e8x electric waterpump failure poll...

[recon7]

Mine died two days ago at 52,000 miles. 2008 135i, no warranty. $1500 for pump replacement, coolant flush and change, and oil change.

[Little1er]

I did not have a water pump problem until 65,000 miles. One week after I posted in this poll, my pump died. So much for feeling lucky.

[Southjersey128]

Update to my status from forever ago. Replaced the pump and stat as precautionary measure at 64k miles a few weeks ago. My friends went bad in his n54 e92 at 54k, that said to me I should just bite the bullet and do mine. I have bad luck as it is.

[MightyMouseTech]

Guess I should add my sisters car to the list.

She had a dinner meeting, and was actually parked directly in front of my building in her winter car, 2011 335xi.

She stopped and got the low coolant light, fan running on high, limp mode. Big puddle under the car.

Called a tow truck, off to the dealer for a pump replacement.

She only has 40k km's on it, and only a couple months out of warranty.

Echt.

[Maine1]

I originally voted with no problem, but now I have to switch sides and join the ranks of the failed water pump group. 2008 135i with 72000 miles.

[D.I.P.]

I am probably going to jinx myself with this but....

2009 135i 119,000 miles Water pump is still working fine, just as the day i picked her up at the Dealer back in 2009 fresh off the boat...

Now I'm gonna go hide somewhere and hope it doesn't decide to make me look a fool over the next few days... LOL

seriously though i should probably start thinking about replacing the Pump and Thermostat soon as a preventative measure. Is there any reason to replace the expansion tank and all the hoses etc instead of just the Thermostat and pump themselves? I mean, has anyone ever actually have a hose fail, or do people do it because "i happen to be in there anyway"?

[Dackelone]

Originally Posted by D.I.P.

I am probably going to jinx myself with this but....

2009 135i 119,000 miles Water pump is still working fine, just as the day i picked her up at the Dealer back in 2009 fresh off the boat...

Now I'm gonna go hide somewhere and hope it doesn't decide to make me look a fool over the next few days... LOL

seriously though i should probably start thinking about replacing the Pump and Thermostat soon as a preventative measure. Is there any reason to replace the expansion tank and all the hoses etc instead of just the Thermostat and pump themselves? I mean, has anyone ever actually have a hose fail, or do people do it because "i happen to be in there anyway"?

There have been a few members who have had the expansion tank crack and leak. It might be a good idea to replace it too.

On past BMW's I always replaced the upper and lower radiator hoses. But I think on the N54/N55 that might be harder to do. Plus the hose prices might be $$$. I would see how much new hoses would cost and how hard they are to get too. IF they aren't that expensive... I would replace them.

[pmlzl]

2008 and the water pump failed with 40,000 miles

[Lmw160]

2009 135 50,000 kms. Still going strong.

[Orange fever]

Today
2011
N55
With 58k miles

[gyrfalcon]

2008 N54 failed at around 57k this weekend

[IEDEI]

alright so is Dackel's wise recommendation of 60-70k miles what we are using as a guideline for waterpump and thermostat replacement? I have NO issues with my car at all right now and it's my DD....but am trying to stay on top of stuff before it goes wrong!

I have 62k miles on my 1M and am thinking of doing this on my next service. How much have you guys paid for this service at the dealer, if you did it there?

thanks!

[gyrfalcon]

Originally Posted by IEDEI

alright so is Dackel's wise recommendation of 60-70k miles what we are using as a guideline for waterpump and thermostat replacement? I have NO issues with my car at all right now and it's my DD....but am trying to stay on top of stuff before it goes wrong!

I have 62k miles on my 1M and am thinking of doing this on my next service. How much have you guys paid for this service at the dealer, if you did it there?

thanks!

It was just over 1500 with tax at the dealer. Buy the parts do it yourself or have a trusted Indy do the install.

[Dackelone]

Originally Posted by IEDEI

alright so is Dackel's wise recommendation of 60-70k miles what we are using as a guideline for waterpump and thermostat replacement? I have NO issues with my car at all right now and it's my DD....but am trying to stay on top of stuff before it goes wrong!

I have 62k miles on my 1M and am thinking of doing this on my next service. How much have you guys paid for this service at the dealer, if you did it there?

thanks!

Yea... I think 60 to 70K is a good idea. Maybe sooner is you do a lot of short trips where the pump runs after you shut the engine off. Parts runs about ~$500. I've not seen anyone post how many labor hours a dealer(or indi) would bill... But I would think they would charge NOT more than five hours of labor). Probably takes an experience tech under an hour to do. First time hobby techs... probably are looking at a four hour(real time) job.

