2008 BMW 5 SERIES Engine And Engine Cooling Problems

36 complaints about Engine And Engine Cooling

36
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Deaths

This Problem Across All Years

All Engine And Engine Cooling Complaints (36)

Dec 28, 2011

TL- THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 BMW 535. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 60 MPH WHEN THE VEHICLE OVERHEATED AND STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING WHERE THE DEALER ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THE ELECTRICAL WATER PUMP AND THERMOSTAT MALFUNCTIONED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THERE WERE NO RECALLS FOR THE FAILURE OF THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 59,500. KMJ

Mileage: 59,500

May 26, 2011

THREE WKS AGO MY 08 528I WAS MAKING A RATTLING SOUND IN THE ENGINE, TIN-CAN SOUNDING. TOOK THE CAR FOR SERVICE & THEY REPLACED MY LIFTERS AND RELATED PARTS. THEY SAID THAT THE LIFTERS ARE "KNOWN" FOR GOING BAD ON THE 5 SERIES AND IT'S TYPICALLY DUE TO SEASONAL CHANGES. WHEN MY HUSBAND BROUGHT THE CAR HOME TO ME I WAS VERY UPSET BECAUSE THE NOISE WAS STILL THERE, NOT AS LOUD AS BEFORE. I CALLED BMW AND MADE ANOTHER APPOINTMENT, CITING THAT THIS PROBLEM HAD NOT BEEN RESOLVED AND IT NEEDED TO BE LOOKED AT AGAIN. THE APPOINTMENT WITH A LOANER COULD NOT BE SCHEDULED FOR ANOTHER 10 DAYS, SO WE WAITED. DURING THOSE 10 DAYS THE VEHICLE STARTED TO TAKE LONGER TO TURNOVER AT START UP. I WOULD ALSO FEEL THE ENGINE LIGHTLY SHUTTERING AS I DROVE AT SPEEDS AVERAGING 35-50 MILES PER HOUR. MONDAY 05/23/11 WAS MY REQUESTED APPOINTMENT; HOWEVER BECAUSE MY 15 MO. OLD BABY WAS ILL WE HAD TO CANCEL. THANK GOODNESS WE DID BECAUSE MY CAR WOULD NOT HAVE MADE IT THE 20 MILES OF FREEWAY TO THE DEALERSHIP. TODAY, 05/25/11, I MADE A LEFT OUT OF MY NEIGHBORHOOD AND AS I ACCELERATED APPROX. 50 YARDS, MY ENGINE BUCKED (FELT LIKE THE BOTTOM FELL OUT), I LOST SPEED DRAMATICALLY. SUDDENLY, STEERING BECAME NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE AND I WAS FORCED TO "TURN" INTO A SMALL SHOPPING CENTER. HOWEVER, I LOST ABILITY TO STEER UPON ENTERING THE PARKING LOT. MY CAR WOULD RESPOND TO NOTHING BUT THE BRAKES (THANK GOD THOSE ATLEAST WORKED). I LOOKED DOWN AT MY GEAR SHIFT TO ATTEMPT TO REVERSE AWAY FROM THE CURB AND MANEUVER INTO A PARKING SPACE, THOUGH MY CAR WAS THROWN INTO NEUTRAL & WOULD NOT RESPOND TO ANYTHING BUT "PARK". I ATTEMPTED TO STARTUP AGAIN BUT ENGINE WOULDN'T TURN OVER. IT WAS DEAD. WITHIN MOMENTS MY ABS, CHECK ENG, AND BATTERY LIGHTS ILLUMINATED & CORRESPONDING MSGS CAME ONTO MY COMMUNICATION SCREEN. CAR WAS TOWED. AWAITING DEALERSHIP RESPONSE IN THE AM. AFTER SEEING PRIOR COMPLAINTS, I SEE SOMEONE NEEDS TO BE FIRED. THE US GOVERNMENT NEEDS TO STEP IN BEFORE PEOPLE DIE! THANK GOD MY BABY WASN'T WITH ME! *TR

