e8x electric waterpump failure poll...

[jlc45]

My water pump failed today, had been showing signs but I was in denial.
What a stupid design. I am really annoyed. My first and last BMW.
Car is basically mint, all maintenance done. I had to limp home but luckily did not need a tow.

[Dackelone]

Originally Posted by jlc45

My water pump failed today, had been showing signs but I was in denial.
What a stupid design. I am really annoyed. My first and last BMW.
Car is basically mint, all maintenance done. I had to limp home but luckily did not need a tow.

Every car has it's Achilles heel. This is why many of us have replaced the pump before it leaves us stranded somewhere. Live and Learn.

Dack

[kr3678]

I just purchased a 2010 135i convertible this weekend. The water pump failed on the drive home (72,400 miles). The selling dealer replaced the pump and all is well again.

According to Carfax, the thermostat was replaced in 2015 at 46,200 miles. There was no mention of any other cooling system failures in the car's history and it has been serviced religiously at an Atlanta area BMW dealership.

[magalhaes]

I have a 2011 128i and replaced the thermostat and water pump last month preventively at aprox 78k miles.

[dsocold]

waterpump from an 09 n54 failed again within just shy of a year replaced and all is good. ( Thanks FCP EURO lifetime replacement helped alot) and incase anyone is wondering i had no codes watsoever and it was a bad pump

[________]

2011 and I'm scheduled for a replacement on the 17th. Threw error twice, I won't wait until the red warning.

[jcoop269]

I'm not sure this will ever be considered a recall situation. I'd like it to be with my miles continuing on up but with 163,000 miles and one coolant change under my belt in that time, my water pump and thermostat are both still originals. I'm impressed and hope I haven't jinxed myself but so far, so good.

[________]

Originally Posted by jcoop269

I'm not sure this will ever be considered a recall situation. I'd like it to be with my miles continuing on up but with 163,000 miles and one coolant change under my belt in that time, my water pump and thermostat are both still originals. I'm impressed and hope I haven't jinxed myself but so far, so good.

Did you buy the car new?

[jcoop269]

Originally Posted by Venom

I am only counting 4. But I think this is because these are all low mileage results. From what I remember reading around here is that after 60k miles your waterpump/thermostat is on borrowed time.

I guess I'm proof this isn't really accurate. I drive a 2010 128i with 163,000 miles (bought with 63,000 miles), and I've owned it for 6 years now with no issues whatsoever. I read way back that the biggest issue and likely a point of failure is the OFHG failing and causing black rubber chunks to get stuck in the pump and burn it up. As long as you change that gasket and your coolant beforehand and don't let it get to that point moving forward, you're probably going to be ok.

[jcoop269]

Originally Posted by OnerDriver

Did you buy the car new?

I bought the car at 63,000 miles 6 years ago and nothing on the Carfax indicates anything but routine maintenance and state inspections. I'm quite confident it's the original.

[________]

Originally Posted by jcoop269

I bought the car at 63,000 miles 6 years ago and nothing on the Carfax indicates anything but routine maintenance and state inspections. I'm quite confident it's the original.

I would bet money it isn't.

[jcoop269]

Originally Posted by OnerDriver

I would bet money it isn't.

One owner previous to me and the car was under warranty the entire time he leased it. If it had been done, I really feel I'd be seeing it on the maintenance history. Not to mention, the pump has never been re-designed so this puts me at 100,000+ with the same pump everyone else is complaining about if it is a replacement so I guess I really don't see the issue being as widespread as people think.

[________]

Originally Posted by jcoop269

One owner previous to me and the car was under warranty the entire time he leased it. If it had been done, I really feel I'd be seeing it on the maintenance history. Not to mention, the pump has never been re-designed so this puts me at 100,000+ with the same pump everyone else is complaining about if it is a replacement so I guess I really don't see the issue being as widespread as people think.

340 people in this forum have reported failing pumps... this indicates a high number of people in a small world of people indicating this part is a bad design for long term reliability.

BMW has stopped doing electric pumps and gone back to mechanical pumps... this indicates BMW sees that as a problem and it wasn't able to come up with a solution with its vendors.

It's a bad design. A good idea, poorly executed.

Now BMW has gone to mechanical and increased the complexity of the system. It's more reliable on the long run (or should be), but more complex than with our bad pumps.

[jcoop269]

Originally Posted by OnerDriver

340 people in this forum have reported failing pumps... this indicates a high number of people in a small world of people indicating this part is a bad design for long term reliability.

BMW has stopped doing electric pumps and gone back to mechanical pumps... this indicates BMW sees that as a problem and it wasn't able to come up with a solution with its vendors.

