new to BMW.

About 3 weeks ago, the husband of my wife's friend family add 4 quarts of engine oil without knowing the oil level already in the engine. (I think this was done after the engine light came up.) A week ago the engine start to show unstable idle and I was called for help. I drained the engine oil and replaced oil and air filters. The drained engine oil took almost 3 1-gallon empty windshield washer bottles (2 filled to the cap and 1 to the full line). I then refilled with 7.5 quarts of full synthetic 5W-30 (Mobil Extended Performance) and the LCD display's Service Requirements Engine Oil Level shows close to the MAX line. I took the X5 for a 4-mile drive yesterday to the local AutoZone store to read the engine diagnostic code. It runs fine over the short trip.


Please advise.

I had the same same year and model X5, and was getting the same P0012 code that kept coming back. In my case it seemed to be related to the VANOS. Which has a direct impact on the timing and could cause that code for the intake side. Might want to take out the solenoids and give them a cleaning as a first and easy step.