Mileage: 28,700

May 2, 2011

RATTLE FROM ENGINE COMPARTMENT THAT DISSIPATES ONCE ENGINE WARMS UP. ADVISED THAT THE TURBO CHARGERS ARE FAILING AND NEED TO BE REPLACED, ONLY 66K MILES! ESTIMATED $3K IN REPAIR COST! *TR

Mileage: 66,490

Jan 24, 2011

CAR CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, REDUCED POWER ON DASH, AND SLUGGISH. TOWED CAR TO DEALER, REPLACED SPARK PLUGS AND HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN, TOOK TO DEALER, NEEDED PRESSURE SENSOR. THIS HAS OCCURRED 4 TIMES NOW, DEALER STATES THIS IS ONGOING PROBLEM WITH THIS ENGINE, AND HAVE I WOULD HAVE TO BRING THE VEHICLE IN WHENEVER THIS OCCURRED, NO LOANER CAR AVAILABLE. I DO NOT FEEL SAFE IN THE VEHICLE WHEN THIS OCCURS. *TR

Mileage: 22,000

Nov 16, 2010

THE CAR SHOWED ENGINE MALFUNCTION SIGN WITHOUT WARNING IN MIDDLE OF BUSY STREET. ALL POWER, STEERING, EVERYTHING WENT DEAD WITHOUT WARNING. I COULDN'T MOVE THE WHATSOEVER. I WAS LUCKY ENOUGH TO MAKE A RIGHT TURN BEFORE THIS HAPPENED AND AVOID POTENTIAL ACCIDENTS. *TR

Mileage: 35,000

Nov 15, 2010

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 BMW 535XI. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH, THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS ENGAGED AND THE ENGINE BEGAN TO SPUTTER WITH AN EXTENSIVE REDUCTION IN POWER. THE CONTACT CONTINUED WITH CAUTION AND THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE THEY REPLACED THE FUEL PRESSURE SENSOR, SPARK PLUGS AND PERFORMED AN OIL CHANGE. THE FAILURE PERSISTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER THREE TIMES IN WHICH THERE WERE NO RESOLUTIONS. THE HIGH PRESSURE PUMP WAS REPLACED ON A DIFFERENT OCCASION. IN ADDITION, WHEN ENCOUNTERING A BUMP IN THE ROAD AND DOWN-SHIFTING FROM THIRD TO SECOND GEAR, AN ABNORMAL CLICKING NOISE WOULD OCCUR. RECENTLY, THE ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS IN THE PROCESS OF BEING DIAGNOSED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 45,000. UPDATED 01/28/11 *BF UPDATED 02/07/11

Mileage: 45,000

Nov 6, 2010

I PURCHASED A CERTIFIED, PRE-OWNED 2008 BMW 535XI WITH APPROX. 22,000 MILES ON 10/23/10. SUBSEQUENT TO MY PURCHASE, I DISCOVERED THE HIGH-PRESSURE FUEL PUMP IN THE VEHICLE HAD EARLIER FAILED AND BEEN REPLACED. ON 10/28/10, JUST 5 DAYS AFTER PURCHASING - I WAS DRIVING ON A SURFACE STREET WHEN THE CAR BEGAN VIOLENTLY SHAKING AND ROCKING, THE ENGINE LOST SUBSTANTIAL POWER AND NEARLY STALLED, AND THE ENGINE MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LIT. I TOOK THE VEHICLE IN FOR SERVICE ON 10/28/10 AND THE VEHICLE WAS RETURNED 10/30/10. 3 OF 4 FUEL INJECTORS WERE REPLACED ALONG WITH ALL SPARKPLUGS. AT HIGH SPEEDS, THIS TYPE OF ENGINE MALFUNCTION WOULD POSE AN EXTREME SAFETY RISK IN MY OPINION. I HAVE CONTACTED BMW USA AND THE DEALERSHIP WHERE I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE AND I HAVE NOT BEEN SATISFIED WITH THE RESPONSE TO-DATE. *TR

