BMW will recall diesel models to fix emissions glitch

I got about 32 mpg hwy but before the software update i used to get
35-36 mpg. Oh well.

Originally Posted by dThree35

My d has a July 2011 build date and has never gotten the fuel numbers some of you guys are getting.

Under good conditions (meaning weather, wind, traffic, driver state of mind) I get 33 mpg highway maybe 34. My city driving is brutal, so I get about 20 mpg. And I'm happy with these numbers btw, given the level of performance.

This is about the same as mine (I get closer to 23 city) and I have an October 2010 build. I think my car has the most recent software anyway....I am due for the recall, but have been putting it off since I am busy. Nothing is wrong with my ride so I am in no hurry to take it in.

Originally Posted by bballfreak

I got about 32 mpg hwy but before the software update i used to get
35-36 mpg. Oh well.

I cannot say just "Oh Well." We all paid a premium for a car that is to get world class fuel economy. By taking MPG away, the d may end up with a higher long term total cost of ownership than a 335i. The car has proven it's ability to deliver over 40 MPG. I need a good explanation from BMW why they are preventing it from doing so now.

Dropped the car off on Fri. Still needs to have programming done. Should be done on Mon. Hoping the MPG doesn't drop.

Originally Posted by KeithS

I cannot say just "Oh Well." We all paid a premium for a car that is to get world class fuel economy. By taking MPG away, the d may end up with a higher long term total cost of ownership than a 335i. The car has proven it's ability to deliver over 40 MPG. I need a good explanation from BMW why they are preventing it from doing so now.

So you are mad because it is now providing what it was advertised and our government rated it at and want an explanation why it had been providing better or you want them to make it provide what it used to do and should not been doing anyway? Have you tried going to the dealer and demanding for the old programming? The recall was voluntary after all, so why could they not reverse it? Guess I fail to see the argument here of the car is providing what it is rated at. Also wonder why no one got worried when it was providing better than it have.

Originally Posted by Snipe656

So you are mad because it is now providing what it was advertised and our government rated it at and want an explanation why it had been providing better or you want them to make it provide what it used to do and should not been doing anyway? Have you tried going to the dealer and demanding for the old programming? The recall was voluntary after all, so why could they not reverse it? Guess I fail to see the argument here of the car is providing what it is rated at. Also wonder why no one got worried when it was providing better than it have.

The US government discriminates against diesels with its rating system if not with every other step it takes, so the idea that diesel owners would get what the EPA numbers say they should get is a novelty. Most owners of VW and Mercedes diesels have consistently reported this over the past 10 plus years. Even before the EPA did a wholesale lowering of their overall numbers, their estimates where a bit low for diesels and high for gassers. Documented real world comparison tests of a VW TDI Jetta beating a Prius in fuel economy on long distance runs (latest is here: http://www.popularmechanics.com/cars...diesel/4284188), as well as the well known repeated tests of a 520d showing better or equivalent economy to a Prius (latest: http://www.autospies.com/news/2011-B...a-Prius-56291/) should give pause.

So the 335d should do better than EPA numbers except perhaps if we all have heavy right feet. This can also be possible if there is too much throttle "tip-in" programmed into our cars, a common trick used to make cars feel more powerful than they are in my experience. It may very well be programming or emissions.

PL

Originally Posted by Snipe656

So you are mad because it is now providing what it was advertised and our government rated ....

Snipe, you are not getting the rated MPG. I almost always get better than rated in any car becasue I typcially drive very conservately.

Originally Posted by KeithS

Snipe, you are not getting the rated MPG. I almost always get better than rated in any car becasue I typcially drive very conservately.

I thought you said you can't sue over it because you are getting what it is rated at. As far as me, I never have gotten what it is rated at and always got below the rating but unlike you I never have cared enough to demand reasons from BMW.

whats all the fuss Im lucky if i can get 23 mpg City here in Puerto Rico and i live in the Metro area, I only good mpg whenever I go to the rest of the Island on weekends.

Originally Posted by bballfreak

I got about 32 mpg hwy but before the software update i used to get
35-36 mpg. Oh well.

My mileage has dropped as well. Before the software update I could not get below 20mpg city no matter how hard I tried and my last few tanks I avg'd 18 to 19 mpg's. I dropped the car off this morning for the "belt squeal" issue and mentioned this to the SA, so we'll shall see. I think they screwed something up with this update IMO.

