[teagueAMX]

I don't want to spark another debate on this subject, but it seems that info I'm receiving is the N54 HPFP failures are pretty much a US only problem. I've suggested that based on logic it's not fuel related, however, if the problem is occurring in the US more than anywhere else that might point to fuel.
Keep in mind all makes of cars will experience various types of mechanical failures.

Please help me with two questions:

1. Of the 1,000's of N54 engines installed, how many have experienced HPFP failures at relatively low mileage? If the number is relatively low, then maybe the concerns are unwarranted. If the numbers have been relatively moderate to high, then the concerns may be justified.

2. Of the known HPFP failures, have they mostly been in the US or have other countries had their fair share as well?

[ala012]

HPFP failure happens everywhere. europe, asia .... .

My friends in Asia, they are having same exact problem..

[JoeyFiasco]

to OP, seems like it. there's no real mention on the UK forums about it at least (maybe they posted on the turbo section?). here's some light reading on the subject.

http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=256704

http://www.e90post.com/forums/showth...highlight=hpfp

[bulldog_yyc]

Originally Posted by TrackRat

Certainly if you had done a simple forum search and read for a few minutes you could have answered your questions and many more. That's why forums have a search feature to help you learn.

The problem is worldwide. The N54 HPFPs fail at all mileages. In 2008 BMW told nhtsa.gov that they "estimated less than 5% of customers would experience a failed HPFP". This was based on 2007 reports of N54 HPFP failures. Some online surveys show in excess of 34% failure rate of the OE HPFPs and 20+% failure of replacement N54 HPFPs.

http://www.surveymethods.com/preview...9893DACACC9FDC

I believe BMW's official estimate is pie-in-the-sky wishful thinking. The U.S. BMW parts system is consuming ~15,000-~20,000 N54 HPFPs annually and the rate is climbing. BMW Germany is also consuming a similar rate for Europe.

If you really want to understand the full implications of the N54 HPFP failures you should read the safety complaints filed at nhtsa.gov for the X35i series of models.

There are currently multiple class action lawsuits against BMW for the N54 HPFP failures and other engine related issues such as chronic failure of injectors, software, ignition coils, sparkplugs, etc. that have existed for four model years and counting.

good info

[JoeyFiasco]

Originally Posted by TrackRat

Certainly if you had done a simple forum search and read for a few minutes you could have answered your questions and many more. That's why forums have a search feature to help you learn.

The problem is worldwide. The N54 HPFPs fail at all mileages. In 2008 BMW told nhtsa.gov that they "estimated less than 5% of customers would experience a failed HPFP". This was based on 2007 reports of N54 HPFP failures. Some online surveys show in excess of 34% failure rate of the OE HPFPs and 20+% failure of replacement N54 HPFPs.

http://www.surveymethods.com/preview...9893DACACC9FDC

I believe BMW's official estimate is pie-in-the-sky wishful thinking. The U.S. BMW parts system is consuming ~15,000-~20,000 N54 HPFPs annually and the rate is climbing. BMW Germany is also consuming a similar rate for Europe.

If you really want to understand the full implications of the N54 HPFP failures you should read the safety complaints filed at nhtsa.gov for the X35i series of models.

There are currently multiple class action lawsuits against BMW for the N54 HPFP failures and other engine related issues such as chronic failure of injectors, software, ignition coils, sparkplugs, etc. that have existed for four model years and counting.

I went to the link provided and 86.7% of all failures reported are in the US with the second largest failure rate being Canada with 7.5. Which is a little bit over 94%, leaving the rest of the world failures at less than 6%. Granted, it may have to do with the fact that most people surveyed are from the US but if your car doesn't have an issue, you're less likely to fill out the survey as well. I also went to the nhtsa.gov site and tried to find the hpfp failures and couldn't, maybe I suck at searching. It's powered by Google so I don't know how I messed it up.

[GeorgeSmooth]

Its quite a rare thing in South Africa to hear about a fuel pump failure. A local forum I frequent has 22 N54 cars and none with a failure yet.

[slowSwede]

Don't know how common it is, a client of mine did have his hpfp give up.
Hasn't happened to me nor the other guy I know with a 335.

