What 264 owners told NHTSA about the 2011 BMW 535i

My car suddenly shut off when I came to a stop at a red light while on a busy state route. The information cluster then began to read “Fuel supply” and “Battery Discharge” My car would not turn back on and still has not turned back on since and it's been over a month now. According to the OBD results, the fuel pump and injectors were somehow seized and therefore have caused the car to become inoperable. I was forced to spend over $1000 just to get my car out of the police tow yard and towed to my home because I could not afford the cost of the repairs needed. The NHSTA website states that there is a recall on both the fuel system and the electrical system for my exact vehicle, but according to my Vin search results, there are 0 recalls. That doesn't make sense. I had just got my new inspection done maybe a month prior to my car breaking down.

NHTSA ODI 11651226

BMW REFUSES TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY OF CONSEQUENTIAL ISSUES CAUSED MY FAULTY FUEL PUMP RECALL AND IS TRYING TO CHARGE ME 21000 to fix. Engine reads maximum drivetrain output drive moderately

NHTSA ODI 11590623

Been fixing an unknown issue due to fuel presure, loss of engine power and car gets extra hot but doesn’t over heat, I have fixed the issue more on 2 different occasions. I didn’t pass the smog text so that’s when I was told to check for any recalls, now the issues returned with same problems and probably won’t pass smog again. I have all recorded from all the years of maintenance and I’m very diligent on on time maintenance or if theirs is any kind of malfunction. I’m now addressing the situation to you as I believe that there’s something wrong that’s beyond my control. I’ve also encountered other people with same vehicle with similar issues.

NHTSA ODI 11588254

While driving on the highway my car turned off suddenly. car was towed to home After checking possible causes we found out that even the fuel gauge in the instruments cluster was displaying a large amount of fuel ( 1/2 tank) actually it was empty. We put two gallons of gasoline then car start up again but fuel gauge still showing half of tank

NHTSA ODI 11427066

while driving on the highway the car turned off suddenly. Car was towed to home after checking possible causes we found out the even the THE FUEL GAUGE IN THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER WAS displaying a large amount of fuel ( 1/2 tank) actually it was empty . We did put 2 gallons of gasoline than car start up again but the fuel gauge still showing half of tank.

NHTSA ODI 11424497

TRYING TO CHANGE LINE GO SEVENTH MILES CAUSES THE CAR TO GO IN LIMP MODE

NHTSA ODI 11364426

VEHICLE HAS STOPPED RUNNING MULTIPLE TIMES. MOST TIMES IT HAS STALLED OUT WHILE IDLING AFTER A LONG DRIVE AND HAS BEEN PUT IN PARK. ONE TIME IT JUST STOP RUNNING WHILE I WAS DRIVING AND I WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF AND INTERSECTION WITH TRAFFIC TURNING RIGHT. ANOTHER TIME I HAD A ST UDDER WHILE TURNING LEFT WHICH I LOOKED DOWN AND GOT IN A ACCIDENT. BMW HAS TOLD ME THIS IS THE BATTERY, LOW PRESSURE FUEL PUMP AND THE HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP WHICH HAVE ALL BEEN REPLACE; HOWEVER I AM STILL HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM.

NHTSA ODI 11318663

DRIVETRAIN MALFUNCTION IS ON MAY BE DUE TO A BAD FUEL PUMP OR ENGINE COILS

NHTSA ODI 11291852

CARE WAS IN MOTION ON LOCAL STREET CARE STARTED STALLING, DECREASE IN FUEL, SMOKE OUT OF TAIL PIPE, COMPLETE ENGINE FAILURE, UNABLE TO START ON ENGINE. THERE ARE MULTIPLE FORUMS ON THIS SPECIFIC VEHICLE WITH ISSUES DUE TO FUEL INJECTOR. SINCE I AM NOT THE ORIGINAL BUYER ON VEHICLE I WAS NOT AWARE AND WAS NEVER NOTIFIED BY THE NEW DEALER THAT THERE WOULD BE AN ISSUE. VEHICLE WAS BOUGHT AT 126K MILES IN SEPT 2019.

NHTSA ODI 11290834

MY VEHICLE CUT OFF WHILE DRIVING DRIVE TRAIN/ DRIVE SHAFT MESSAGE CAME ON WHICH MADE MY ENGINE LIGHT COME ON SHUDDERING WITH HEAVY SHAKING MAKING WEIRD NOISES WHICH ARE THE SYSTEMS OF A DEFECTED DRIVE SHAFT SAME SYMPTOMS THAT APPLY TO RECALL 17V067000 VERY SCARY MY VEHICLE WAS JUST AT BMW DEALERSHIP FOR A RECALL DUE TO AN AGGRESSIVE FUEL LEAK...,I ASKED ABOUT THE RECALL FOR THE DRIVE TRAIN I WAS ADVISED YES IT'S A RECALL BUT NOT FOR MY VEHICLE WHICH IS A 2011 535I AT THE TOP OF THE RECALL LIST THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS AND THE 2ND TIME THIS CAR HAVE PUT MY LIFE IN DANGER HOW CAN YOU HAVE A RECALL ON THE 2011 535I AND THEN SAY NOT MY SPECIFIC VEHICLE BMW IS THE WORST I WILL NEVER PURCHASE ANOTHER BMW I CANNOT BELIEVE IT THESE PARTS CANNOT BE FROM WEAR AND TEAR THIS STARTS FROM PRODUCTION OF VEHICLE