Mileage: 22,750

Nov 2, 2010

2008 BMW 535I-ENGINE POWER FAILURE, ENGINE SHUTS DOWN AND LOSS OF POWER STEERING AND MANEUVERING ABILITY. *TR

Mileage: 24,000

Oct 26, 2010

2008 BMW 535I. ENGINE START-UP TAKES LONGER THAN NORMAL. THE ENGINE IDLES ROUGH AND HESITANT TO ACCELERATE AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON. BMW CLAIMS TO HAVE FIXED THE PROBLEM UNDER A RECALL, BUT THE PROBLEM CAME BACK AGAIN 3 DAYS LATER. *TR

Mileage: 60,800

Sep 13, 2010

ENGINE MALFUNCTION -- REDUCED POWER AND THEN THE CAR EITHER REDUCES POWER OR DIES COMPLETELY. ALSO, COLD ENGINE ROUGH START AND ROUGH IDLE. TO DATE, FUEL INJECTORS WERE REPLACED, WHERE UPON IT WAS RECOMMENDED THAT I NO LONGER BUY SAM'S CLUB 93 OCTANE GAS BUT A "NAME BRAND." I DID -- PROBLEM RE-OCCURRED ON JULY 24, 2010, OUT OF THE BLUE WITHOUT WARNING, THIS TIME WITH MY 6 YEAR OLD IN THE CAR ON A HIGHWAY. I WAS ABLE TO GET OVER TO THE RIGHT SHOULDER OF THE ROAD WITHOUT INCIDENT, AND TURN OFF THE ENGINE, WAIT A FEW MOMENTS AND RESTART. THE BMW DEALER HAS HAD MY CAR SINCE LATE JULY, AND HAVE NOW REPLACED ONE OF THE TURBOS IN THE ENGINE. I AM HOPING NOBODY HAS TO DIE BEFORE BMW IS ASKED TO RECALL N54 ENGINE BMW'S OR BUY BACK THE ONES THEY HAVE SOLD. THE DEALERSHIP HAS RECOMMENDED THAT I WRITE A COMPLAINT TO BMW NORTH AMERICA. I WILL. THERE IS ALSO A PETITION GOING -- HTTP://WWW.PETITIONONLINE.COM/MOD_PERL/SIGNED.CGI?FIXPUMP WHICH I THINK WILL GIVE YOU SOME IDEA ABOUT THE SCOPE OF THE PROBLEM. I DO NOT HAVE THE OLD PARTS. THANK YOU. ' *TR

Mileage: 17,641

Sep 3, 2010

2008 BMW 535I - CAR HAS HAD 3 FUEL PUMPS, 3 SEPARATE VISITS FOR PLUGS / INJECTORS, LAST VISIT FOR REPLACED FUEL PUMP CREATED LARGE FUEL LEAK IN CAR WHICH RESULTED IN TOW TO DEALER. ENGINE MALFUNCTION LIGHT PROBLEM. HPFP, REPEATED ENGINE PROGRAM. *TR

Mileage: 35,000

Sep 1, 2010

2008 BMW 528I. CONSUMER STATES UNEXPLAINED ENGINE SHUT DOWN *TGW THE NAVIGATION SCREEN FLASHED OVERHEATING; REDUCE SPEED; AND PULL OVER, THEN THE ENGINE SHUT DOWN WHEN THE THIRD MESSAGE WAS RECEIVED. THE SHUT DOWN WAS TRACED TO A FAULTY ELECTRONIC WATER PUMP. *JB