July 2011 build. Had my car in for it's annual oil change today. They checked the key and did not do any recall work. I wonder if I have different programming than earlier builds?

Originally Posted by cssnms

My mileage has dropped as well. Before the software update I could not get below 20mpg city no matter how hard I tried and my last few tanks I avg'd 18 to 19 mpg's. I dropped the car off this morning for the "belt squeal" issue and mentioned this to the SA, so we'll shall see. I think they screwed something up with this update IMO.

I keep a mileage log of fuel consumed and actual miles traveled. Here are the actual metrics:

16636 miles, 585.697 gallons, average MPG 28.5 +/- 2.599
8626 miles with JDB, 308.262 gallons, average MPG 28.3 +/- 2.914
5607 miles minus JBD, 204.650 gallons, average MPG 27.4 +/- 1.307
4374 miles post emissions fix, 159.616 gallons, average MPG 27.4 +/- 0.953

The first 24,000 miles, including JBD, included several extended road trips with tanks having average MPG of >40.0, including one of nearly 42 MPG, which probably explains both the higher averages and the higher standard deviation figures. Thus for my D, my mileage has been remarkably consistent, with our without JBD, and pre and post-emissions glitch.

I had a long roadtrip for a vacation to Colorado and back. Total miles driven was 2601 with an average mpg of ~36.5 by using 71 gallons of diesel. The trip there was a lower mileage (around 33.5 mpg) as I was going about 80 and the A/C was running continuous due to Texas heat. After we got to Salida, CO we drove around over several mountain passes and going to different hiking trails and the average mpg doing this was around 36. The D climbed the hell out of the mountain passes. It got good mileage in the process was the surprize. I had a few jaunts up to 120-125 too but not on the twisties up high on the passes. On the way back driving around 77 to 78 using cruise control, I got about 37.5 mpg with the A/C running.

I think on the long trip that my car learned how I drive again after the new valve and reprogram. I had observed a decreased mileage on hwy but actually an increase in city driving. I still am a little baffled why the front leg of the tip was lower unless the D was still learning. Each leg of the trip was about 1000 miles.

Before reprogram, my car would get about 38 mpg if going 75 (with cruise on) and operating A/C. If I go 65 with cruise and no A/C, I can still get 41 mpg.

On more thought is the the car was loaded pretty well with all of our luggage and hiking/climbing gear during the going there and coming home legs. I figure about 250 lbs total payload not including 2 tall adults. The extra payload (except the 31 lb spare tire) was not in the car during our driving around in CO.

I also complained about the mpg decrease since having the emissions recall performed (egr replacement and repgoram) to my dealer this week while the car was in the shop. My SA who was very sympathetic stated the tech checkd everything and it appeared to be operating within in spec, but that they will document the problem and that perhaps BMW will investigate if they receive enough complaints - so for everyone else if you are seeing similar results since having the EGR work performed COMPLAIN. It sucks that I am now getting high teens city MPG! My SA said it is likely due to the reprogram and possibly some glitch which is causing the unexpected mpg decline - although he was just guessing.

I also complained witb my dealer, and SA is a friend of mine. He has received complaints of decrease in mpg with this software update.
He asked me to bring the car back as my hwy mpg dropped by 4-5 mpg when driving from San Antonio to Houston and back.
I used to get like 35-37mpg driving under similar conditions.
My city mpg also has dropped 4-5 mpg.
The highest shop foreman got was 32mpg on hwy,
SA asked me to bring the car back and see what they can do.
I must hit small pothole and my headlights got out of alignment- weird, but the dealer tried adjusting but cannot seem to,
so they want to look at it again. They need to go out further by like 5-8 feet and the beam pattern is messed up also.
will report what the findings are for mpg. I also left a message to BMW Corporate and they have not returned my phone call.

Originally Posted by bballfreak

The highest shop foreman got was 32mpg on hwy,
SA asked me to bring the car back and see what they can do.

I also left a message to BMW Corporate and they have not returned my phone call.

No need to have the dealer waste their time, there is nothing they can do. The fix, IMHO, is changing the mapping in the DME software which needs to be done by corporate. First we need to get them to acknoledge that there is an issue (that it's broke). Only then will they look into creating a software update.

Althought BMW does not return calls for messages left. If they get enough of them, maybe that will 'encourage them' to acknowledge the issue.

