[Nickhub]

Originally Posted by CoupeNut

Having come to the end of the road with BMW (they simply will not admit there is an issue with my car) I noticed this forum under Honest John website.
I first purchased my BMW 320 E92 Msport back in July 2007, after 2 weeks it went back having failed to start one day for no reason. Fixed and returned only to breakdown on the M42 in the fast lane. Car was replaced in October 2007. I have always had an issue with the current car, it will judder for a split second and rev counter will do weird things for no reason. Once it has its little fit its then fine again. I have also lost all power on two occassions. The problem I have is that the engine warning lights never come on and therefor no fault is ever stored. In total car has been in and out of BMW 13 times and now they are saying they can not do any more, the car is running as it should!! They are saying the blip that I experience is when the car transfers from one programme to another to run leaner. I cant beleive this is correct as it throws the car out of cruise if it happens on the Mway. It can also be severe enough to jolt any passengers which then all look at you as if you caused it! Has anyone gone down the legal route?
Cheers

Hi , I am currently in negotiations with BMW finance / local dealership to replace my car as the dealer is unable to fix it.This only happened after I contacted the financial ombudsman who agreed to take my case and are currently dealing with it.
My cars problems are exactly the same as with yours

BMW still deny any problems with mine also.

Have you rejected the car to BMW ?

PM me for more details if you need any

Cheers

[COLSEN]

I've just noticed that the 4 door now comes with the 170BHP engine, does this mean that the same engine is now being fitted into the E90 range?

Mine is drives horrible at the min but it has got Tesco fuel in it! I have no doubt that when I fill it up with Shell VPower it will be better

[xenon]

I didn't know they had different engines. My e92 is the 170bhp and, touch wood, it's still OK.

[PeKKeR]

same here , e92 , 170bhp , but im only using 98 octane fuel .

i think most failures relate to the bad quality of fuel.

[xenon]

Originally Posted by PeKKeR

same here , e92 , 170bhp , but im only using 98 octane fuel .

i think most failures relate to the bad quality of fuel.

Perhaps, but I only ever use supermarket fuel.

[Nickhub]

I have only ever used 98 octane fuel in mine and it has all the faults. Also the dealers tell me that when independent tests are made on the filling station forecourts a lot of the high octane pumps only have 95 octane in them !!

They should run on either with no problem end of .

[COLSEN]

Originally Posted by Nickhub

I have only ever used 98 octane fuel in mine and it has all the faults

Bugg£r

[r0w3r]

Hello,

I was about to purchase a '58 plate 318i SE when I saw these posts and backed off pretty quickly!

However, the dealer looked into it before I purchased the car and came up with something from BMW's Puma system, dated 29th May 2009, measure number 24078802-01, subject N43B20UL, affects N43 engine in E81, E87, E88, E90 and E91:

"When the vehicle is driven / accelerated above 1,500 rpm, the engine starts to judder and has no power. The customer experiences a lack of acceleration, inturruption of torque or juddering. In general, no fault code memory entry is generated in the DME.

Cause
Unfavourable DME application."

It rambles a bit about using Shell V-Power and then if the fault no longer occurs:

"If the fault no longer occurs, it was due to the aforementioned behaviour of the DME software. In this case, the vehicle must be programmed with integration level E89 09-09-515, available with ISTA/P P2.35.0."

It also says: "A parts replacement does not provide a remedy."

I hope this is of use!

[PeKKeR]

this is actually good news. if this can be sorted with a software upgrade then theres a cure to this thread..

[PeKKeR]

well i just had it today for the first time at 27000 km. after a long drive at the mountains, loads of acceleration and corners, i drove back home. at the last 3km it started breaking up at 1500-3000 rpm. 200m before my house, i got total loss of power and the car was shaking like a tractor. check engine light went on. i managed to park it with extra efford. that was definately HPFP wasnt it?

[COLSEN]

Originally Posted by r0w3r

Hello,

I was about to purchase a '58 plate 318i SE when I saw these posts and backed off pretty quickly!

However, the dealer looked into it before I purchased the car and came up with something from BMW's Puma system, dated 29th May 2009, measure number 24078802-01, subject N43B20UL, affects N43 engine in E81, E87, E88, E90 and E91:

"When the vehicle is driven / accelerated above 1,500 rpm, the engine starts to judder and has no power. The customer experiences a lack of acceleration, inturruption of torque or juddering. In general, no fault code memory entry is generated in the DME.

Cause
Unfavourable DME application."