It's a bad design. A good idea, poorly executed.

Now BMW has gone to mechanical and increased the complexity of the system. It's more reliable on the long run (or should be), but more complex than with our bad pumps.

While I agree that mechanical is clearly the best new option for BMW, I can't say I consider 9.7% of people on this forum having issues as a "high" number. Idk, I would say that it's likely that AT LEAST 9.7% of people with any vehicle brand/model out there have experienced water pump failure at some point early, since I know it's a common point of routine maintenance on any car.

[________]

Originally Posted by jcoop269

While I agree that mechanical is clearly the best new option for BMW, I can't say I consider 9.7% of people on this forum having issues as a "high" number. Idk, I would say that it's likely that AT LEAST 9.7% of people with any vehicle brand/model out there have experienced water pump failure at some point early, since I know it's a common point of routine maintenance on any car.

9.7% of people? How did you get the amount of people in 1addicts? Is it posted anywhere?

[zx10guy]

Originally Posted by OnerDriver

340 people in this forum have reported failing pumps... this indicates a high number of people in a small world of people indicating this part is a bad design for long term reliability.

BMW has stopped doing electric pumps and gone back to mechanical pumps... this indicates BMW sees that as a problem and it wasn't able to come up with a solution with its vendors.

It's a bad design. A good idea, poorly executed.

Now BMW has gone to mechanical and increased the complexity of the system. It's more reliable on the long run (or should be), but more complex than with our bad pumps.

Originally Posted by jcoop269

While I agree that mechanical is clearly the best new option for BMW, I can't say I consider 9.7% of people on this forum having issues as a "high" number. Idk, I would say that it's likely that AT LEAST 9.7% of people with any vehicle brand/model out there have experienced water pump failure at some point early, since I know it's a common point of routine maintenance on any car.

A friend of mine is a long time BMW dealer tech. He even says these pumps are suspect. If you don't want to believe the feedback from a limited sampling of owners here on this forum, then I would say you should believe the experience of a BMW tech that has seen a wide variety of cars across different models both first hand and by his peers.

[Dackelone]

Originally Posted by jcoop269

I guess I'm proof this isn't really accurate. I drive a 2010 128i with 163,000 miles (bought with 63,000 miles), and I've owned it for 6 years now with no issues whatsoever. I read way back that the biggest issue and likely a point of failure is the OFHG failing and causing black rubber chunks to get stuck in the pump and burn it up. As long as you change that gasket and your coolant beforehand and don't let it get to that point moving forward, you're probably going to be ok.

Key word is that you have a 128i not a 135i. The 128i e-pumps seem to last much longer than the pump on a 135i. I think the main reason is that there is MUCH less heat under the hood on a 128i NA engine.

Still... IF you venture far away from home(base) with your 128i... I think I would replace your e-pump - IF I were you. I mean with 163K miles on your car... How long do you realistically expect your water pump to last ?

Dack

[________]

Originally Posted by Dackelone

Key word is that you have a 128i not a 135i. The 128i e-pumps seem to last much longer than the pump on a 135i. I think the main reason is that there is MUCH less heat under the hood on a 128i NA engine.

Still... IF you venture far away from home(base) with your 128i... I think I would replace your e-pump - IF I were you. I mean with 163K miles on your car... How long do you realistically expect your water pump to last ?

Dack

My N52 had a water pump replaced in under 50k miles.

[kr3678]

Originally Posted by OnerDriver

My N52 had a water pump replaced in under 50k miles.

My previous 2006 325i (also an N52) had a water pump failure at 3 years/39,000 miles.

[Blu3RSX]

Originally Posted by jlc45

My water pump failed today, had been showing signs but I was in denial.
What a stupid design. I am really annoyed. My first and last BMW.
Car is basically mint, all maintenance done. I had to limp home but luckily did not need a tow.

What signs, exactly?

We're going to the BMW dealer on Friday to look at some 2 series (planning ahead for when our boys get bigger ^_^ ) and will ask if they've done any previous maintenance on my 135i to address the water pump/thermostat.

The 1st owner bought the car there so hopefully they'll have this information.

[delta-9-ginseng]

Finally got stranded on the freeway today in between SF and LA. Had to get it towed 150 miles back home. Long day😭. But things could have been worse. I'll get it fixed 😄

[Esteban]

Originally Posted by delta-9-ginseng

Finally got stranded on the freeway today in between SF and LA. Had to get it towed 150 miles back home. Long day��. But things could have been worse. I'll get it fixed ��

How many miles on your 1er?