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Oh - no fuel pump failure!

30K views 53 replies 28 participants last post by  vini_079 
#1 ·
So I'm driving along in sunny SoCal near my home when I get a 'loss of engine power' error, then the dreaded 'fuel pump failure' message appears and the car powers down and loses all power. Good thing I wasn't on the freeway or I could've been in big trouble. I'm in my neighborhood were the speed limit is 45 mph but I'm stopped in the left lane. Luckily again, there wasn't much traffic, it being Sunday afternoon and all. I kept attempting to start but it wouldn't kick over so I began turning the car off completely and it eventually turned over enough to get me the 1.5 miles home. Then it powered down again as I was about to pull into my garage. Repeated the the power down sequence and just as my neighbor was about to help me push it into the garage, it powered up enough for me to drive in. I went back out about 2 hrs later and it started right up but I the amber engine light is on. Wow what kind BS is this? I was under the impression that the fuel pump issue wasn't a problem in the F10. :mad:
Called BMW assist for a tow to the dealer first thing Monday morning. I am not trusting this thing in rush hour traffic on the freeway. No Way! I have 21K miles on my baby FYI.
 
#2 ·
C'mon BMW, you know about this. Once and for all issue a recall and take care of this for your customers. This is really just unacceptable!!!
 
#4 ·
Crap, sorry to hear that 2008550i. I know you've been very happy with your F10 and have had only good to say about when people like myself have often criticized it. Unfortunately it sounds exactly like the hpfp symptoms and the mileage is about the same as when my E60 hpfp and injector no. 6 failed. Though it seems like you are just very unlucky otherwise we would have heard more about this from the F01 and X6 owners. I can say though that this issue never bothered me much, they swapped the faulty parts and after that my E60 was flawless and I quickly trusted it again.
 
#7 ·
Have you had the fuel sending unit replaced? I know that it was an issue.

I'd be careful saying "HPFP failure" until you get an actual diagnosis.
 
#10 ·
I haven't heard many fuel pump issues with the F10. On the E60, if the pump went bad it went into limp mode and allowed you to get home or to the dealer. I should know, had four pumps replaced in my old E60. Last back in September 2010, which seemed to fix the problem.

The fact that you lost all power tells me that something more then just the pump came into play or it was just perhaps an isolated case of a bad pump.
 
#12 ·
N63 has 2 pumps, while N55 - one high pressure and one low pressure. Losing one should not result in a complete shutdown. Do let us know the diagnosis
 
#18 ·
#19 ·
UPDATE

Just off the phone with my SA. They can't recreate the fuel pump failure though they can see that it did happen in the computer log. So the techs are online with BMW New Jersey getting help with the diagnostic. Needless to say I'll have the 328 loaner for the night and my commute to work tomorrow. Stay tuned.


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#20 ·
UPDATE

Just off the phone with my SA. They can't recreate the fuel pump failure though they can see that it did happen in the computer log. So the techs are online with BMW New Jersey getting help with the diagnostic. Needless to say I'll have the 328 loaner for the night and my commute to work tomorrow. Stay tuned.

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Please keep us posted!

Under no circumstances let the dealer make you feel negligent for purchasing cheap gas or questioning any of your driving habits.

BMW lost my trust when they tried this tactic on 2 HPFP failures on my E60.

Enjoy the loaner! :)
 
#25 ·
I was told by my SA that a resin material used by a supplier in the enclosure of the HPFP was defective and contaminating the HPFP. I have no idea if this is accurate, but he has nor given me any reason to doubt anything he has said before. He did not hesitate at all in providing this information, and that the part has been resolved.
 
#26 · (Edited)
I was told by my SA that a resin material used by a supplier in the enclosure of the HPFP was defective and contaminating the HPFP. I have no idea if this is accurate, but he has nor given me any reason to doubt anything he has said before. He did not hesitate at all in providing this information, and that the part has been resolved.
IMO, this is very hard to believe. Especially in Europe, there are REACH regulation.

Design better engine or loose the turbo (they removed 1 in N55 already).
 
