Crank to exhaust cam correlation on BMW N47/N57 — the rear-mounted timing chain has stretched, partner code to P0016.
BMW P0017 — Crank to exhaust cam correlation on BMW N47/N57 — the rear-mounted timing chain has stretched, partner code to P0016. Typical UK independent garage cost: £1400–£3500.
What actually causes P0017 on a BMW
On N47/N57 diesels, P0017 stored alongside P0016 confirms the chain has stretched enough to drift exhaust cam timing past correction. The engine and gearbox need separating to access the rear-mounted chain. N20 petrols suffer similar (front-mounted) chain wear and also throw P0017.
BMW engines that log P0017
- N47 2.0d (1, 3, 5 Series, X1, X3)
- N57 3.0d
- N20 2.0 turbo
How we diagnose P0017 on a BMW
- Listen for chain rattle at the rear of the engine on N47/N57
- ISTA: read cam timing deviation alongside P0017
- Check service history for previous chain work and what parts were used
- Plan engine-out job with full genuine BMW chain kit
- Replace rear main seal while engine is out — false economy not to
The common misdiagnosis to avoid
Don't let a non-BMW specialist quote 'chain only' on N47/N57 — full kit (chain, guides, tensioner, sprockets, rear main seal) is the only correct repair.
BMW P0017 repair cost in the UK
Expect £1400–£3500 including parts and labour at an independent garage. Main-dealer quotes on BMW are usually higher for the same job, and the spread exists because the cheap cause and the expensive cause throw the same code — pay for the diagnosis before you pay for parts.
Bob's workshop tip
Buy used N47s only with proof of chain replacement OR sub-80k miles on short-interval (8k mile) servicing — anything else is a coin flip.
Codes usually seen alongside P0017 on BMW
- P0016
- P0008
- P0335
Symptoms drivers report with P0017
- Chain rattle on cold start for 2–5 seconds then quiet
- Rough idle, especially when warm, with slight vibration
- Loss of power / limp mode under hard acceleration
- MPG drop and slight increase in oil consumption
- Paired codes: P0016 (bank 1 sensor A intake), P0011/P0014 (VVT over-advanced), P0341 (cam sensor)
Repairs that clear P0017
- Timing chain service
- Sensor replacement
For the generic, all-makes explanation of this code — meaning, every known cause and UK cost bands — see our P0017 guide.
Reading P0017 on a BMW properly
A generic reader will show P0017 and nothing else. What matters is the freeze-frame data stored with it — engine speed, load, coolant temperature and fuel trims at the moment the fault was logged — plus whether any other module on the BMW has logged something at the same time. Codes rarely arrive alone, and the order they were stored in usually points at which one is the cause and which are the consequences.
Clearing P0017 without fixing it
Erasing the code resets the BMW's readiness monitors as well as the light. The fault returns on the next drive cycle if the cause is still there, and in the meantime the incomplete monitors can stop the car passing an emissions check. After a genuine repair, the car is driven until the relevant monitor completes before it is handed back.
Bob's Mechanical Repairs is an independent garage in Birnam, Dunkeld, Perthshire, with 32 years of Bob's experience on the tools. If P0017 is showing on your BMW, bring any scan results with you — we will read the live data ourselves, confirm which cause it actually is, and price the repair before any work starts.