Car acted like bad fuel was put in

markbridge · 08-30-2016, 12:23 PM

I filled up the tank yesterday with premium from the same place I've used for years. On the way home today from the grocery store, while pulling away from a stop, the car sputtered and shut down. The only message was "Transmission not in Park". I was able to eventually push the car off to the side of the road. Every time I started the car it would shut down after two or three seconds. It really acted like the gas was bad. I'm having it towed to my BMW dealer (100 miles from me). I don't know which will make to madder, something wrong with the car (it has less than 7,000 miles on it) or bad gas. Funny as it might seem, I'm hoping it's the car. Otherwise, I'll have to pay up front for the service and then fight with the gas station for reimbursement.

Anyone else ever had a similar problem?

Billfitz · 08-30-2016, 12:44 PM

If the fuel is contaminated the car probably wouldn't start at all.
Don't have it towed, it has to go on a flat bed.

sushkr · 08-30-2016, 01:27 PM

In all likelihood it is the car. I cannot think of how gas might be the culprit. In any case, this is real bad. My guess would be some sort of a 'sensor' problem and not a major mechanical problem. But that also is real bad. I am sure you tried all those things but if you did not, fiddle around with toggling auto start/stop, and try to drive in manual transmission mode. Check your fuel tank cap. Check engine oil level. Make sure trunk is squarely closed...

IndotagSwizz · 08-30-2016, 01:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sushkr

In all likelihood it is the car. I cannot think of how gas might be the culprit. In any case, this is real bad. My guess would be some sort of a 'sensor' problem and not a major mechanical problem. But that also is real bad. I am sure you tried all those things but if you did not, fiddle around with toggling auto start/stop, and try to drive in manual transmission mode. Check your fuel tank cap. Check engine oil level. Make sure trunk is squarely closed...

+1 the whole "bad gas" is almost a myth lol, I have read plenty of threads and I still haven't seen one where the problem was indeed the bad gas

markbridge · 08-30-2016, 03:21 PM

The car was flat bedded (I think most cars are now flat bedded, I used "tow" out of habit) to the dealership this afternoon. I, too, think it wasn't the gas but rather a sensor, but we'll see. I'll let everyone know the outcome.

donkey · 08-30-2016, 05:55 PM

Sounds like a fuel pump issue, my fuel pump failed and left me on the side of the road with 3,000 miles on the odometer and symptoms similar to what you describe.

markbridge · 08-31-2016, 11:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by drive335

Sounds like a fuel pump issue, my fuel pump failed and left me on the side of the road with 3,000 miles on the odometer and symptoms similar to what you describe.

Bingo! I just heard from the dealer and it was indeed the fuel pump. The car is just over two years old, but has only 6300 miles on it!

Now we're trying to figure out how to get the car back to me. The dealer is just over a 100 miles from where I live, and I don't have a way to pick it up. Since the car had to be tow....er, flat bedded to the dealer, I'm hoping BMW will pay to have it delivered back to me.

Jaghave · 08-31-2016, 12:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by markbridge

Bingo! I just heard from the dealer and it was indeed the fuel pump. The car is just over two years old, but has only 6300 miles on it!

Now we're trying to figure out how to get the car back to me. The dealer is just over a 100 miles from where I live, and I don't have a way to pick it up. Since the car had to be tow....er, flat bedded to the dealer, I'm hoping BMW will pay to have it delivered back to me.

Maybe one of the guys on the forum can help you out. Or see if you have a bus, train, or cab service available

markbridge · 08-31-2016, 01:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jaghave

Maybe one of the guys on the forum can help you out. Or see if you have a bus, train, or cab service available

I have a better idea, let BMW worry about getting the car back to me.

Billfitz · 08-31-2016, 01:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by markbridge

I have a better idea, let BMW worry about getting the car back to me.

I'm an hour and a half from my dealer, he sent someone to pick up my car and then return it when my door lock wasn't working right.

sushkr · 08-31-2016, 01:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by markbridge

Bingo! I just heard from the dealer and it was indeed the fuel pump. The car is just over two years old, but has only 6300 miles on it!

Did they explain you what went wrong with the fuel pump and why? This is quite strange and serious. What if this happened suddenly on freeway!

donkey · 08-31-2016, 08:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sushkr

Did they explain you what went wrong with the fuel pump and why? This is quite strange and serious. What if this happened suddenly on freeway!

It's a common (and definitely dangerous) issue with these cars - search "BMW fuel pump failure" to see what I mean.

There was a recall but my VIN wasn't included

sushkr · 09-01-2016, 09:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by drive335

It's a common (and definitely dangerous) issue with these cars - search "BMW fuel pump failure" to see what I mean.

