2009 BMW 535I Fuel System, Gasoline Problems

The contact owns a 2009 BMW 535I. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle vibrated violently with a message displayed to, "Check Engine – Engine Power Reduced”. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed failures with the spark plugs and ignition coil. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure reoccurred. The vehicle was taken back to the independent mechanic, who diagnosed failures with the valve cover gasket and upper radiator hose. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure reoccurred. The vehicle was taken back to the independent mechanic, who diagnosed failures with the evaporative leak detection assembly, water pump, and high-pressure fuel pump. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure reoccurred. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but did not assist. The failure mileage was 70,000.

Mileage: 70,000

WHILE DRIVING FROM WORK ON A BUSY FRIDAY AFTERNOON THE VEHICLE'S CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON AND THE COMPUTER SCREEN STATES "ENGINE MALFUNCTION! REDUCING POWER" "HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP MALFUNCTION" LESS THAN A MINUTE THE ENGINE STALLED. LEAVING ME STRANDED ON THE BRIDGE FOR HOURS, TRY TO START THE CAR BUT IT WON'T START. THE HIGH PRESSURE FUEL SYSTEM HAS BEEN REPLACED WITH A NEW REVISION BUT STILL DIDN'T SOLVE THE PROBLEM. *TR

Mileage: 125,000

I WAS TRAVELING ON THE INTERSTATE GOING 75MPH WHEN MY CAR LOST ALL POWER, SHUT OFF AND LEFT ME WITHOUT POWER AND STRANDED DUE TO A FUEL PUMP. UPON FURTHER INVESTIGATION I'VE FOUND THAT BMW AND SPECIFICALLY THE "N54" MOTOR THAT I HAVE A SEVERE AMOUNT OF COMPLAINTS FOR THIS EXACT REASON. THERE WAS AN EXTENDED WARRANTY PUT IN PLACE FOR CERTAIN PARTS HOWEVER NOT ALL THE PARTS THAT CAUSE THIS TYPE OF A FAILURE. I'VE TRIED WORKING PROFESSIONALLY WITH BMW OF USA BUT BECAUSE I WASN'T INVOLVED IN A CRASH FROM SAID FAILURE THEY JUST REFUSE TO HELP. I DO NOT THINK ANY CAR WITH LESS THAN 100K MILES ON IT SHOULD BY ANY MEANS HAVE THIS SEVERE OF A BREAK DOWN POTENTIALLY CAUSING A RATHER FATAL OUTCOME. LUCKILY I AM AN AGGRESSIVE DRIVER AND CAN HANDLE A CAR WITH LOST POWER AND NOT COLLIDE INTO A WALL WHICH I NEARLY DID. THIS NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED WITH BMW USA AS IT IS UNACCEPTABLE FOR A HIGH END TURBO VEHICLE TO HAVE COMPLETE FAILURE WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. BMW FORUMS ALL OVER THE INTERNET HAVE SHOWN ME THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE HAVE THIS PROBLEM. SADLY THEY MAY NOT KNOW NHTSA EXISTS TO FILE A COMPLAINT. I SINCERELY HOPE YOUR GROUP CAN HELP US HELPLESS CONSUMERS OF BMW PRODUCTS GAIN A SAFER DRIVING EXPERIENCE. BMW RECALLING ONE FUEL PUMP AND NOT THE OTHER, OR EXTENDING THE WARRANTY ON TURBOS YET NOT THE SUBSEQUENT PARTS THAT THEY OPERATE AND IT CAUSING THIS TYPE OF A BREAK DOWN IS TRULY TRULY SCARY AS WELL AS UNACCEPTABLE. PLEASE HELP! *TR

