Please Advise: Fuel Pump and Consumption and Dealership

[herco]

Hello Everyone!

Since the day I got my car it's fuel consumption has been extremely high. While my car was still under its 1000km/1month warranty I took the car back to the dealer to fix this. I was told they cannot find a problem and as I requested the gearbox adaptations be reset, they did so.

I had my car at a RMI approved service centre on Monday and they discovered that the fuel pump is only providing around 2bar pressure where it should be around 6bar. So I am told it is the fuel pump and fuel filter that is causing the high consumption and contributes to the fact that my car is so 'lazy'.

To replace these 2 parts will cost me around 10k.

Since I had my car for just over a month and had driven just over 1000km, technically it does not fall under the BMW 1month/1000km everything warranty for pre-owned cars...

My argument is that this issue has been raised while it was under warranty and they claimed that there are no problems and everything is within spec.

The sales guy I got my car from argues that if a fuel pump is faulty it will immediately be picked up and the car will act erratic so it cannot be that. He is also arguing that a dirty fuel filter will in no way cause such a big difference in fuel consumption.

What to do?

 

[DieselFan]

What car is it?

What's high consumption?

What RMI workshop looked at the car?

You bought it from a dealership you should have a 6 month warranty. And since you mentioned the problem before they are definitely liable.

 

[herco]

It is a 320i Automatic, 2008, 148xxxkm.

High consumption is around 16l/100km while granny driving to the max in town. And around 12l/100km @ 120km/h on the highway.

Place is called Kokkies Auto. Know the mech fairly well., my dad has been taking all our cars there for years.

I also feel they are liable. Just need to see the fine print. I wrote them a lengthy email, so I will see what their response is now.

 

[akajee]

It is a 320i Automatic, 2008, 148xxxkm.

High consumption is around 16l/100km while granny driving to the max in town. And around 12l/100km @ 120km/h on the highway.

Place is called Kokkies Auto. Know the mech fairly well., my dad has been taking all our cars there for years.

I also feel they are liable. Just need to see the fine print. I wrote them a lengthy email, so I will see what their response is now.

Did they test the pressure? how did they test the pump pressure? would be interesting to know.

If it actually is that, I would start with the filter first, test, and then the pump.

 

[Major]

The sales guy I got my car from argues that if a fuel pump is faulty it will immediately be picked up and the car will act erratic so it cannot be that. He is also arguing that a dirty fuel filter will in no way cause such a big difference in fuel consumption.

Does you engine look like this (N46 engine):
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/54/BMW_N46.JPG

or like this (N43 engine)?
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v400/gcp/Cars/320i/320i_engine.jpg

Because if it's the bottom one, yes, your car should've picked up low fuel pressure because it has sensors for that purpose alone near the rail, since it's a direct injection engine. If it's the top one, there is no auxiliary sensor. I suspect you have the top one?

In either case, it can easily be just the fuel filter/regulator. The pump might put 6bar into the back of the filter, but if its clogged or the regulator is faulty you're not going to get 6bar at the rail (which is probably where they measured it). On either engine, the pump is on the right, the fuel filter/pressure regulator is one unit on the left. Your mechanics are being lazy simply replacing both.

As for the huge fuel consumption, your car is correcting for the lack of fuel pressure by keeping your injectors open probably full-time to at least try get normal O2 readings.

 

[herco]

Thank you Major!

I the top engine, yes.

I will discuss what I have learned now with my mech. Hopefully we can get to a better solution than just "Fuel pump is faulty."

---

Problem is, with my car the fuel pump and the filter is sort of the same thing. The filter sits in the fuel pump in the tank of the car...

 

[Major]

Your pump is a seperate unit from your filter/regulator, see here.

 

[DieselFan]

Maybe he is talking about the fuel pump strainer / sock which is clogged with gunk.

Dude your only recourse is through the dealer. Go speak to the dealer principle.

 

[herco]

Here is my quote... :blueCry:

I just sent another email to the dealer, depending on their response I will take this further.

---

I only notice now that the invoice states "Struggle to start...", which is not the case. Maybe they put that there to better motivate the problem for the extended warranty.

 

[335i MTX]

Maybe he is talking about the fuel pump strainer / sock which is clogged with gunk.

Dude your only recourse is through the dealer. Go speak to the dealer principle.

I agree 100%. If the dealer doesn't fix it, return the car on the spot. The sooner you do the less it will cost you if you financed the car. I returned my 318i when the dealer came with excuses about fixing a grocery list of stuff. I returned it some 3months later. The irritating thing was that the BMW dealer wanted me to use a non BMW repairer even though part of their sales pitch was that the car they sold me had a fsh with them.

 

[herco]

How do I go about returning the car?

I have the car financed through Wesbank. I had the car since 28 Jan.

 

[Gizmo]

Lol at R3154 for a fuel filter! Is it platinum coated by any chance?

 

[herco]

Lol at R3154 for a fuel filter! Is it platinum coated by any chance?

Hahah! If only...

Apparently that is what they cost from the agents?

 

[herco]

Hey guys,

Any advice would be appreciated.

I think I decided I want to return the car to the dealership. I have no idea where to even start.

I am currently trying to find out how to do this. Anyone have any advice for me?

I attached a copy of the delivery agreement I signed with them to this post. As far as I am concerned, I fall into this range.

 

[GPGrobler]

Lol at R3154 for a fuel filter! Is it platinum coated by any chance?

Even R5100.00 for a fuel pump is very steep, the Bosch in-tank pump, which I think your car uses, costs around R700.00 - R800.00 from Midas/Autozone etc, and yes, BMW also sells the Bosch pumps just in a BMW box, and charges a fortune for the box.

 

[herco]

Do you think that Middas/Autozone will also have the filter that goes into that pump?

 

[335i MTX]

Hey guys,

Any advice would be appreciated.

I think I decided I want to return the car to the dealership. I have no idea where to even start.

I am currently trying to find out how to do this. Anyone have any advice for me?

I attached a copy of the delivery agreement I signed with them to this post. As far as I am concerned, I fall into this range.

Scroll down to section 20 of the act in the following link. You're got my number so call of you need some guidance

http://www.saflii.org/cgi-bin/disp....cpa2008246.html&query=Consumer protection act