[dzenno]

friend of mine outside US had an HPFP pump...stay away from ethanol

[jhbodle]

Yeah, the US gas is more likely to cause HPFP failure that Europe gas. Here in the UK the pumps are much more reliable. Heck, my car's had pretty much everything except the HPFP replaced

[JoeyFiasco]

Originally Posted by TrackRat

The survey was open to all which was the point of the survey to see what the real situation is on the N54 HPFPs, what if any influence mods, gas, geography, etc. might have on the HPFP failures. Being a U.S. based website you can expect most of the responses to be from the U.S. but if you go to other BMW websites where more Europeans are active you find similar results as the U.S. with highly frustrated BMW N54 owners.

This is a link to the nhtsa.gov website. You need to search by year, model, failure, i.e. fuel system or fuel pump, or similar.

http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/ivoq/index.cfm

Here are a couple links to some of the class action lawsuits.

http://www.scribd.com/doc/17233560/Bmw-Law-Suit-Hpfp

http://www.consumeraffairs.com/news0...12/ca_bmw.html

I understand what you're saying, but at the same time most of the other posters on this thread and I are saying otherwise. For the most part, it does seem to be a North American problem. We frequent non US forums and there are barely any mentions of it there. That's not excusing BMW. After all it is their biggest market or was, don't know if the Chinese surpassed it.

I think that site is going a bit overboard with this:

"Turbo lag, a little-known but potentially dangerous phenomenon, describes a delay between the time a turbocharged car's accelerator is depressed and the time its engine develops enough power to properly accelerate. Turbo lag presents an especially serious risk if it occurs on a highway on-ramp or other area where traffic is moving quickly."

Read more: http://www.consumeraffairs.com/news0...#ixzz0irMZ3lzn

[JoeyFiasco]

like you, I can only speak with conviction about what I have experienced or read about. the survey puts 86%+ of HPFP failures in the US. that's all I was saying.

limp mode puts you at what half power? it will adversely affect your driving experience obviously saying its going to kill you, that's an exaggeration to me.

as long as the German the numbers (since i'm assuming the hpfp is manufactured) are not being double counted or are a representation of the demand in the US, I would have a hard time contradicting you. do you still have access to those statistics?

[morphia]

I'm in Taiwan and already replace HPFP TWICE. (My 335 is EU model)
Several 335 owners here also did this before. (One of them is US model 335)

[roozie2001]

dude its the ethanol in our gas here in the states. it fks up the fuel pump.

[roozie2001]

its my opinion. no evidence, but i think its a pretty educated guess.

[teagueAMX]

Originally Posted by TrackRat

Do you have any evidence to support your claim? The reason I ask is that hundreds of theories have been offered but no one has any technical evidence to support the theories. They don't use ethanol in many Euro countries yet they still have the same N54 HPFP failures which the BMW HPFP parts data statistics show. In additon there are people in the U.S. that only use Chevron and other brands with E0 and their HPFPs failed too.

+1

Thanks for the info you have shared.

As far as the fuel is concerned, logically it can't be a fuel related problem.


Fuel Quality is Myth
A couple years back I saw a great program on one of the educational channels that basically, albeit not intended, blew the lid off "gas quality" myths. In the US, and I'm sure it true Europe, petrol is piped underground from the refineries all over the nation.

In fact all the different grades, brands, octane levels, diesel vs gasoline, etc., it doesn't matter, are all pumped through the same pipes to the same depots. This means that all brands of of fuel - Shell, Chevron, Exon, Arco, you name it, are mixed into the same massive fuel reservoirs.

They pumped into the same pipe one after the other with nothing separating them but a calculation based on gallons per minute (GPM) in the pipe. Apparently the don really mix to any great extent each different type is directed into a different reservoir based on these calculations.

It's only at the time the fuel is being loaded for transport to your local gas station are the specific brand's (i.e., Shell vs Chevron) cocktail of additives mixed with the fuel.

Additives Killing HPFP is a Myth
Where people get off track as far as the additives argument goes is they don't stop to think that virtually all cars, including a Porsche, Audi, BMW, whatever, and those with a HPFP, have at least one lower pressure fuel pump submerged in the fuel tank. The HPFP is a second pump.

If the additives are killing HPFP's, why aren't they killing the in-tank pumps at the same rate. Additionally, BMW buys their fuel pumps from several manufactures just like Porsche, Audi, etc. If the additives are killing HPFP's, then it would be killing them across all makes, models, brands, etc., but that's not happening.