BMW Announces Voluntary N54 Engine (HPFP) and X5 Recall

[Jason]

As reported on BIMMERPOST HOMEPAGE

This just in:

ABC aired a story segment on this morning's Good Morning America (video) on the BMW high pressure fuel pump (HPFP) issue as well as a full-length piece on tonight's Nightline. This has helped prompt BMW to take the following action.

BMW to Conduct Voluntary Emissions and Safety Recalls

* 26.10.2010
* Press Release

Woodcliff Lake, NJ – October 26, 2010... BMW of North America has notified the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) of its intent to conduct a voluntary recall of some model year 2007-2010 BMWs equipped with twin-turbo inline six-cylinder engines, all of which feature BMW’s High Precision Injection direct fuel injection system. It has also asked for approval from the California Air Resources Board to conduct this action. Affected vehicles may experience a failure of the high-pressure fuel pump.

Symptoms include long-crank engine starting times along with the illumination of the “Service Engine Soon” light. In certain cases, the driver may experience reduced engine performance in a Safe Mode accompanied by a tone and the illumination of the “Engine Malfunction” light.

Based on the individual service history of the vehicle, the action will entail replacement of the high-pressure fuel pump and/or a software update.

Approximately 130,000 vehicles are potentially affected with about 40,000 expected to require a new high pressure fuel pump. Affected BMW models include:

• MY 2007–2010 335i models.
• MY 2008–2010 135i, 535i and X6 xDrive35i Sports Activity Coupes
• MY 2009 – 2010 Z4 Roadster sDrive35i

In a separate action, BMW has notified the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) that it will voluntarily recall approximately 20,800 MY 2008 X5 Sports Activity Vehicles equipped with normally-aspirated inline six-cylinder engines to replace the low-pressure fuel pump. In this case, should the fuel pump experience a failure, the engine will stop running and the driver will lose power assist for the steering and brakes although both the steering and the brakes remain operational.

Letters will be sent by First Class mail to owners of affected vehicles in the coming weeks, requesting the scheduling of a service appointment with an Authorized BMW Center to have the update performed.

No injuries have been reported with either of these issues.

In the case of either issue, if the customer experiences a problem, they should contact their authorized BMW Center. Customers with additional questions should contact BMW Customer Relations at 1-800-563-4269 or email CustomerRelations@bmwusa.com.

[bryce]

lol

[E60orBust]

Don't forget the brake recall: http://abcnews.go.com/Business/wireStory?id=11773832

And as for replacing the fuel pump vs software fix. It was my understanding that the software fix just reduces overall engine power so the pump has a lower chance it breaks.

And my SES light always flashes twice when I start it

[1ntense_Rocket]

about time..

[SiR]

It worked

[belal242]

[Norcal_335i]

Doh!!

[DASHOCKER]

That was fast lol.

[IancoleTX]

Holy shit. Wow.

[E39hijinks]

So instead of replacing the fuel pumps with the new, updated Continental units when the faulty fuel pumps actually fail, BMW will replace the currently-working faulty fuel pumps if you drive into the dealer?

[belal242]

BMW pretty much got pimp smacked by ABC, and now they are in line.

[David1]

Originally Posted by E39hijinks

So instead of replacing the fuel pumps with the new, updated Continental units when the faulty fuel pumps actually fail, BMW will replace the currently-working faulty fuel pumps if you drive into the dealer?

Software first just as it is now.

[Genek335]

i dont get it, what action are they taking? replacing the hpfp with the same exact model hpfp?

[persian54]

so if I go in and say I want my pump changed, they'll do it?

I'm on the 881 pump now with the newest software

[Wingman335]

Originally Posted by belal242

BMW pretty much got pimp smacked by ABC, and now they are in line.

[Feyd]

Hmm..

My HPFP went out when I had ~3500 miles on the clock.

I'm now at 29,000 with no issues since (knock on wood). Do I want a change? *shrug*



I've got a scheduled service coming up anyway... looks like I'll need to book a rental.

New HPFP
New Taillight assemblies
Sqeaky ass brakes
Oil Change



Leaving the dealership, I'll now have.

New HPFP + software flash (probobly resulting in loss of power)
New Taillight assemblies (mine currently don't have problems, but they'll probobly f' something up while they are replacing them)
Squeaky ass brakes (because they can't replicate the problem)
Oil change (Where they'll dump oil all over my exhaust manifold again)

Oh, and I almost forgot... A freshly swirled up paint job that'll ruin my winter detail after they have some retard wash my car with the same wash mit he just used to clean my wheels.

Cynical yes. Do I have reason to be. Absolutely.

[Negotiator]

They folded fast.

[dsbj]

Originally Posted by scrufy

Did everyone miss this from page 2?
------------------------------------------------
"BMW admitted to ABC News that it wasn't until March of this year, four years after these cars were introduced, that it finally found a fix: a properly working fuel pump. "We were making changes but we also had to see and make sure that they were actually reliable in the field," said Baloga.

Still, even after March, BMW did not tell customers to come in and replace the potentially defective fuel pumps. Instead, they allowed drivers to get a new part if and only after the old one failed. "
------------------------------------------------
What they are saying is the new pump is the fix... so were still screwed.

933? 943? Either? What was wrong with it anyway? I have a 943 IIRC. Fingers crossed that it, along with the software update, was the magical fix.

[Chief009]

Originally Posted by e31e92

i dont get it, what action are they taking? replacing the hpfp with the same exact model hpfp?

This would be epic if they do!

[MusclezMarinara]

smh

[335iseb]

From what I gather through google is that the 943 pump has been in the works from late last year. First post about the new pump being installed I found as far back as January 19th, 2010 so it's not that very new in terms of hardware since it was probably built in 2009. The 943 pump had failed on the guy who had it installed after just 1 month.......so unless we have a newer pump than the 943 it might minimize the failures but it's probably not the "end all" fix we're all waiting for.

[bmerguy]

sooo i just got reprogrammed a couple weeks ago, so does this mean i need to take it back for the newest pump???