Owners file class action lawsuit against BMW in California
20 Oct 2010|6,768 views
 |
The lawsuit alleges that BMW systematically concealed information from the public and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) regarding defective fuel pumps and their risks to consumers.
The fuel pump that they use is a high-pressure unit andnd it's known to fail unexpectedly. This causes the ECU to go into "limp mode", which translates into a significant and sudden loss of power.
The lawsuit also alleges a design flaw with the turbochargers.
While BMW claims that the twin-turbo inline 6 has no turbo lag. Owners report significant throttle delays, along with "strange noises" coming from the engine during acceleration.
BMW issued the following statement about the turbo problem;
"The turbo complaint is much less widespread and we have had a service bulletin in place since 2007 to address it. In an effort to address specific noise concerns, BMW updated the turbocharged engine software on 335i/xi and 535i/xi models built from June 2006 through March 2008. The updated software causes a small amount of increased "turbocharger lag" under certain circumstances and, while not substantial, the lag may be perceptible to the most sensitive BMW drivers. X6, 135i, and 3 Series/5 Series vehicles from March 2008 production onward are not affected."
About the fuel pump problem, they said; "BMW has discovered that certain 2007-2010 model year vehicles may experience partial failure of the High-Pressure Fuel Pump (HPFP) which is part of the direct fuel injection system on certain 1 Series, 3 Series, 5 Series, X6, and Z4 models. Specifically, vehicles powered by the twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-6 engine (internally dubbed "N54") are affected. Symptoms include long engine starting times and sometimes the illumination of the Service Engine Soon lamp in the instrument cluster, possibly accompanied by reduced engine performance (Fail Safe operation).
As a result, BMW will extend the emissions warranty coverage period to 10 years or 120,000 miles, whichever comes first, on affected vehicles in all 50 States. If the HPFP fails during the extended warranty coverage period, BMW will replace it with a newer-production version. Customers who experience long starting times or notice the Service Engine Soon lamp should contact an Authorized BMW Center to schedule a service appointment."
This isn't the first lawsuit over the N54 engine. However, this one is attempting to force BMW into to recall.
The effected cars were made from 2006-2010, and include the 135i, the 335i, the 535i, the X6 and the Z4. This includes the AWD versions too.
|
The lawsuit alleges that BMW systematically concealed information from the public and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) regarding defective fuel pumps and their risks to consumers.
The fuel pump that they use is a high-pressure unit andnd it's known to fail unexpectedly. This causes the ECU to go into "limp mode", which translates into a significant and sudden loss of power.
The lawsuit also alleges a design flaw with the turbochargers.
While BMW claims that the twin-turbo inline 6 has no turbo lag. Owners report significant throttle delays, along with "strange noises" coming from the engine during acceleration.
BMW issued the following statement about the turbo problem;
"The turbo complaint is much less widespread and we have had a service bulletin in place since 2007 to address it. In an effort to address specific noise concerns, BMW updated the turbocharged engine software on 335i/xi and 535i/xi models built from June 2006 through March 2008. The updated software causes a small amount of increased "turbocharger lag" under certain circumstances and, while not substantial, the lag may be perceptible to the most sensitive BMW drivers. X6, 135i, and 3 Series/5 Series vehicles from March 2008 production onward are not affected."
About the fuel pump problem, they said; "BMW has discovered that certain 2007-2010 model year vehicles may experience partial failure of the High-Pressure Fuel Pump (HPFP) which is part of the direct fuel injection system on certain 1 Series, 3 Series, 5 Series, X6, and Z4 models. Specifically, vehicles powered by the twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-6 engine (internally dubbed "N54") are affected. Symptoms include long engine starting times and sometimes the illumination of the Service Engine Soon lamp in the instrument cluster, possibly accompanied by reduced engine performance (Fail Safe operation).
As a result, BMW will extend the emissions warranty coverage period to 10 years or 120,000 miles, whichever comes first, on affected vehicles in all 50 States. If the HPFP fails during the extended warranty coverage period, BMW will replace it with a newer-production version. Customers who experience long starting times or notice the Service Engine Soon lamp should contact an Authorized BMW Center to schedule a service appointment."
This isn't the first lawsuit over the N54 engine. However, this one is attempting to force BMW into to recall.
The effected cars were made from 2006-2010, and include the 135i, the 335i, the 535i, the X6 and the Z4. This includes the AWD versions too.
Latest COE Prices
April 2025 | 2nd BIDDING
NEXT TENDER: 07 May 2025
CAT A$99,500
CAT B$117,003
CAT C$65,001
CAT E$118,001
View Full Results 
Thank You For Your Subscription.
