[zippy_2005]

Hi

I have read quite a bit over the internet about many E9x users reporting their diesel cars leaking fuel when filling a full tank/to the brim and it starts to drip in front of the OSR wheel.

Turns out that the breather hose gets chafed against a sharp edge of the bodywork the hose passes against.

A few weeks ago, I had the same problem - but mine is a petrol E90, which uses the same breather pipe hose as on the diesel cars, however I am yet to find a petrol owner who has had this issue, anywhere on forums or the internet.

My car is 4 1/2 years old has been fixed now after getting BMW UK involved with my local dealer. Both my dealer and BMW UK contibuted to the cost of the repair even though I believe I should not have to pay anything for this as it is a fundamental design error on BMW's part. As the part is not exposed to the customer and cannot be damaged by any external influnences i.e. road debris as the pipe is fitted behind the wheel arch liner - no customer should be liable to pay for this.

My car is out of warranty but a fuel leak without warning to the driver is a serious issue for any car manufacturer.

I have since filed a vehicle defect report to VOSA who are leading this with BMW and I guess I will find out in due course the outcome and if they will force BMW to carry out a recall.

People who have diesel cars that have leaked due to the pipe being chafed is more noticeable than petrol cars as diesel will drip and leave a residue on the road/driveway, so you know there is a problem. As for petrol, because it evaporates quickly, you may miss the leak.

My concern is that there may be petrol cars out there which drivers fill up and are unware of such a leak when filling a full tank.

I mentioned to VOSA this risk and I witness a prime sceanrio on the road the other day - a car next to me decided to throw their live cigarette stub out of the window next to my car. Now had I just filled up a full tank of petrol and it was leaking - boom!

All petrol E9x users, please check your vehicles by filling a full tank of petrol and note if it leaks in front of the OSR wheel.

BMW need to react to this in a more urgent matter and get this fixed for other drivers. They know it is an issue as they have since modified the breather pipe hose by adding a tougher corregutated sleeve over the exsisting pipe to further protect it from being chafed.

Some photos added to aid this thread... one of the photos shows the breather hose next to a sharpe edge of metal - which has chafed the pipe. There are two photos showing the modification to the pipe, the extra tubing over the breather hose as it enters the wheel arch cavity.













Any questions, please ask and I will help answer any concerns.

[VTECaddict]

Are you OVERfilling your tank? You keep saying filling a full tank...are you trying to fill it even more after the pump auto stops? Or does it leak even if you just stop pumping when the pump stops?

[zippy_2005]

Even when the pumps cuts out, this is when the tank is virtually full, petrol will start to drip.

It definitely was not overfill petrol that leaking from the filler neck and the filler neck itself in the wheel arch is completely dry.

I have kept the actual part removed from my car and you can see where the pipe has been cut over time, so it's definitely the breather pipe.

Something to remember is when a tank of petrol is fully filled, the volume of petrol will equalise in the tank and its associated hoses, so once level, there will be some fuel in the breather pipe and this is where it leaks from until the level of petrol drops below the cut and then the leak will stop.

Originally Posted by VTECaddict

Are you OVERfilling your tank? You keep saying filling a full tank...are you trying to fill it even more after the pump auto stops? Or does it leak even if you just stop pumping when the pump stops?

[zippy_2005]

Anyone experienced this fuel leak issue???

[Glowplug99]

Thanks for your great piece and pictures on the BMW E90 fuel leak problem. I am experiencing exactly the same problem. I am booked into a local BMW Dealer on Monday 16th. I will report back.

[zippy_2005]

Glowplug 99

Are you expected to pay for this work?

What has your dealer said so far with regards to this issue?

[Glowplug99]

Originally Posted by zippy_2005

Glowplug 99

Are you expected to pay for this work?

What has your dealer said so far with regards to this issue?

Hi, I have heard from the Dealer tonight, it is the same fault as yours, ie. Breather Pipe worn through.

They have quoted me £ 585 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

They have said they will approach BMW for a contribution..............I hope BMW response positively........it is, as you so rightly say, a design fault.

I have been in touch with VOSA....They have asked me to fill out a report form. This is potentially a highly dangerous fault.... will BMW wait until a car explodes ?

[zippy_2005]

Glowplug99

My dealer quoted me £620 or thereabouts, but in the end after speaking in great lengths to BMW UK's customer service manager and my service manager at my local dealer and them both making contributions, I ended up paying £200 to have the job done.

To be fair it is a big job as the rear diff has to be removed before the fuel tank can be taken out to get to the breather pipe, but that is no excuse for a poor design.

I spoke with the guy at VOSA who is dealing with my defect form last week (he is on holiday this week) and he said BMW has said it is not a safety defect and they have sent him a load of statistics saying so many cars sold, this many problems etc... but I need to call him next week to see exactly what BMW have said and what VOSA thinks before anything else can happen. So I will post more next week after I have another chat with VOSA.

I did mention of you and how you had replied on this forum but he said that no one else had contacted him/VOSA, but you have now so please fill in the defect report and email it back to VOSA. If you need help, let me know.

How old is your car?

Oh and make sure you keep the pipe the dealer removes as evidence.

[Glowplug99]

Hi Zippy,

Thanks for your advice. I will let you know how I get on.