Mileage: 15,145

Jul 26, 2010

REDUCED POWER FROM ENGINE. PRESSED ACCELERATOR AND ENGINE DID NOT RESPOND WITH REGULAR POWER. REDUCED POWER IN TRAFFIC AT 40MPH. PULLED OVER SHUT OFF ENGINE AND RESTARTED WITH FULL RETURN OF POWER. ONE REPEAT OF PROBLEM 3 MONTHS LATER WITH SIMILAR RESULTS. DEALER REPLACED FUEL INJECTION AUXILIARY PARTS. TOO SOON TO KNOW IF PROBLEM WILL RECUR. *TR

Mileage: 53,020

Jul 24, 2010

CAR LOSES POWER 2008 BMW.535I *WE HAD JUST GOTTEN IT OUT OF THE SHOP (NEW PLUGS AND NEW BRAKES ,CHANGED THE OIL AIR FILTER FULL SERVICE) AND THE NEXT DAY WE HAD GONE OUT FOR SUPPER WHEN THE CAR WOULD BARRLY RUN IT WAS LIKE IT HAD 2 CYCLINDERS. HAD THE BMW PLACE PICK UP AND THEY SAID IT WAS LOW FUEL PUMP AND THEY HAD TO ORDER. WHEN THEY GOT THAT IN IT DID NOT FIX IT SO THE PUT ANOTHER SET OF PLUGS AND NEW COILS AND HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP IN ALSO. THEY ENDED UP COVERING THE WHOLE BILL. BUT IT SEEMS NOT TO RUN LIKE IT USE TO. NOT AS MUCH POWER. I WOULD LIKE TO FIND MORE INFO ON PROBLEM AND HOW THEY EXTENDED WARRANTY.* TR

Mileage: 55,000

Jul 20, 2010

MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT, REDUCED POWER CAME ON, BROUGHT CAR INTO SHOP. THEY "REPAIRED" CAR FOR 10 MINUTES.. CAR WOULD NOT GO OVER 30 MPH WHEN IT RAN. IT SHOOK VIOLENTLY. CAR STOPPED AND HAD TO BE FLAT BEDDED. DANGER! BMW BOUGHT ME OUT OF MY LEASE..THESE CARS SHOULD NOT BE SOLD!!!!!!!!!!!!! *TR

Mileage: 22,000

Jul 10, 2010

ENGINE MALFUNCTION LIGHT COMES ON AND THERE IS LOSS OF POWER. THIS IS THE SECOND EPISODE. AFTER THE FIRST EPISODE I HAD TAKEN IT TO BMW DEALER,THEY HAD IT INSPECTED IT AND SAID IT WAS A SOFTWARE GLITCH AND FIXED IT. I HAPPENED TODAY AGAIN AND HAD TAKEN MY CAR TO BMW DEALER AND THEY SAY IT IS FUEL PUMP PROBLEM AND GAVE A THURSDAY APPOINTMENT TO LOOK INTO THE PROBLEM AND TOLD ME IT WAS SAFE TO DRIVE. CURRENTLY I AM FACING ATLEAST A 40% POWER REDUCTION. *TR

Jun 18, 2010

2008 BMW 535I "ENGINE MALFUNCTION - REDUCED POWER!" MESSAGE ON 06/07/10. IT HAS AROUND 30K MILES. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER, AND THEY DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM AS A WASTEGATE MALFUNCTION. I PICKED IT UP FROM THE DEALER ON 06/08/10 AND DROVE IT TO FLORIDA ON 06/09/10. AFTER BEING IN FLORIDA FOR 4 DAYS, THE PROBLEM RETURNED. THE I-DRIVE SYSTEM FROZE AND EVENTUALLY POWERED OFF AND CAME RIGHT BACK ON. THE CAR SAT OVERNIGHT, AND I MADE IT BACK TO ATLANTA THE NEXT DAY WITHOUT ANY ISSUES (NO ERROR ON THE DISPLAY). TOOK IT TO THE DEALER ON MONDAY, 06/14 AND THIS TIME A LOW PRESSURE SENSOR WAS DIAGNOSED AS THE PROBLEM. PICKED IT UP FROM THE DEALER YESTERDAY (06/16) AND DROVE HOME WITHOUT INCIDENT. DROVE TO WORK TODAY (06/17), NO PROBLEM. ON THE WAY HOME TODAY, THE PROBLEM RESURFACED. THE CAR WILL BE GOING BACK TO THE DEALER TOMORROW. THIS WILL BE THE 3RD TIME IN LESS THAN 2 WEEKS. THESE CARS APPEAR TO BE DEFECTIVE. THIS IS REALLY FRUSTRATING! *TR