Mileage: 80,000

PURCHASED A 2009 BMW 535I XDRIVE (VIN# [XXX]) IN MARCH 2013. IN JUNE OF 2013 I BEGAN TO HAVE ISSUES WITH THE FUEL SYSTEM. THE CAR WAS BROUGHT TO MY LOCAL BMW DEALER AND I WAS TOLD THERE WAS AN ISSUE WITH ONE OF THE FUEL INJECTORS. THEY INDICATED THE INJECTORS WERE UNDER RECALL HOWEVER MY CAR HAD ALREADY HAD THE RECALL COMPLETED. UNDER FURTHER INVESTIGATION IT CAME TO LIGHT THAT ONLY THREE OF THE SIX INJECTORS WERE REPLACED UNDER THE PRIOR RECALL WORK. THE DEALERSHIP REFUSED TO REPLACE THE BAD INJECTOR UNDER THE RECALL EVEN THOUGH IT WAS NOT ONE OF THE ONES REPLACED UNDER THE ORIGINAL WARRANTY WORK. THEY INDICATED THEY CONTACTED BMWNA AND THAT THEY REFUSED TO APPROVE THE REPLACEMENT OF THE INJECTOR EVEN THOUGH IT WAS NOT DEALT WITH UNDER THE ORIGINAL RECALL WORK.I ENDED UP HAVING MY LOCAL BMW MECHANIC REPLACE THIS INJECTOR. THIS NOVEMBER 2014 I BEGAN HAVING AN ISSUE WITH ANOTHER OF THE RECALLED INJECTORS THAT HAD YET TO BE REPLACED. THIS INJECTOR WHILE DRIVING BECAME LOOSE AND BROKE A FUEL LINE DAMAGING THE CYLINDER HEAD OF THE ENGINE WHERE THE INJECTOR IS LOCATED. DUE TO THE DAMAGE TO THE HEAD, THE INJECTOR LOCATED IN CYLINDER 5 CONTINUES TO LOOSE THE O-RING. THIS RENDERS THE CAR UNDRIVABLE. THIS IS MY THIRD BMW AND I HAVE TO SAY THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I HAVE EVER HAD THESE KINDS OF PROBLEM. I HAVE ALREADY HAD TO REPLACE THE HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP, ONE FUEL INJECTOR, WATER PUMP AND CRANK SEAL. IN ADDITION THE TRUNK LEAKS CREATING ISSUES WITH MY BATTERY AND SOS SYSTEM. I HAVE LEARNED THOUGH MUCH RESEARCH THAT THIS CAR MODEL HAS MANY KNOWN PROBLEMS WITH THE FUEL SYSTEM, INJECTORS, HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP, ETC. I WOULD APPRECIATE SOMEONE LOOKING INTO THIS AND HOW THE CURRENT ISSUE WITH THE INJECTOR AND NOW HEAD CAN BE RESOLVED SINCE THIS INJECTOR SHOULD HAVE BEEN REPLACED UNDER THE ORIGINAL WARRANTY WORK LONG BEFORE THE HEAD WAS DAMAGED. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

THIS IS THE SECOND TIME I HAVE MY FUEL PUMP REPLACED BECAUSE IT FAILED. THE FIRST TIME IT HAPPENED WHILE I WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF AN EXPRESS WAY WITH FAST MOVING CARS. I BELIEVE THAT THIS POSE A SIGNIFICANT SAFETY RISK TO THE PASSENGERS BECAUSE THEY COULD GET RUN OVER BY OTHER CARS. THE CAR STALLS WITHOUT WARNING IT JUST STOPS. I'VE COMPLAINED TO BMW ABOUT THIS AND THEY PRETEND THAT THERE IS NO PROBLEM. THEY REPLACED THE FIRST FUEL PUMP THEN IT HAPPENED AGAIN AND THEIR SOLUTION IS TO REPLACE THE SAME PART AGAIN. THEY NEED TO FIGURE OUT WHY ITS FAILING IN THE FIRST PLACE. *TR

Mileage: 36,000

ON AN EARLY COLD MORNING, I CRANK MY CAR AND AFTER IT STARTED I NOTICED THAT MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON; IT STALLED OUT AND I HAD TO RESTART IT. THIS CAR HAS BEEN IN AND OUT OF THE REPAIR SHOP (BMW) WITHIN THE LAST YEAR APPROXIMATELY FOUR TIMES. THE MAJOR REASON WAS FUEL PROBLEMS. I HAD A DIAGNOSTIC TEST DONE ON IT AND THE BMW REPAIR SHOP STATED THAT I NEEDED ALL INJECTORS, SPARK PLUGS AND A FUEL INLET VALVE REPLACED WHICH WILL COST ABOUT 2200. THE PROBLEM I HAVE IS THAT BMW PUBLISHED THIS INFORMATION TO CORRECT AN ONGOING PROBLEM WITH 535I TWIN TURBO FUEL SYSTEM; HOWEVER AT THE CONSUMERS' EXPENSE. I SPOKE WITH A SUPERVISOR IN CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIP AND SHE STATED THAT BMW WAS NOT RESPONSE FOR OR REPAIRING IT. *TR

Mileage: 75,434

2009 BMW 535I. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO ENGINE MALFUNCTION THAT CAUSED VEHICLE FIRE. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE WAS IN THE PROCESS OF BEING TOWED, WHEN IT CAUGHT ON FIRE. THE CONSUMER STATED THERE WAS NO UNUSUAL SERVICE HISTORY. THE HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP WAS REPLACED TWICE, ONCE AS A RECALL. THE VEHICLE WAS SERVICED FOR STALLING PROBLEMS, WHICH WAS THE SAME ISSUE THAT OCCURRED ON THE DAY OF THE FIRE.