#33 ·
Oh no fuel pump update



Just got a call from my SA. After 3 days of checking out my car they finally discovered it's the fuel pump control unit or tech term EKPS, and here's the clincher, BMW DOES NOT HAVE IT IN THE SUPPLY CHAIN! Apparently, mine is the first to fail. SO BMW is going to have to build one for my car and that will take up to two weeks. Can you believe this? I'm going on vacation in a few days and can't drive this little 328i they loaned me so the SA's checking with mgmt to provide me a larger replacement until my car's fixed. Hope it's an X5! Man-oh-man!!!! The saga continues....:tsk:
 
#35 ·
Just got a call from my SA. After 3 days of checking out my car they finally discovered it's the fuel pump control unit or tech term EKPS, and here's the clincher, BMW DOES NOT HAVE IT IN THE SUPPLY CHAIN! Apparently, mine is the first to fail. SO BMW is going to have to build one for my car and that will take up to two weeks. Can you believe this? I'm going on vacation in a few days and can't drive this little 328i they loaned me so the SA's checking with mgmt to provide me a larger replacement until my car's fixed. Hope it's an X5! Man-oh-man!!!! The saga continues....:tsk:
Wow that sounds amazing - you are telling me that despite building X6s and X5s with the same engine in the U.S. they do not have an HPFP in stock - not even at the plant. Wow!!! Maybe they can get one of a newly built car fresh off the production line :)
 
#34 ·
I think this is the next logical step in automotive evolution.

The Japanese manufacturers perfected "Just in time" parts supply.

BMW is perfecting "Never in time" parts supply. First the Goodyear LS2's, now the fuel pump.

Can't wait to see who's going to top this.....
 
#38 ·
Can't they cannibalize one from a car on the lot? ;^)
 
#47 ·
Just a warning. Went thru the same process with my 528i. First time, would not start (and was in a parking garage, fun) The BMW roadside assistance guy came by and we able to start the car by lifting seat and hitting top of pump. BMW replaced the fuel pump control unit which took over two weeks to get the part.

Four or five weeks latter, in a parking garage again, same issue. No check engine light, engine cranks but no start. This time BMW tracked it down to a lose ground wire in the trunk. Had to take off a lot of paneling to trace the wiring to the lose connection. Guess the tech was scratching his head for a while because once again, tap the control unit, starts and runs for a little but few hours latter, no start.

So, had the car since May, been in service for almost 3 weeks total on this issue.

Rakin
 
#48 ·
Sounds like that loose ground was your issue all along, if I might guess. You shouldn't have been able to get it to start by hitting the top of the pump, IMO.
 
#49 ·
Think you are right. Not sure the first service fixed the problem but maybe attacked the sysmptom Wish I could say more about "hitting" the pump other then saying what the BMW roadside assistance told me. He was actally a guy who works at a dealership and comes out during business hours for the basic jump/gas issues. He knew how to get around and said that when not on roadside assistance calls, he preped new cars right off the trucks. I was there but didn't look at what he was hitting.

Have to admit that i was not in a good mood at the time, running to my wife's work in downtown Houston to help her with a new BMW with under 2k in miles on it. I am definitely paying more attention now. On top of all, this whole "if I need a tow thing" is freaking me out. Can't get into neutral w/o engine on. Tow truck drivers don't seem to know what to do either Of course twice in a parking garage is not helping.
 
#50 ·
Fuel Pump Recall

I have a 2011 535i. Got my fuel pump replaced but still got billed for the services. The dealership's reason is the recall is only for the low-pressure fuel pump and the part that I got replace is the high-pressure fuel pump which is not covered in the recall. Can anyone confirm this?
 
#51 ·
I have a 2011 535i. Got my fuel pump replaced but still got billed for the services. The dealership's reason is the recall is only for the low-pressure fuel pump and the part that I got replace is the high-pressure fuel pump which is not covered in the recall. Can anyone confirm this?
It's the high-presure fuel pump being recalled and not the low-presaure one - I'm 100% sure of this. My appointment is next week for this exact recall.

Are you sure it's not the low-pressure pump that u're having issues with?

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#53 ·
Vini079, the low pressure fuel pump is the recalled one. The pump in the fuel tank is on the recall HOWEVER, in CA the government will pay for the high pressure one because of the CA 7 year 70,000 mile emission warranty.

I've seen the recall with my own two eyes, it's for the in-tank low pressure fuel pump.
 
#54 ·
Vini079, the low pressure fuel pump is the recalled one. The pump in the fuel tank is on the recall HOWEVER, in CA the government will pay for the high pressure one because of the CA 7 year 70,000 mile emission warranty.

I've seen the recall with my own two eyes, it's for the in-tank low pressure fuel pump.
I stand corrected [emoji120]

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