Mileage: 30,000

Jun 8, 2010

2008 BMW 535XI- ENGINE FAILURES AND REDUCED POWER AT HIGH SPEEDS- VERY DANGEROUS. *TR

Mileage: 27,000

Apr 10, 2010

1. VEHICLE LOSES POWER 2. ENGINE MALFUNCTION LIGHT COMES ONE. 11/2008, 2/2009 & 4/2010 3. GAS FUEL PUMP REPLACED 3 TIMES IN 18 MONTHS. *TR

Apr 1, 2010

MY 2008 535 BMW FUEL PUMP WENT OUT FOR THE SECOND TIME. THIS TIME MY WIFE WAS DRIVING. SHE WAS MAKING A LEFT HAND TURN. THE CAR DID NOT HAVE POWER. THANK GOD THE ON COMING TRAFFIC STOPED. BMW IS NOT TAKING THIS SERIOUSLY. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION

Mileage: 42,000

Mar 19, 2010

CAR HAS SUDDEN REDUCED POWER. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND ENGINE MALFUNCTION WARNING AND "REDUCED POWER" WARNING SIGN COME ON. HAPPENED 4 TIMES. BMW HAS "REPAIRED" THREE TIME (REPROGRAMMED CAR, REPLACED FUEL INJECTORS) TO NO AVAIL. ALMOST GOT IN AN ACCIDENT THIS MORNING. WHEN I TRIED TO HIT THE GAS, POWER DROPPED PRECIPITOUSLY AND I NEARLY GOT REAR ENDED AND HIT IN AN INTERSECTION. *TR

Mileage: 18,300

Feb 14, 2010

1) STARTING/DRIVING CAR 2) ENGINE MALFUNCTION, LOSS OF POWER, REAR END COLLISION POSSIBLE WHEN DRIVING. *TR

Mileage: 28,000

Nov 14, 2009

ENGINE MALFUNCTION LIGHT COMES ON AND IS COMBINED WITH A SLIGHT LOSS OF POWER. HAVE HAD BMW DEALER TROUBLESHOOT BUT NO RESOLUTION AFTER 7 ATTEMPTS. *TR

Mileage: 20,102

Nov 7, 2009

ENGINE FAILED WITHOUT WARNING AT HIGHWAY SPEED. *TR

Mileage: 28,000

Oct 15, 2009

CAR IN FOR SERVICE FOR THE THIRD TIME. THE FIRST TWO TIMES, HIGH-PRESSURE FUEL PUMP WAS REPLACED. THIS TIME, 2 FUEL INJECTORS AND PLUGS WILL BE REPLACED. SYMPTOMS HAVE BEEN THE SAME EACH TIME - ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON, LOW POWER MESSAGE IS DISPLAYED AND CAR RUNS EXTREMELY ROUGH. ONE INCIDENT REQUIRED THE VEHICLE TO BE TOWED TO THE SHOP AS IT STALLED WHILE DRIVING AND WOULD NOT RE-START. BASED ON INFORMATION ON THIS SITE AND IN THE BMW FORUMS, I AM CONCERNED THAT THE CAR IS NOT BEING ADEQUATELY REPAIRED, BUT JUST PATCHED. I DO NOT FEEL COMFORTABLE DRIVING A CAR THAT MIGHT STALL OR LOSE SIGNIFICANT POWER WHILE DRIVING IN HIGHWAY CONDITIONS. *TR