VEHICLE HAD LOSS OF POWER, SHAKY AT START UP. VEHICLE HAD A LOSS POWER TO ONLY GO ABOUT 5MPH. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO DEALER. *TR

Mileage: 34,284

SUDDEN LOSS OF ENGINE POWER, ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. BMW REPROGRAMMED THE COMPUTER BUT SO FAR IT HAS HAPPENED 3 TIMES (AT 8,000MILES, 13,000 MILES AND 18,000 MILES). *TR

Mileage: 18,000

PURCHASED A BMW 535I X DRIVE IN APRIL 2009. SINCE APRIL 2010, THE CAR HAS BEEN IN FOR SERVICE 4 TIMES, MOST RECENTLY AUGUST 2010. ALL 4 TIMES, THE CAR'S ENGINE LIGHTS HAVE COME ON - OXYGEN SENSORS HAVE BEEN REPLACED TWICE. A PROBLEM IN THE FUEL AREA/CATALYST CONVERTER WAS JUST FIXED IN JULY. LAST PROBLEM WAS AT 18,400 MILES - DRIVING ON HIGHWAY AT 70MPH OUT OF TOWN IN ANOTHER STATE AT 10:45PM, AN AUDIBLE SIGNAL WENT OFF AND THEN 2 ENGINE LIGHTS APPEARS IN MY SPEEDOMETER AREA. ALSO, IN THE NAVIGATION AREA, ENGINE MALFUNCTION REDUCED POWER ERROR MESSAGE. THE CAR BEGAN SHAKING AND THE POWER WAS REDUCED DOWN TO 40MPH. AT THAT POINT, 225 MILES FROM HOME, NEEDED TO TURN BACK AND DRIVE 45 MINUTES FROM THE CITY THAT I JUST LEFT. CAR WAS TOWED TO A CITY 60 MILES FROM THERE AND THE SERVICE MANAGER TOLD ME IMMEDIATELY IT WAS THE HPFP PROBLEM. AT THAT TIME, HE ALSO STATED THAT THE FUEL INJECTORS ARE NOT A PROBLEM NOW, BUT IT IS VERY LIKELY THAT THEY WILL GO BAD WITHIN 6 MONTHS FROM NOW. CONFIDENCE HAS BEEN LOST IN THIS NEW CAR AND SAFETY CONCERNS FOR DRIVING THIS CAR MORE THAN 25-30 MILES OUT OF MY HOME CITY. EXTREMELY CONCERNED ABOUT BREAKING DOWN AND STRANDED AGAIN. *TR

Mileage: 18,500

WHILE DRIVING MY BMW, THE ENGINE STALLED OUT ON THE HIGHWAY AND FORCED ME TO EXPEDITE MYSELF TO A SAFE LOCATION. THE ENGINE WOULD SHAKE AND RATTLE AT IDLE, AND THE CAR WAS SENT INTO LIMP MODE BY THE PCM. THIS OCCURRED NUMEROUS TIMES IN THE FOLLOWING DAYS, AND ALWAYS AT RANDOM TIMES AND SPEEDS. I WAS LUCKY ENOUGH TO NOT BE PASSING SOMEONE ON THE HIGHWAY, OR ENTERING/EXITING THE ON/OFF RAMPS WHEN IT OCCURRED. I AM FORCED TO TAKE ULTRA SAFE ROUTES THAT OFFER SLOWER SPEEDS. THIS ISSUE SEEMS TO BE VERY COMMON WITH THIS ENGINE MAKE AND MODEL, AND MUST BE ADDRESSED AS THIS WILL EVENTUALLY CAUSE A INJURY/ACCIDENT/ OR WORSE, FATALITY. PLEASE LOOK INTO THIS ISSUE AND HAVE THE PEOPLE RESPONSIBLE FIX THEIR MISTAKES. *TR