[Glowplug99]

Zippy,

PS..... My car is September 2005

[Glowplug99]

Originally Posted by zippy_2005

Glowplug99

My dealer quoted me £620 or thereabouts, but in the end after speaking in great lengths to BMW UK's customer service manager and my service manager at my local dealer and them both making contributions, I ended up paying £200 to have the job done.

To be fair it is a big job as the rear diff has to be removed before the fuel tank can be taken out to get to the breather pipe, but that is no excuse for a poor design.

I spoke with the guy at VOSA who is dealing with my defect form last week (he is on holiday this week) and he said BMW has said it is not a safety defect and they have sent him a load of statistics saying so many cars sold, this many problems etc... but I need to call him next week to see exactly what BMW have said and what VOSA thinks before anything else can happen. So I will post more next week after I have another chat with VOSA.

I did mention of you and how you had replied on this forum but he said that no one else had contacted him/VOSA, but you have now so please fill in the defect report and email it back to VOSA. If you need help, let me know.

How old is your car?

Oh and make sure you keep the pipe the dealer removes as evidence.

Hi Zippy,

I have got the car back. The breather pipe did have to be replaced. BMW did agree to pay 50% of the labour cost and for the full cost of the new breather pipe. This still cost me a total of £ 275.89. I still feel, as you, that this is an extremely dangerous design fault and that BMW should replace all the early E90 breather pipes as a recall, FOC to the customers.

The dealer wanted to retain the pipe to forward to BMW. I have taken a picture however, of the fractured pipe. I will send this onto VOSA, when I send in my report.

I urge anyone else who suffers a strong fuel smell coming from the O/S/R wheel arch ( After filling the tank ) to get in touch with their BMW Dealer ASAP. Please also report this highly dangerous design fault to VOSA in order that BMW take this seriously before a tragic accident occurs.

VOSA ( Vehicle & Operator Services Agency ) is the body responsible for Vehicle recalls in the UK. Report fault here :-

http://www.dft.gov.uk/vosa/onlineser...clerecalls.htm

[zippy_2005]

Glowplug99

Glad you got your car sorted.

Yes, it is not on that we have had to pay for this repair.

Keep tabs with VOSA, the more people in contact with them about this sort of an issue the better the resolution we may achieve.

Did you visually see a leak or just the smell of petrol from the OSR wheel area?

[Glowplug99]

Hi Zippy,

We had a strong petrol smell everytime we filled the vehicle.
Had i parked it in our local High Street and someone had disguarded a cigarette end, I hate to think of the result !

[zippy_2005]

Hi Glowplug99

Well, I had a similar situation, but just a few days after having my car fixed, so thankfully nothing happened.

I was stationary at some traffic lights and a person in the car next to me in the next lane throws their live cigarette out of their window. Had I just filled up prior to this, you can just imagine what would have happened...

[335e92tx]

I wonder if M3 size rear tires make the possibility of contact even greater?

:/

[zippy_2005]

What do you mean....

Originally Posted by 335e92tx

I wonder if M3 size rear tires make the possibility of contact even greater?

:/

[335e92tx]

The 19" wheels that are quite frequently put on cars are one size larger in diameter. And I have on occasion, when I have had 2 people in back, heard a rubbing sound when going over a bump. I doubt thats good news

Im probably gonna pull a wheel just to have a look.

[zippy_2005]

I wouldn't have thought larger wheels would be rubbing inside the arches. I'd like to think BMW have allowed for enough clearance. But any evidence of marks on the wheel arch liner is not a good sign. Look at my photos to see the run of the pipe and then see inside your arch and check for any worn patches in the wheel arch liner in that area.

Originally Posted by 335e92tx

The 19" wheels that are quite frequently put on cars are one size larger in diameter. And I have on occasion, when I have had 2 people in back, heard a rubbing sound when going over a bump. I doubt thats good news

Im probably gonna pull a wheel just to have a look.

[zippy_2005]

Glowplug99

Have you sent back the defect form to VOSA/heard anything?

Originally Posted by zippy_2005

Hi Glowplug99

Well, I had a similar situation, but just a few days after having my car fixed, so thankfully nothing happened.

I was stationary at some traffic lights and a person in the car next to me in the next lane throws their live cigarette out of their window. Had I just filled up prior to this, you can just imagine what would have happened...

[carl_d]

yes, i've had this problem. Car 4 to 5 years old. Build Sept 2005.

Fixed under BMW extended warrenty but I paid the policy excess

I too thought it unacceptable. ... Should be a recall for this at BMW cost

Also remeber a recall on batchs of E90 a few years back but mine was not in the VIN batch then. Seems like problem was more common.

Dealer says its a common fault.


My car is totaly standard!!!

[zippy_2005]

carl_d

when did you have the problem? did you report this to VOSA?

do you have the VIN batch list?

Originally Posted by carl_d

yes, i've had this problem. Car 4 to 5 years old. Build Sept 2005.

Fixed under BMW extended warrenty but I paid the policy excess

I too thought it unacceptable. ... Should be a recall for this at BMW cost

Also remeber a recall on batchs of E90 a few years back but mine was not in the VIN batch then. Seems like problem was more common.

Dealer says its a common fault.


My car is totaly standard!!!

[carl_d]

Originally Posted by zippy_2005

carl_d

when did you have the problem? did you report this to VOSA?

do you have the VIN batch list?

not to VOSA ... should I?

The VIN list is on here some where ... im looking

also see this its an old old problem http://www.e90post.com/forums/showth...ghlight=recall