Mileage: 26,000

Sep 18, 2009

WAS DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS WHEN CAR BEGAN TO "SPUTTER" CAUSING ROUGH RIDE. AFTER ANOTHER 5 MILES, THE ENGINE WARNING LIGHT CAME ON. I PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, STOPPED THE CAR, THEN RESTARTED IT. THE LIGHT DISAPPEARED, BUT REAPPEARED AFTER ANOTHER MILE OF DRIVING. CONTACTED BMW WHO SAID THE CAR WAS SAFE TO DRIVE. SERVICE CENTER FOUND THAT IT WAS STORED FAULT CODES, WHICH A PREVIOUS SERVICE BULLETIN HAD ADVISED. THESE FAULT CODES WERE CLEARED AND THE CAR FUNCTIONED PROPERLY. PLEASE NOTE: THIS IS FOR A 2009 BMW 535I. THE CHOICES AVAILABLE FOR 2009 BMW'S DO NOT INCLUDE THE 5 SERIES. *TR

Mileage: 5,785

May 29, 2009

WHEN ENGINE START IN THE MORNING, CAR IS SHAKING AND REDUCE POWER WARNING LIGHT COME UP. EVERY MORNING (WENT TO SERVICE RIGHT AWAY) DEALER PERFORMED THE SERVICE-REPLACED THE FUEL INJECTOR NEXT DAY-SAME HAPPEN AGAIN VERY BADLY CALL DEALER- BRING THE CAR AGAIN.. WASTE MY TIME AND , FEEL VERY UNSAFE, BECAUSE CAR IS SHAKING. I AM GOING TO DEALER AGAIN, BUT MY QUESTION IS ,WHAT IF SAME PROBLEMS OCCURS SEVERAL TIME, IS THERE ANY LAW TO PROTECT THE CONSUMER AGAINST TO BMW AUTO ? *TR

Mileage: 19,000

Apr 19, 2009

2008 535I BMW REPEATED ENGINE MALFUNCTION WARNING LIGHTS AND NUMEROUS VISITS TO THE DEALERSHIP, PROBLEM HAS BEEN HPFP, SOFTWARE PROGRAMMING AND INJECTORS. STILL NOT 100% RESOLVED. *TR

Mileage: 700

Mar 19, 2009

2008 BMW 535I HAS AN ENGINE MALFUNCTION AND A PROBLEM WITH THE FUEL VALVES. *NJ THE CONSUMER STATED THE ENGINE HAD VERY LITTLE POWER. TWO MONTHS LATER, THE CONSUMER HAD TO TAKE THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALER DUE TO THE SAME PROBLEM PREVIOUSLY. THE DEALER INFORMED THE CONSUMER AGAIN IT WAS THE FUEL VALVES. THE CONSUMER EXPERIENCED THE PROBLEM FOR A THIRD TIME, IN HE LOST VIRTUALLY ALL POWER IN THE ENGINE. SO FAR, THE DEALER HAS BEEN UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. *JB

Mar 7, 2009

WE PURCHASED A 2008 BMW 528XI AS A DEMO. IT WAS SAID TO BE CERTIFIED. IT TICKED FROM THE DAY WE PURCHASED IT. BMW SAID ALL IT NEEDED WAS AN ENGINE BLEED-DOWN. THIS WAS DONE 4 TIMES. THE VEHICLE STILL TICKED AND WE TOOK IT TO OUR TRUSTED BMW DEALERSHIP AND WA STOLD IT NEEDS A NEW CYLINDER-HEAD DUE TO A MANUFACTURER DEFECT. THE CAR ONLY HAS 3,000 MILES ON IT. THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE. THE CAR HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP SINCE MARCH 2ND, NOT EVEN BEGUN TO START THE WORK. I FEEL THE CAR SHOULD BE REPLACED AS IT IS A LEMON , AND WE DESIRE A 2009 528XI WITH THE SAME OPTIONS. *TR

