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2011 Z4 Fuel Pump Noise

8K views 16 replies 5 participants last post by  RoadstergalZ4 
#1 ·
Two to three weeks after I took delivery of our 2011 30i Z4 it started to make a high pitched howling noise. It has continued to get louder as the weeks go by . . . it can now be heard while standing several feet away from the car. The dealer said that has been an issue with the 2011 Z4's and there is nothing they can do about it. They have tried changing the fuel pump in other 2011 Z4's and it is quiet for a couple of weeks and then the noise returns.

I called BMW N.A. and they do not have a fix for it at this time. Has anyone else had this issue?

Love the car except for this constant noise . . . which I can now hear over the radio.
 
#5 ·
no. I am not picking up my Z4 until July. Don't bother with Concord either. Go to East Bay. a PUMA is a problem case that gets logged into a database with BMW when something has not been able to be fixed. BMW Regional Techs get involved and it gets funneled back up to BMW.
 
#6 ·
Oh! OK . . . well that makes sense then. I have been reading about a HP Fuel Pump recall that happened last Dec. Similar problem . . . I believe BMW needs to get fuel pumps from another vendor . . .

I am not going to let this go as I like the car and want it to be the same way it was when I drove it off the dealer's lot in Feb. Thanks again for your comments and feedback. Much appreciated.
 
#7 ·
My 2011 Z4 30i has the same problem. It was ordered in Jan and delivered March 30.

As with yours, it did not make the noise for a few weeks.

I've noticed that with mine once the gas tank gets below 1/2 full the noise disappears.

It is really irritating and I've asked the service dept. about it. They told me a BMW rep needs to visit and approve the repair.
 
#8 ·
Interesting that the noise goes away after the fuel drops below 1/2 tank. Mine still makes the noise below 1/2 tank of fuel. BMW obviously has a problem with High Pressure Fuel Pumps. Make a formal complaint about it to the number I posted in a previous post above . . . the more complaints they get will help prompt BMW to come up with a fix for this.
 
#11 ·
SANguru . . .

Got a call from BMW of North America last Wed. As per their suggestion I took it to East Bay BMW on Thursday morning for a second opinion. East Bay BMW said they thought it was the fuel pump and want to put it on a lift to look at that area of the under carriage. They asked if I could leave it till later in the afternoon . . . and they gave me a loaner car for the day. They changed the fuel pump and VOLIA! NO more fuel pump noise . . . . I hope it stays that way.

SANguru . . . thanks for your suggestion to take it to Easy Bay BMW . . . good dealership! Think I may switch to them for my service needs from now on...
 
#16 ·
New Problem Happened . . .

About 700 miles ago . . . around 16K total miles . . . one or two lifters must have bled down because the lifters were making lots of noise . . . took it to BMW and the replaced all the lifters. Noise gone but the car just doesn't seem to have the get-up-and-go it used to have with the new lifters. Sad . . . I am starting not to enjoy the car as much as I once did . . .
 
#17 ·
The whining that you hear is from the LPFP. I had the same problem and my dealer replaced mine about six months into ownership. It was a high pitched whining sound that seem to be coming from behind my seat. Anyway after the dealer replaced the pump two years ago, I have never had a problem with it.

I have a 35i which has the HPFP. I never experienced any problems with that, but my dealer replaced it anyway as it was a recall. The people that had problems with that had the car going into a limp mode, there wasn't any sound coming from that. The whining sound is from the LPFP. I would take it to another dealer as your dealer apparently doesn't have a clue.
 
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