It rambles a bit about using Shell V-Power and then if the fault no longer occurs:

"If the fault no longer occurs, it was due to the aforementioned behaviour of the DME software. In this case, the vehicle must be programmed with integration level E89 09-09-515, available with ISTA/P P2.35.0."

It also says: "A parts replacement does not provide a remedy."

I hope this is of use!

it certainly sounds like there "might" be light at the end of the tunnel

Sorry to hear your bad news PeKKeR, did yours get the software update mentioned by r0w3r?

[PeKKeR]

called BMW and most of them are on holidays. found one guy in BMW emergency and he urged me to bring it in ASAP to check the faultcodes in the onboard computer.

i asked him if he was aware if any other 320i's has similar problems and he replied yes. i asked if they managed to fix them and he was more than positive about it.im taking the car in, this afternoon.


will keep you updated .

[PeKKeR]

called him again now, and he is reprogramming the software just like you guys decribed. i dont know exactly which software he is installing but i would like to think that he is installing E89x-09-09-515. if everything goes well, ill ask gim to give me a printout from the key fob to see which one is it.

[PeKKeR]

He just installed latest software on my bmw , and the diagnostic asked him to change all 4 injectors. he will do so tomorrow and i will go to pick it up.

fingers crossed.

[PeKKeR]

just picked up. latest software and 4 new injectors.

the car runs smoother than ever and the blips between 1st-2nd gears is gone...no hesitation at all...and loads of torque at 4200rpm..let alone BHP at 6000rpm.

i love it..its smoother and faster...and i really hope it stays like this.

had a quick look on the invoice and it said EUR1200. thank GOD its still under warranty

[r0w3r]

I picked up the 318i today after this modification was made by the dealer.

It has had v35 of the software installed on it. This is due to be on general release in September 2009 but the dealer and BMW were kind enough to do it now in order to sell the car.

I can confirm it has worked and the car is as smooth as...

So, top marks for the dealership and BMW UK. Many thanks indeed.

[COLSEN]

Originally Posted by r0w3r

I picked up the 318i today after this modification was made by the dealer.

It has had v35 of the software installed on it. This is due to be on general release in September 2009 but the dealer and BMW were kind enough to do it now in order to sell the car.

I can confirm it has worked and the car is as smooth as...

So, top marks for the dealership and BMW UK. Many thanks indeed.

Mine came back from a service on Thurs with the dealer telling me I should be running the car on the highest octane fuel available until a further software update due late september (sounds like the same upgrade you've had) fingers crossed for a bright future!

[Nickhub]

Finally its gone !!, I have today picked up my replacement car a 320 Diesel M-Sport (Black Sapphire, Red Dakota Leather , Heated Front Seats) after 6 months of the dealers trying to fix my original car and 6 months of negotiation with BMW Financial Services.

The new car has a little more miles than my old one but has a much better spec.

I must highly commend the staff at Sytner of Nottingham for all their help as I did not even buy the original car from them.

Originally BMW offered me one months finance payment for all the problems and in the end after I asked the Financial Ombudsman to look at my case they ended up putting in more than 6K into the deal on the new car.

BMW are still insisting that there is no fault with my original car and the 6K is a "GESTURE OF GOODWILL" !!

At last its time to move on

[paribiza]

Hi ,

I am a new member and I have the same engine issue , got it for 2 months from used car dealer, 24K miles, still under warranty. It broke down on the m25 and I let it to bmw at crawley 2 weeks ago. I let my car twice to dealer but problem is still there, they changed spark plug and 2 injectors but no improvement. During the reparation I had a loan car free charge. I called to my closest bmw dealer in kent this morning but they wanted to charge me for the loan car. So I will let my car to crawley bmw , anyway it's better that they proceed to undertake my car than another dealer.

I am really disappointed about bmw , thought that it was good quality and reliable make... Now I don't know what the result of this case will be and totally lost confidence.

Is it normal to pay a load car when yours is in fault with warranty... ?

[FieldingMellish]

BMW have a big problem with these engines. HIgh quality fuel will not solve the problem, neither will endless software updates.

Someone needs to get legal or get an MP involved, and press BMW for data on how many 318i/320i units have had these faults.

[xenon]

It looks like the latest software may eventually have fixed the issue, somewhat late in the day. Mine's still OK although I appear to be in the minority.

[paribiza]

Hi ,
I brought my car back to CarGiant yesterday and I requested a full refund. There is no feedback from them yet. I called to BMW CS and they said that they are aware about this issue. But they seem to not have a remedy for all cases.