Mileage: 3,000

Feb 5, 2009

1. ROUGH RIDING - LOSS OF POWER ON HIGHWAY 2. DOZENS OF TIMES OVER THE LAST FEW MONTHS. CAR HAS BEEN IN SHOP FOR TWO MONTHS OUT OF LAST 12 FOR THE SAME ISSUE. 3. BMW KEEPS TRYING DIFFERENT THINGS BUT NO FINAL FIXES AS YET. *TR

Mileage: 15,500

Jan 6, 2009

ENGINE MALFUNCTION WARNING. *TR

Mileage: 12,263

Dec 10, 2008

PURCHASED NEW 535I 8/22/08. WITH LESS THAN 400 MILE, RECEIVED ENGINE MALFUNCTION-POWER REDUCED WARNING WHILE DRIVING AT INTERSTATE SPEED. LIMPED TO DEALER, WHO HAD CAR FOR 4.5 DAYS. 1ST QUESTION: WHAT TYPE OF FUEL? SHELL. RESPONSE: MAY HAVE TO MUCH ETHANOL. SERVICE FOUND AN ENGINE MIS-FIRE CODE; REPLACED INJECTOR AND SWAPPED COILS TO VALIDATE INJ. REPLACEMENT. 2ND OCCURRENCE AT 3200 MILES, AGAIN AT HI-WAY SPEEDS. MIS-FIRE CODE AGAIN FOUND BY DEALER SERVICE. INJECTORS WERE "SWAPPED"; I'M NOT SURE TO WHAT END. THE CAR WAS ALSO "REPROGRAMMED".I GET THE IMPRESSION THAT SERVICE PEOPLE DO NOT KNOW WHAT IS TRULY CAUSING THE PROBLEM. OR ELSE THAT THEY ARE TRYING NOT TO COMMIT. NOW HAVE APPROX. 4100 MILES W/O ANY RECURRENCE. APPARENTLY THIS IS AN ISSUE THAT IS NOT JUST WITH THE 5 SERIES, BUT THE 3 SERIES ALSO, BOTH TYPES WITH THE N54 TURBO CHARGED 3 LITER ENGINE. FIRST FIXES INVOLVED THE HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP, NOW THEY ARE APPEAR TO BE SWAPPING/REPLACING INJECTORS AND REPROGRAMMING THE ECU. IT IS ALSO A COMMON POINT OF DISCUSSION IN ON-LINE BMW FORUMS WHEN SEARCHED UNDER ENGINE MALFUNCTION. *TR

Mileage: 400

Nov 11, 2008

I HAVE A 2008 BMW 535I WITH SPORT PACKAGE AND PREMIUM PACKAGE. I HAVE HAD AN "ENGINE MALFUNCTION/REDUCING HORSEPOWER" ISSUE WITH THIS CAR 3 TIMES SINCE PURCHASING IT IN AUGUST 2008. THE FIRST INCIDENT OCCURRED WITHIN 3 WEEKS OF DELIVERY AND ONLY 600 MILES. THE SECOND INCIDENT HAPPENED ABOUT A MONTH LATER WITH APPROX 1500 MILES; AND THE THIRD INCIDENT OCCURRED ON 11/3/08 WITH APPROXIMATELY 2200 MILES. BMW SAYS EACH TIME THAT IT'S A MISFIRE IN ONE OF THE CYLINDERS - BUT THAT THEY DO NOT KNOW HOW TO FIX IT. SO EACH TIME THEY RESET THE COMPUTER AND SEND ME AWAY. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION. I DRIVE ON CALIFORNIA FREEWAYS MOST OF THE TIME AND WHEN THIS ENGINE MALFUNCTION OCCURS, THE CAR STARTS "LIMPING" AND MISSING AND I HAVE TO SLOW AND PULL TO THE SIDE OF BUSY, BUSY FREEWAYS THAT ARE VERY DANGEROUS. BIMMERFEST FORUM SHOWS THAT THERE ARE LOTS OF OWNERS OF THE BMW 535I HAVING THIS SAME PROBLEM - BUT BMW WILL NOT ADDRESS THE ISSUE...... EACH TIME THE PROBLEM OCCURS, THE BMW DEALER ASKS ME WHAT KIND OF GAS I'M USING - AND IT'S ALWAYS BEEN 91 OCTANE. THEN THEY ASK ME WHAT BRAND - WHICH IS CHEVRON, THOUGH I DIDN'T REALIZE THE BRAND OF GAS WOULD BE A PROBLEM IN MODERN DAY CARS. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION TO BE OCCURRING ON THE CALIFORNIA FREEWAY SYSTEM, NOT TO MENTION ANY FREEWAY SYSTEM GIVEN THE SPEEDS AT WHICH PEOPLE DRIVE AND THE DANGER OF POWER LOSS IN THE MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC AND HAVING TO PULL OVER ON VERY SMALL SHOULDERS WHERE OTHER CARS PASS AT HIGH RATES OF SPEED WITHIN ONLY A FOOT OR TWO OF MY CAR WHEN THE ENGINE MALFUNCTIONS. *TR