Of course higher fuel consumption = higher DEF consumption. I got the 999 miles to no start warning with 2100 miles to go till the next service. Added 1/2 gallon (bottle from VW $10.50) and that should hopefully just make it.

Originally Posted by KeithS

I cannot say just "Oh Well." We all paid a premium for a car that is to get world class fuel economy. By taking MPG away, the d may end up with a higher long term total cost of ownership than a 335i. The car has proven it's ability to deliver over 40 MPG. I need a good explanation from BMW why they are preventing it from doing so now.

It's speculation, but my guess is the recall/reprogramming ties to either (or both) the California emissions investigation that several board members were contacted about earlier this year and the carbon buildup that several others reported earlier this year. Either way, BMW ain't gonna say anything about it. If anyone has any proof one way or the other I'm open to revising or withdrawing my hypothesis. My mileage has dropped about 3 MPG since 2010 (same route driven to and from work every day). The revised mapping lowers mileage but improves emissions and/or eliminates carbon buildup.

After the emissions fix I took a long road trip and got 39+ mpg, which was about the same highway mileage as I got before the emissions fix. My city mileage seems to be better after than before the emissions fix.

My mileage has dropped by 4-5 mpg both city and hwy after
the last recall.
I am upset as i bought this car which had great fuel economy
And performance.
I think bmw will have a class action lawsuit aa bmw corporate
Has not returned my phone calls.
Dealer is aware of the complaints and does not know
What to do.

If I actually drive the car like I used to drive my 2005 E320 CDI, which had low rolling resistance non-low profile tires, one instead of two turbo's, a whole lot less power (but was plenty fast anyway) and perhaps less emissions restricting equipment, I get about the same mpg's but with a slightly less aerodynamic car (the 335d) albeit lighter one.

To get better fuel economy, the Mercedes was much more aerodynamic (CD of .26), had lighter body parts (more aluminum - something more like the F30) low rolling resistance tires, and a luxury suspension.

I drive the 335d like a sports car and get worse economy when I do.

Took it to the dealer and got it tested specifically for mpg's: they did have a procedure for this. Will need to get the report to post, but in effect, they got their mpg's to be "within stated EPA parameters" or something like that. It appears that my heavy foot, which is what the BMW may lend itself to, contributes more of the poor mpg's than anything else.

The only thing else that may contribute with the recall would be the transmission programming. It may be back to square one needing to re-learn the shift pattern for one's specific driving. This may account for some of the loss of mpg's perhaps.

PL

My mpg's have never been worse than they are now after the recall! When I first purchased my car and the dme had not learned my driving style I was still getting in the low 20's city. Now I am in the high teens!!! This sucks the BIG one and I am PISSED about it. Not to mention think about what it will do to the resale value - I mean what the **** is the point of buying a diesel over the gasoline 335 if the mileage is the same?! The answer sure is not "for the exhaust soundm"

Originally Posted by Snipe656

I see an equal amount of Volts and diesel 3s. Someone here told me more Volts are showing up on the roads due to GM doing some great leases on them now.

CRAZY leases on Volts '13 and '12 (if there are any still available) as some dealers want to be #1 Volt dealer in the country...I got the recall on the X5d but not the 335d; no decrease in mpg's noted.

I agree that I bought the 335d for fuel efficiency and performance. Now my mpg has dropped 4-5 mpg for both city and hwy.
Someone had posted a tel# at BMW Corporate and I lost that tel #, but I did leave a message and they have
not returned my phone call. I think BMW needs to resolve this problem or else there may be a class action lawsuit.

Originally Posted by bballfreak

I agree that I bought the 335d for fuel efficiency and performance. Now my mpg has dropped 4-5 mpg for both city and hwy.
Someone had posted a tel# at BMW Corporate and I lost that tel #, but I did leave a message and they have
not returned my phone call. I think BMW needs to resolve this problem or else there may be a class action lawsuit.

I cant comment on the mpg issue yet, but has anyone had to return to the dealer for an additional update to the recall??? I had the recall performed 2 months ago and I recently brought the car in for service and they performed an amendment of sorts to the previous recall.

Originally Posted by mt3ch

I cant comment on the mpg issue yet, but has anyone had to return to the dealer for an additional update to the recall??? I had the recall performed 2 months ago and I recently brought the car in for service and they performed an amendment of sorts to the previous recall.

Interesting. Does the Service Receipt indicate anything specific?