There was a recall but my VIN wasn't included

Thank you. I was able to find some information about the recall at:
http://www.autoblog.com/2015/04/10/1...-pump-failure/

The website lists several 2014 year models and some 2015 year models that were affected (2, 3, 4 series). It is due to bad "nickel plating" on the fuel pump, whatever that means.

markbridge · 09-01-2016, 10:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by drive335

It's a common (and definitely dangerous) issue with these cars - search "BMW fuel pump failure" to see what I mean.

There was a recall but my VIN wasn't included

Evidently my VIN wasn't included as well. It sure would have been nice to have been notified of the problem rather than finding out the hard way. Makes one wonder why our vehicles weren't included.

lmcq784 · 09-04-2016, 12:50 AM

Mine died this summer when we were driving across the country, and we were 1900 miles away from home. Died on the highway, while on cruise control, and had to cross two lanes to get to the shoulder (while plummeting from 80mph straight to 0mph).

Dash said "Drivetrain malfunction"... Culprit was the fuel pump.

pablobaq · 09-07-2016, 10:19 AM

dead fuel pump happened to me too! the car had 1200 miles fortunately I was 3 blocks away from home.

08-30-2016, 12:23 PM	#1
markbridge Private First Class 26 Rep 181 Posts Drives: 2014 BMW; 2017 M-B SL450 Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: SE Ohio iTrader: (0)	Car acted like bad fuel was put in I filled up the tank yesterday with premium from the same place I've used for years. On the way home today from the grocery store, while pulling away from a stop, the car sputtered and shut down. The only message was "Transmission not in Park". I was able to eventually push the car off to the side of the road. Every time I started the car it would shut down after two or three seconds. It really acted like the gas was bad. I'm having it towed to my BMW dealer (100 miles from me). I don't know which will make to madder, something wrong with the car (it has less than 7,000 miles on it) or bad gas. Funny as it might seem, I'm hoping it's the car. Otherwise, I'll have to pay up front for the service and then fight with the gas station for reimbursement. Anyone else ever had a similar problem?
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08-30-2016, 12:44 PM	#2
Billfitz Lieutenant General 8218 Rep 16,054 Posts Drives: '15 328iX GT Join Date: Jan 2015 Location: New Hampshire iTrader: (0)	If the fuel is contaminated the car probably wouldn't start at all. Don't have it towed, it has to go on a flat bed.
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08-30-2016, 01:27 PM	#3
sushkr Private First Class 29 Rep 104 Posts Drives: 2015 335i xDrive GT Join Date: Apr 2015 Location: Pennsylvania, USA iTrader: (0)	In all likelihood it is the car. I cannot think of how gas might be the culprit. In any case, this is real bad. My guess would be some sort of a 'sensor' problem and not a major mechanical problem. But that also is real bad. I am sure you tried all those things but if you did not, fiddle around with toggling auto start/stop, and try to drive in manual transmission mode. Check your fuel tank cap. Check engine oil level. Make sure trunk is squarely closed...
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08-30-2016, 03:21 PM	#5
markbridge Private First Class 26 Rep 181 Posts Drives: 2014 BMW; 2017 M-B SL450 Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: SE Ohio iTrader: (0)	The car was flat bedded (I think most cars are now flat bedded, I used "tow" out of habit) to the dealership this afternoon. I, too, think it wasn't the gas but rather a sensor, but we'll see. I'll let everyone know the outcome.
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08-30-2016, 05:55 PM	#6
donkey Captain 464 Rep 715 Posts Drives: 6MT M2 Join Date: Mar 2016 Location: Flavortown iTrader: (0)	Sounds like a fuel pump issue, my fuel pump failed and left me on the side of the road with 3,000 miles on the odometer and symptoms similar to what you describe.
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09-04-2016, 12:50 AM	#15
lmcq784 Excited F34 owner 15 Rep 148 Posts Drives: '14 F34 (328iX GT M-Sport) Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: Pittsburgh, PA iTrader: (0)	Mine died this summer when we were driving across the country, and we were 1900 miles away from home. Died on the highway, while on cruise control, and had to cross two lanes to get to the shoulder (while plummeting from 80mph straight to 0mph). Dash said "Drivetrain malfunction"... Culprit was the fuel pump.
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09-07-2016, 10:19 AM	#16
pablobaq Private First Class 23 Rep 103 Posts Drives: F34 Join Date: Dec 2013 Location: USA FL iTrader: (0)	dead fuel pump happened to me too! the car had 1200 miles fortunately I was 3 blocks away from home.
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