Water pump failure (story time!)

[Matticus91]

All I want for Christmas is for my car to fucking work...

...my car to fucking work

...my car to fucking work

*OOOOHHHHHHHH...**

...all I want for Christmas is for my car to fucking work!

If you've read the title you know the deal. Was up at our parent's place for the Holidays. Started on our way home and get about 20 miles from the family when I get a light on my dashboard in the shape of a, Christmas tree??? Nope. A candy cane??? Nope... A thermometer?? Why, yes, of course that's what I want to see when embarking on a 200mile trip with my fiance, dog, and a car full of toys for the good girls and boys.

So, naturally my BMW enthusiast (nutjob) brain kicks in and goes: "FUCKING WATER PUMP." Immediately I pull over, turn off the car and begin messing with the JB4 and doing some googling. I set up my fuel gauge as a water temp gauge and put her in low boost mode. Then I (apologize profusely to my fiance) open the windows, turn the heat to 84, and set it to full effing blast.

Let the journey commence! Roughly 15 miles at a time we drove the 200 miles home, stopping every time the heat started to turn cold. That was an even earlier indication the water had stopped flowing than the temp gauge, which seemed a tad delayed. So what is usually a 3.5hr drive took about 6 hours and a freight ship's worth of patience. My fiance was awesome and kept updating me on temp fluctuations and looking out for road sections without shoulders, while my dog cried and made the most of the open windows. Using this method we were able to make the drive without overheating again as the pump coughed and burbled what fluid it could manage to get through the engine.

As of this moment, I'm typing from my office which is fortunately across the street from my BMW dealership. I have a brand new X5 as a loaner while my car is diagnosed and I wait for approval from my lifesaving warranty (which btw has now paid out nearly double what I paid for it in one year of ownership). Also having them do the brake fluid, fix my washer fluid reservoir, and clean up the car and do some paint correction!

Soooo fingers crossed the warranty comes through and hopefully I'll be back in the 1er within a couple days. Enjoying the X5 in the meantime. Comfy but handles like a damn boat

20161227_160605 by Matt Steele, on Flickr
20161227_160534 by Matt Steele, on Flickr
20161227_143333 by Matt Steele, on Flickr

[ianc]

Bad news, but glad you made it home. Sounds like you've got a rare gem of a fiancee!

How many miles on the car?

ianc

[Matticus91]

Originally Posted by ianc

Bad news, but glad you made it home. Sounds like you've got a rare gem of a fiancee!

How many miles on the car?

ianc

Haha that's for sure! 66k now, right on time for the water pump to fail from what I've seen.

[ianc]

Hmm... Mine's got ~62.5 on it, but I've bought the pump and stat already. Sounds like I need to get off my dead ass and get it done...

ianc

[Mineral///M4]

Just had mine replaced last week w/ 138k on it. Man I experienced something similar to what you described. My mechanic got the water pump from BMW and they said that they have already sold over 100
Of them for the month.

[Dackelone]

Originally Posted by ianc

Hmm... Mine's got ~62.5 on it, but I've bought the pump and stat already. Sounds like I need to get off my dead ass and get it done...

ianc

ianc - be sure to buy new alloy bolts(for the water pump) and also that U-shaped coolant hose that connects the pump and t-stat.

OP sorry to hear about your woes. I would have just called for a tow truck. Driving a car while its over heating is not a good idea.

We all know that the HPFP, water pump and injectors are our car's achilles heal.

Good Luck with the repair.
Dackel

[Esteban]

Sorry to hear about your car troubles. Glad you made it home (with fiancé and dog) safely. Hope your warranty treats you well.

[HyeWarrior]

Originally Posted by Alpine1

Just had mine replaced last week w/ 138k on it. Man I experienced something similar to what you described. My mechanic got the water pump from BMW and they said that they have already sold over 100
Of them for the month.

That's just ridiculous.

[Dackelone]

Originally Posted by HyeWarrior

That's just ridiculous.

Not really. Think about every modern BMW made since 2008... all N54, N55, N52 and N51 engine use electric water pumps. Between designed abolselence and corrosion from old coolant... these pumps WILL fail.

BMW's have always had a marginal cooling system when it comes to the life of the pump. Its just that the water pump replacement job has gone from a $400 repair to a $1,400 repair. Welcome to the world of modern designed cars.

We all want the added "free" HP and better fuel economy(not to mention better lower emissions) from an electric water pump... but there IS a price to pay in the long run.

Dack

[Yeineken]

Have an X5. Can confirm; It's a boat.

Neat little trick. I'll have to remember that one if mine ever fails when I'm on a trip. Really glad I made myself replace mine preventively.

[chadillac2000]

Another water pump thread from a 1er with similar mileage as mine. About to hit 70,000 miles sometime this week and know it's coming, but not crazy about spending the $500 for preventative parts. I purchased mine at 55,000 miles and know that the HPFP and some other things had been replaced prior, one of which could have been the water pump. Would hate to replace a part that was recently replaced. I really need to stop by the dealer and have a full service history pulled.

[syd53]

I have a 2011 128i. Is its non-turbo engine equally susceptible to the water pump problem?

[HyeWarrior]

Originally Posted by syd53

I have a 2011 128i. Is its non-turbo engine equally susceptible to the water pump problem?

Yes

[yakuza70]

My water pump failed on my 2011 135i at about 63,000 miles. Stranded me on my way home from work but I was fortunate to be less than a mile away from my local independent BMW shop. I let the engine cool for about an hour then limped to the shop.

Although I love my 135, the maintenance and repairs sometimes makes me want a new car so I don't have to worry about what will fail next.

[kprocivic]

Originally Posted by yakuza70

My water pump failed on my 2011 135i at about 63,000 miles. Stranded me on my way home from work but I was fortunate to be less than a mile away from my local independent BMW shop. I let the engine cool for about an hour then limped to the shop.

Although I love my 135, the maintenance and repairs sometimes makes me want a new car so I don't have to worry about what will fail next.

That is why I said bye bye to mine once the warranty expired.

[Matticus91]

Originally Posted by Esteban

Sorry to hear about your car troubles. Glad you made it home (with fiancé and dog) safely. Hope your warranty treats you well.

So far so good, also getting the t-stat, OFHG, and washer fluid done under warranty. And the brake fluid and some other little stuff done on my own dime. Waiting for final quote as I type this.

Originally Posted by Yeineken

Have an X5. Can confirm; It's a boat.

Neat little trick. I'll have to remember that one if mine ever fails when I'm on a trip. Really glad I made myself replace mine preventively.

It's a great truck but omg the turning is badddd compared to smaller SUV's haha. Would like to try and X3 next.

Originally Posted by kprocivic

That is why I said bye bye to mine once the warranty expired.

Yeah I am so glad I got the warranty.