Mileage: 600

Nov 10, 2008

DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AND THE ENGINE STARTED TO RUN ROUGH. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THIS HAS OCCURRED. THE FIRST TIME THIS HAPPENED WAS IN JULY AND BROUGHT IT TO DEALER AND COULD NOT FIND PROBLEM. SECOND TIME I HAD CAR TOWED AND SAID IT WAS FAULTY IGNITION COIL. REPLACED AND SEEMS OK NOW, BUT EVERY SO OFTEN IT RUNS ROUGH FOR A FEW MOMENT. *TR

Mileage: 2,500

Sep 11, 2008

I PURCHASED A NEW BMW 535I ON MAY 26, 2008 AND ON AUG 8, 2008 WHILE I WAS DRIVING MY CAR AT 70 MILES AND HOUR THE CAR STARTED WAS SHAKING AS IF RUNNING ON 3 CYLINDERS. THERE WAS A MESSAGE FROM THE CAR STATING ENGINE MALFUNCTION REDUCED POWER! I WAITED 3 HOURS FOR A TOW TRUCK AND AFTER A FEW DAYS I RECEIVED A CALL FROM RICHMOND BMW STATING I NEEDED A NEW HIGH PRESSURE FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM. I SAID FINE AND THEN RECEIVED A CALL THE NEXT DAY SAYING MY CAR WAS READY. WHEN I PICKED IT UP THEY DIDN'T REPAIR ANYTHING THEY SAID THEY WERE TOLD BY MUNICH TO JUST RESET THE LIGHT AND CLAIM ATMOSPHERIC CONDITIONS!! ON FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 5TH WHILE TRYING TO CROSS AN INTERSECTION I WAS ALMOST T-BONED WHEN MY CAR AGAIN LOST POWER. THEN ON SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 6TH THE ENGINE LOST POWER AGAIN AND SAME MESSAGE POPPED UP ON THE IDRIVE SCREEN. WHEN I WENT BACK TO THE DEALER I WAS TOLD THAT THE HIGH PRESSURE FUEL INJECTION WAS A "HIGH PROFILE" PART IN MUNICH AND THEREFORE THEY WERE TOLD TO JUST RESET THE LIGHT TO SEE IF IT HAPPENED AGAIN. NEEDLESS TO SAY I AM OUTRAGED THAT BMW PUT MY FAMILY IN SUCH DANGER SO AS TO NOT HAVE TO REPLACE HIGH PROFILE PARTS. PLEASE INVESTIGATE WHAT IS GOING ON WITH BMW THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS AS IT COMES ON WITHOUT NOTICE OR WARNING POWER JUST IS GONE. I HAVE ASKED BMW TO REFUND MY MONEY BUT THEY HAVE HAD MY CAR SINCE SEPTEMBER 6TH AND I AM GETTING NOTHING BUT THE RUN AROUND. *TR

Mileage: 5,000