Mileage: 13,000

NORMAL DRIVING THE VEHICLE BEGINS TO SHAKE LOSING POWER. THE VEHICLE'S CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON AND THE COMPUTER SCREEN STATES "ENGINE MALFUNCTION! REDUCING POWER". THE HIGH PRESSURE FUEL SYSTEM HAS BEEN REPLACED 3 TIMES BY BMW. BMW ACKNOWLEDGES THEY HAVE A PROBLEM BUT HAS NO REPAIR FOR THE SITUATION. *TR

Mileage: 9,000

SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER ENTERING HIGHWAY. DEALER CONFIRMED FAILURE OF HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP 2009 BMW 535I WITH 10K MILES. *TR

Mileage: 10,000

MY FAMILY AND I WAS DRIVING TO SAN FRANCISCO AND READY TO CROSS THE BAY BRIDGE. I WAS IN MY 2010 BMW 535I (THE CAR WAS THREE MONTHS OLD WITH ABOUT 5500 MILES ON IT. WITH NO WARNING, THE ENGINE MALFUNCTION LIGHT GOES ON AND I GET A MESSAGE TO SLOW THE CAR DOWN. IN ABOUT 2 MINUTES, THE ENGINE DIES AND THE CAR IS STALLED. I WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF HEAVY TRAFFIC, VERY DANGEROUS, NO WHERE TO EXIT. I TRIED TO START THE ENGINE AND EVERYTIME I TRIED TO DRIVE, THE ENGINE DIES. WE WERE BLOCKING TRAFFIC FOR ABOUT 30 MINUTES BEFORE THE CHP ARRIVED TO MOVE THE CAR OUT OF THE TRAFFIC LANES. I WAS TOLD THE PROBLEM WAS THE HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP SYSTEM (HPFP) - BMW KNOWS ABOUT THIS PROBLEM AND THEY STILL HAVE NOT FIXED THIS ISSUE. IT IS VERY DANGEROUS -- THERE IS NO TELLING WHEN THIS FUEL PUMP WILL FAIL AGAIN. *TR

Mileage: 5,500

MY BMW 535XI SPORT WAGON HAD A HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP REPLACED AFTER 12500 MI. THE ENGINE LOST MOST OF ITS POWER AND I NEEDED TO QUICKLY EXIT HWY.IN ORDER NOT TO POSE A THREAT TO OTHERS. PRIOR TO THIS PROBLEM I NOTICED THE ENGINE TOOK LONGER TO START, AND ONE TIME THE ENGINE SEEMED TO SPUTTER AND TEMPORARILY BECOME UN DRIVABLE. THE FIRST TIME THIS HAPPENED, THE DEALER SAID THEY HAD TO FIX A PROBLEM IN THE CARS COMPUTER. THE SECOND TIME , THE DEALER SAID THE PUMP HAD TO BE REPLACED. *TR

Mileage: 12,447

PURCHASED 2009 BMW 335CI IN MARCH OF 2009. IN SEP THE CAR STALLED, BMW REPLACED THE FUEL PUMP OR HPFP (HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP). TODAY WE STARTED THE CAR AND MOVED IT IN OUR DRIVEWAY. 1.5 HOURS LATER WE STARTED THE CAR AGAIN TO GO TO WORK AND IT STALLED. WE TRIED TWICE TO RESTART IT WOULDN'T. AT THAT TIME WE NOTICED A FUEL SMELL AND STEPPED OUT OF THE VEHICLE INTO A PUDDLE OF GASOLINE. *TR

Mileage: 15,000

2009 BMW 535I: WHILE ACCELERATING, A SUDDEN NEAR-STALL/LOSS OF POWER OCCURRED WHILE ATTEMPTING TO ENTER INTO AN INTERSECTION, NEARLY CAUSING AN ACCIDENT. A WARNING WAS ALERTED THROUGH THE IDRIVE SYSTEM ("ENGINE MALFUNCTION - REDUCED POWER"). THE CAR WAS DRIVABLE, BUT EXTREMELY SLUGGISH AND SLOW TO ACCELERATE. BMW SERVICE CENTER PERFORMED DIAGNOSTICS TO FIND THAT A HIGH-PRESSURE FUEL PUMP (HPFP) HAD FAILED. THEY REPLACED IT, WHICH HAS SINCE SOLVED THE PROBLEM. *TR UPDATED 09/29/09.*JB

Mileage: 11,263