My 135i started crapping out on me while driving today

[RPM90]

Originally Posted by BahamaBart

So driving to work I get the engine light, vibration and a decrease in pose. I take to the dealer and thus advise that it's mis-firing in one cylinder. BMW asks the deLer to move the plugs and injectors around and to recreate the problem. Nothing, so I get the car back. I drive 100 miles a day and at 50 miles I get a maintence light. Took right back to dealer. BMW approved new plugs ! Dealer says this is all we can do. Just keep bringing it back and it will get fixed eventually.

That sucks. I hate when they do that.
I mean, you got an engine light, which means there IS a code that if it doesn't tell you exactly the problem, it at least guides you to where to look.
I can't believe they had to actually call BMW on how to diagnose a mis-fire.

What was your "maintenance" light about? Did they tell you what needed to be "maintainenced"?

Sounds like you've got an incompetent dealer tech department.

[marvinp]

So driving to work I get the engine light, vibration and a decrease in pose. I take to the dealer and thus advise that it's mis-firing in one cylinder. BMW asks the deLer to move the plugs and injectors around and to recreate the problem. Nothing, so I get the car back. I drive 100 miles a day and at 50 miles I get a maintence light. Took right back to dealer. BMW approved new plugs ! Dealer says this is all we can do. Just keep bringing it back and it will get fixed eventually.

Do you know which code it threw?

I got my car back this afternoon. Here is what the invoice said:

DME SOFTWARE ERROR.
INTERROGATED DME FAULT MEMORY. FAULT #29CD STORED.
REFERENCED N54 FLOW CHART. PER FLOW CHART. REPROGRAMMED COMPLETE VEHICLE INCLUDING CAS. AFTER REPROGRAMMING PERFORMED 3 TEST RUNS AND RECHECKED AFTER EACH TEST RUN. NO FAULTS STORED IN DME.

That's all. I searched only and 29DC is "Cylinder injection cut-out, pressure too low in high-pressure system." What does that mean? Whenever I asked what the problem was they never gave me a concrete answer. Should I be concerned? Are they hiding something?

They told me they loaded the 36.1 version of the software.

[marvinp]

I found SI B 12 55 06 Engine Electrical Systems February 2010: N54 - Diagnosis for DME FC 29DC/2FBF

Seems like that was my problem and they followed the instructions in that bulletin.

Possible causes may include:

• Sensitivity of injection pump (HDP) diagnostic software
• Internal failure of a High-pressure Injection Pump (HDP)
• Failure of an electric fuel pump or a clogged fuel filter
• Failure of the low or high-pressure sensors
• Defective fuel pressure check - valve/fuel pressure regulator
• Failure of a volume control valve
• Defective fuel injector
• Intermittent electrical connection problem (wire and/or connector) in the fuel delivery system.

[Berduderunner]

I'm having similar issues w/ my 1.

Brought the car in 3 days ago and was assured (I already knew) that the issues I was having (Long crank, Limp, SES) were due to a faulty HPFP... and I should have the car back within 24 hours.

Got off the phone with my service rep. a few hours ago and was informed that since my car looks "modified" BMW instructed them to keep the car for extra diagnostics to see if I caused the problem (aka search for a tune). We ALL know of this widespread problem w/ the N54 yet it still seems that BMW will look for any excuse to not fix our cars. I'm praying to god they don't void my warranty on account of an unrelated issue.

[Berduderunner]

^^^update^^^

My rep. says it will take another 1-2 WEEKS for some "bigshot" service manager to come back down to my local dealer (Bert Smith BMW in St. Pete, FL) and personally review my car to determine the correct course of action. I am BEYOND furious right now.

[jeremydgreat]

Originally Posted by Berduderunner

BMW instructed them to keep the car for extra diagnostics to see if I caused the problem (aka search for a tune).

Did you take your JB3 out before bring it in?

[BahamaBart]

Don't know the codes it threw. My point is that in round one they did not even change 1 spark plug! It took a second time to get the plugs changed. I will do 25,000 per year on the car! Have 18,000 at present.

I figure it's electronic which means at least one more appointment perhaps two before it gets resolved.

[marvinp]

Originally Posted by BahamaBart

Don't know the codes it threw. My point is that in round one they did not even change 1 spark plug! It took a second time to get the plugs changed. I will do 25,000 per year on the car! Have 18,000 at present.

I figure it's electronic which means at least one more appointment perhaps two before it gets resolved.

Yeah, it's quite annoying. I guess that they don't want to spend money on parts until the problem reoccurs. But doesn't think end up making people more eligible for lemon laws? For example, in FL, if think that if I go to the dealer 3 times for the same issue, my car is considered a lemon. You'd think they would want to fix such a problem once and for all.

[plasar]

For the next iteration of iDrive, BMW is considering adding 3 more buttons - <Ctrl>, <Alt>, and <Del>.

[Berduderunner]

Originally Posted by jeremydgreat

Did you take your JB3 out before bring it in?

nope.

[jeremydgreat]

Originally Posted by Berduderunner

nope.

Ah crap man. That really sucks.

What can you really say after they find it?

[Berduderunner]

Originally Posted by jeremydgreat

Ah crap man. That really sucks.

What can you really say after they find it?

I'm gonna call BMWNA and say the next 3 BMWs my family would be buying in the next 2 years wont be happening... and how can they prove that's what caused it? We all know it's unrelated

[larryn]

Berduderunner, that truly stinks. When I read your first post to this thread, I wondered what your demographic is... (i.e. how many BMWs have you owned, your age, etc.).

