[RalphT5]

Well yesterday was not the best day for me. Was traveling into work at my usual time (early dark thirty) and was going down the freeway when I came upon a car going slow in the left lane. Ran behind them for about a mile and decided to pass on the right. Big mistake. As soon as I pulled into that lane, there was a pile of debris in the lane. With cars in either side of me, I gritted my teeth and went over the debris. A bang later I looked in the rear view mirror and saw a haze behind me. I looked down at the display and within 5 seconds I got the dreaded low oil pressure warning. I pull off the highway at the next stop and pull into the first parking lot and kill the engine.

I call BMW assist and they send a tow truck. Take it to my local service shop and drop it off.

Get a text from my SA today and the verdict was what I feared. Oil starvation from hole in oil cooler. Time for a new engine. Lucky me, there are 2 in the US of A. Will have more info tomorrow.

[Rup91]

Time for insurance claim!

Have they actually torn it apart to make sure you need a new engine? Could be just an oil cooler if you turned it off asap before you caused too much damage.

I was quoted a new engine before they even looked at it and it turned out that the oil sump had a hole from whatever debris I hit. As soon as I saw oil leaking on the highway, I pulled over and turned it off. It was on a 530i, not this car so I’m not sure how fast the S63 engine will get destroyed with lack of oil.

[Greer]

So sorry to hear about this, be careful out there.

[M²]

Sorry to hear about that man. Since you pulled over immediately after receiving the low-oil-pressure warning, your engine most likely is still kosher. At least I hope for you.

[JOHNBMWM5]

Bad news that, hope all goes well and you get it all fixed.

[Alberta]

I'm sorry for you.

What bad engineering to have placed the radiator there.
A place so vulnerable to dramatic consequences.

Wishing you good luck and hopefully the repairs won't take too long.

[pbonsalb]

Cooler was there on E90 M3, F10 M5, and probably other models. But BMW should have protected it. There are aftermarket aluminum and steel protection plates.

[RalphT5]

Just got some more photos from the dealership.

There are metal shavings in the oil, so it is not a keeper. Fortunately, there are 2 engines in the US now. Just waiting to hear from the insurance company to get the rebuild going.

[bcparker2]

Fucking Houston highways are the worst always trash and shit.

[Aronis]

15 over, big fine
drop crap out of your truck bed, no big deal

Sorry to see this.
Rare occurrence, but it is a 'never' event if the engineers got their collective heads out of their asses and put protection there. Ya ya ya, air flow, ya ya ya, so the three people who track their M5's can take the protection off, the rest would like it. I added a grill but probably need something more substantial from the look of the cut.

For others, if you see such a thing happen, stop RIGHT ON the HIGHWAY, should be a shoulder somewhere to pull off, the troopers always find one.

Mike

[Maxlude]

That's really crappy luck.
I recall a few months into my F90 ownership I was 150miles from home driving back from the office on a cold dark wet winters night, doing 80 ish mph, all of a sudden what looked like a box about 1m sq appeared out of nowhere that I couldn't avoid. Pulled into next services thinking the left side bumper, light, at least a couple of the rads would be fecked, but I just had couple small scratches...phew.
After that I got full set of grilles inc. the oil cooler underneath.
I think some protection would have helped a lot and you should definitely think about it for the new engine.
Hope you get it all sorted with minimal stress. All the best.

[Oz M5]

So sorry to hear that mate...

I'm in Houston too and only two weeks ago hit debris whilst travelling south on 59 just past the Galleria. "Fortunately" only bent the two left hand side rims and slashed the tires. A total of 15 cars ended up on the side of the Freeway woth blown tires and bent rims before the debris was removed.

I'm originally from Oz and I have driven on many roads around the globe. Have to say Houston roads are worse than some I have driven on in the backside of Northern India.

Going to get me a Turner Oil Cooler protector after seeing this!

Good luck with it all.

[Greer]

Question, if this had happened after 3 years of ownership and your car had an extended warranty, would they cover the cost of a new engine?

[Rup91]

Originally Posted by Greer

Question, if this had happened after 3 years of ownership and your car had an extended warranty, would they cover the cost of a new engine?

I have not heard of a comprehensive warranty that covers a claim due to road hazards besides tire and wheel/windshield. That’s why full cover insurance is a must.

[smbsocal]

Sorry to hear about both of these. Hopefully insurance will take care of these quickly and get you back on the road.

[ResIpsaLoquitur]

This is the stuff nightmares are made of. Hope this all gets resolved for you soon and you’re back on the road, Ralph.

Keep us posted.

[RalphT5]

Originally Posted by Oz M5

So sorry to hear that mate...

I'm in Houston too and only two weeks ago hit debris whilst travelling south on 59 just past the Galleria. "Fortunately" only bent the two left hand side rims and slashed the tires. A total of 15 cars ended up on the side of the Freeway woth blown tires and bent rims before the debris was removed.

I'm originally from Oz and I have driven on many roads around the globe. Have to say Houston roads are worse than some I have driven on in the backside of Northern India.

Going to get me a Turner Oil Cooler protector after seeing this!

Good luck with it all.

That's a bad area. My accident was Northbound on 59 right before the Galleria. This is the second time I've hit debris in the morning in that area. The first time was about 4 years ago in my F80. Fortunately that time, the damage was very minor.

R

[RalphT5]

Originally Posted by ResIpsaLoquitur

This is the stuff nightmares are made of. Hope this all gets resolved for you soon and you’re back on the road, Ralph.

Keep us posted.

Just waiting to hear from insurance. The dealership is still working up a quote to fix everything. The motor is $55k and that is with no labor!

R

[jphcbpa]

Originally Posted by RalphT5

Just waiting to hear from insurance. The dealership is still working up a quote to fix everything. The motor is $55k and that is with no labor!

R

$55k

[carseatsm5]

This might finally scare me into buying the cooler guard.

[Oz M5]

Originally Posted by RalphT5

Just waiting to hear from insurance. The dealership is still working up a quote to fix everything. The motor is $55k and that is with no labor!

R

Holy crap!

[wesleyan92]

OP - very sorry to hear this; hope the repair is quick, insurance minimizes headache for you, and you are back in your car.