Dackel

[summer15]

Originally Posted by Dackelone

Yea... I think 60 to 70K is a good idea. Maybe sooner is you do a lot of short trips where the pump runs after you shut the engine off. Parts runs about ~$500. I've not seen anyone post how many labor hours a dealer(or indi) would bill... But I would think they would charge NOT more than five hours of labor). Probably takes an experience tech under an hour to do. First time hobby techs... probably are looking at a four hour(real time) job.

Dackel

Are waterpumps failing on 1s without warning? I have owned three BMWs with N52s, an E36, E46 and E90. I put over 400,000kms on the three of them and had only one waterpump failure. The E46 had a high temperature warning at the farthest point on a vacation some 1300kms out. I checked the coolant level and it was low so I topped it up and continued on. When I got home and took it in to be checked it was determined that the waterpump was leaking. My personal feeling is that a waterpump will give you ample warning, such as leaking or noisy bearings, if it is about to go and that there is no need to panic about a failure. Just don't ignore the warnings.

If you want a more representative poll, you might consider asking owners of BMW 3s the same question on their forum and combining the results. I believe the motors are the same and a lot more 3s were sold than 1s.

[ShocknAwe]

Just hit 62k, and summer is here! Time to see if it will beat the heat for me!

Originally Posted by summer15

Are waterpumps failing on 1s without warning?

That seems to be the consensus.

[summer15]

Originally Posted by ShocknAwe

Just hit 62k, and summer is here! Time to see if it will beat the heat for me!



That seems to be the consensus.

I do not see any indication that it is the consensus. I went through the posts looking for reports of people having to be towed because of a water pump failure and there were only a couple. Most simply reported the failure without expanding on what happened. I think maybe people are overly concerned about this particular failure mode. The proven reliability of the N52 is one of the reasons that I selected a 128i; perhaps the 135i is different.

[Dackelone]

Originally Posted by summer15

Are waterpumps failing on 1s without warning? I have owned three BMWs with N52s, an E36, E46 and E90. I put over 400,000kms on the three of them and had only one waterpump failure. The E46 had a high temperature warning at the farthest point on a vacation some 1300kms out. I checked the coolant level and it was low so I topped it up and continued on. When I got home and took it in to be checked it was determined that the waterpump was leaking. My personal feeling is that a waterpump will give you ample warning, such as leaking or noisy bearings, if it is about to go and that there is no need to panic about a failure. Just don't ignore the warnings.

If you want a more representative poll, you might consider asking owners of BMW 3s the same question on their forum and combining the results. I believe the motors are the same and a lot more 3s were sold than 1s.

Yes, the water pumps fail without warning. Sometimes you may hear the radiator fan on HIGH when starting a COLD motor... then a few minutes later limp mode and the engine shuts off.

Sometimes a code will get thrown before this all happens. But very few people read/check for codes before driving their car.

So... ya, the pumps fail with little warning.

[ShocknAwe]

Originally Posted by summer15

I do not see any indication that it is the consensus. I went through the posts looking for reports of people having to be towed because of a water pump failure and there were only a couple. Most simply reported the failure without expanding on what happened. I think maybe people are overly concerned about this particular failure mode. The proven reliability of the N52 is one of the reasons that I selected a 128i; perhaps the 135i is different.

No, they do fail without warning. At most you'll get a loud fan before it goes. It also has nothing to do with 128 vs 135, so please don't try to start that discussion here.

[summer15]

Originally Posted by ShocknAwe

No, they do fail without warning. At most you'll get a loud fan before it goes. It also has nothing to do with 128 vs 135, so please don't try to start that discussion here.

From Dackelone's explanation I can see that they do indeed fail without warning. Please excuse my ignorance, I am always interested in learning new things and it is never my intention to badmouth any BMW model or owner. From scrolling through the responses, the problem does appear to be specific to the N54 though; that is a fact that I did not notice at first, not a shot at anybody or his car.

[ShocknAwe]

Originally Posted by summer15

From Dackelone's explanation I can see that they do indeed fail without warning. Please excuse my ignorance, I am always interested in learning new things and it is never my intention to badmouth any BMW model or owner. From scrolling through the responses, the problem does appear to be specific to the N54 though; that is a fact that I did not notice at first, not a shot at anybody or his car.

True. The membership here is staggeringly disproportionate though, and evidence of 328i WPs failing in the same manner indicates the N52 suffers the same problem.

[Lucky1]

Originally Posted by ShocknAwe

True. The membership here is staggeringly disproportionate though, and evidence of 328i WPs failing in the same manner indicates the N52 suffers the same problem.

Don't tell me that