The only reason I ask is because I'm on my 9th BMW and 4th from this dealer, and wonder if something similar ever happened to me, if they would be willing to lose a guaranteed sale every two years.

I think you are taking the right angle with the potential lost sales. I just wonder if it is not too late, since BMWNA is now involved. Had the dealer called you before they called in the big dogs, things may be very different.

I'd simply ask, "How many HPFPs have been warrantied without mods? You know you have issues here, and there's no way you could prove otherwise in a court of law."

[Berduderunner]

Originally Posted by larryn

Berduderunner, that truly stinks. When I read your first post to this thread, I wondered what your demographic is... (i.e. how many BMWs have you owned, your age, etc.).

The only reason I ask is because I'm on my 9th BMW and 4th from this dealer, and wonder if something similar ever happened to me, if they would be willing to lose a guaranteed sale every two years.

I think you are taking the right angle with the potential lost sales. I just wonder if it is not too late, since BMWNA is now involved. Had the dealer called you before they called in the big dogs, things may be very different.

I'd simply ask, "How many HPFPs have been warrantied without mods? You know you have issues here, and there's no way you could prove otherwise in a court of law."

Well put Larry. I'm 21 and the family (I basically choose cars for all 4 drivers) is on their 3 BMW... quite a coincidence my dad's bone stock e90 335i crapped out in the driveway earlier today (long crank, SES) so hopefully that will help the cause. Quite dumb of me not to take out my JB3 (its a Pin-Out so I got lazy). Thanks for the input and keep your fingers crossed for me tomorrow.

[BlackFlash]

Why are you sweating it so much? A hpfp is what, a thousand bucks?

[turner23]

1st of all, a HPFP may only be $1,000, but if the JB3 voids the warranties, the repair/maintenance costs down the road will be many times that.

2nd of all, please forgive my ignorance...I did NOT search, but does anyone have numbers of HPFP that have failed on perfectly stock cars? I guess what I'm prying at is, is adding the JB3, or other performance mod, simply too much for the stock fuel pump BMW spec'ed out for their stock 135i? As I understand it, my 128i has a different pump, and knock on wood I have had absolutely nothing but driving pleasure in the last 2 years. But by modding the car, are you asking for more than the stock fuel pump can deliver causing it to fail prematurely?

[jeremydgreat]

Originally Posted by turner23

does anyone have numbers of HPFP that have failed on perfectly stock cars?

My 135 is at the dealer, right this very moment, getting its third HPFP. And it's completely stock.

[jeremyc74]

Originally Posted by turner23

1st of all, a HPFP may only be $1,000, but if the JB3 voids the warranties, the repair/maintenance costs down the road will be many times that.

2nd of all, please forgive my ignorance...I did NOT search, but does anyone have numbers of HPFP that have failed on perfectly stock cars? I guess what I'm prying at is, is adding the JB3, or other performance mod, simply too much for the stock fuel pump BMW spec'ed out for their stock 135i? As I understand it, my 128i has a different pump, and knock on wood I have had absolutely nothing but driving pleasure in the last 2 years. But by modding the car, are you asking for more than the stock fuel pump can deliver causing it to fail prematurely?

There have been several polls, and the incident rate on modded cars doesn't seem to be any higher than on unmodded cars. There are lots of failures on completely stock, dealership maintained vehicles.

[Berduderunner]

Originally Posted by BlackFlash

Why are you sweating it so much? A hpfp is what, a thousand bucks?

It's something around a grand yea... by itself not that big of a deal. Unfortunately if one HPFP is replaced it tends to become a repeat offense (aka 3 or 4 replacements are needed over time).

and sorry i kinda thread-jacked the original post

[jeremydgreat]

Originally Posted by Berduderunner

It's something around a grand yea... by itself not that big of a deal.

Dang baller. If you'd like to mail me a grand I'd very much appreciate it. PM me for my mailing address. Check or money order is fine.

[mechy]

I've been having this issue with the motor stuttering intermittently. Once it gave me the SES light. Took it to the dealer, said it was a misfire, reset it, claimed it was due to low fuel at the time, sent me off my way. Stuttering happened again, but no light. Brought it into dealer, they diagnosed as misfire again (different cylinder) and contacted BMW for next course. They ended up replacing spark plugs and updated software (feels great now, by the way), but no replacement of injectors or HPFP. Picked it up after 2 days of diagnostics, next day it happened again! SA said they need the SES on for further action. Very frustrating. By the way, stuttering happens when the gas is pressed, so the power is low and causes the car to vibrate like an unbalanced tire.

[marvinp]

Originally Posted by mechy

I've been having this issue with the motor stuttering intermittently. Once it gave me the SES light. Took it to the dealer, said it was a misfire, reset it, claimed it was due to low fuel at the time, sent me off my way. Stuttering happened again, but no light. Brought it into dealer, they diagnosed as misfire again (different cylinder) and contacted BMW for next course. They ended up replacing spark plugs and updated software (feels great now, by the way), but no replacement of injectors or HPFP. Picked it up after 2 days of diagnostics, next day it happened again! SA said they need the SES on for further action. Very frustrating. By the way, stuttering happens when the gas is pressed, so the power is low and causes the car to vibrate like an unbalanced tire.

Yeah, that's the exact problem I was having. The stuttering is when you press the gas.

I think it's crazy that they refuse to do anything until you get another SES. The car is clearly not working properly and it should be fixed. I would complain until they decide to fix it. This is unacceptable.

Can you keep us updated as to how BMW resolves it in the end?