NHTSA ODI 11270873

FUEL PUMP(FUEL SYSTEM) RECALL WAS ALLOWED TO FAIL AFTER MANY ATTEMPTS BY ME USING MY GAS TO APPEAR AT BMW TRYING TO DESCRIBE STALLING, GAS SMELL, ENGINE GAS FLOW ISSUES WITH MY CAR BEFORE MAY 2016. (3) YEARS IN AND OUT OF HENDRIX BMW SERVICE DEPARTMENT. LONG RENTAL RETURNS AND REPAIR ON ENGINE LEAKS, GASKET LEAKS , PAN OIL LEAKS AND NOW 6/2/2019 CAR IS STILL SMOKING , STALLING, OIL SMELLING I'M AT HOME AGAIN. BMW DEALER SERVICE IS REFUSING TO PAY FOR A PLASTIC CAP BILLED TO ME RELATED TO RECALL FUEL PUMP LEAK THEY DENIED AND WERE FORCED TO FIND BY ME. SEE ATTACHMENT. BMW WANT EXCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE (3) YEAR DELAYED REPAIR OF FUEL PUMP.. ISSUES CAUSING PRESENT RELATED ISSUES TODAY 6/2/2019 WERE IN THE PAST THEY USED MY WARRANTY COVERAGE TO REPAIR DAMAGES THEY CREATED BEFORE FINAL CAR FAILURE AND MY STRANDED FROM 5PM / 11:30 MIDNIGHT AT 70 YEARS OLD ON A DARK HIGH WAY.. MY EXTENDED WARRANTY HAS PAID FOR ALL ENGINE ISSUES,1414,00 ..NOW THEY WANT TO MAKE A DEAL 700.00 TO REPAIR PLASTIC CAP COVER , THE SAME PROBLEM BEFORE FUEL PUMP RECALL. I WAS WITHOUT (MY ) CAR FOR (13) DAY CALLING, GOING BACK TO SERVICE MANAGER FIRING ADMISSION OF RECALL. MY STRESSING, PERSISTENT STOCKING TO REPLACE FUEL PUMP HURT MY HEALTH. BEGINNING WITH CORPORATE BMW IN 2016/ DELAY, 2017/ ENGINE ISSUES AND YEARS / MONTHS OF RENTALS... REPLACING PAN, SOME GASKET LEAKS WITH ENGINE CLAIMING THEY REPLACED THE PUMP. PROBLEMS CONTINUED UNTIL 5/3/2019 AND I'M STRANDED, LIVING WITH A MUSCULAR DISEASE IN THE HEAT AT 82 DEGREES ON HIGH WAY AND (2) POLICE OFFICERS STOPPING, FAILED TOWING COMPANY TOWED CAR TO MY HOME, EMBARRASSING ... 5/4/2019 SAT MORNING TOWING FROM MY HOME USING MY EXTENDED WARRANTY WHO LOST MY KEYS AT 400.00, LOST HOOK TO TOW CAR AND THE HOOK COVER NOTICED AFTER (13) DAY PUMP REPAIR PICK UP OF CAR.. 300.00 ..I'M STUCK AT HOME WITH THE SAME UNRESOLVED PART OF THE ISSUE.

NHTSA ODI 11228786

DRIVETRAIN MALFUNCTION -DRIVING ON HWY WHEN ERROR WAS DISPLAYED AND CAR SHUTDOWN IN ON ME AND WOULD NOT START BACK UP -DEALERSHIP STATED THEY REPLACED THE FUEL PUMP -ISSUE HAPPENED AGAIN -WHILE DRIVING - UNDER 3000 MILES LATER - SAME ERROR CODES OF LOW PRESSURE - CAR HESITANT TO CRANK AND STUDDERING ON LOW SPEEDS- TOWED TO DEALER WAS TOLD NO ISSUE FOUND AND THEY REPROGRAMMED THE FUEL PUMP -SAME ISSUE AGAIN - FUEL LINE AND SENSOR REPLACED -RAN FINE FOR ANOTHER 1000 MILES OR SO -WHILE DRIVING THE CAR JERKED REALLY HARD AND GAVE THE SAME DRIVETRAN MALFUNCTION ERROR --WAS ABLE TO MAKE IT TO THE DEALERSHIP HOWEVER CAR WOULD NOT DRIVE AT FULL SPEED- SAME CODES SEEN STORED -- BMW DO NOT KNOW WHATS CAUSING THE ISSUE HOWEVER REPLACING PARTS HOPING IT WILL FIX THE ISSUE AND CHARGING ME FOR THEIR TRIAL AND ERROR. -SINCE 2 MORE PARTS REPLACED CAR NOW WITH NEW ERROR AND OF COURSE BMW HAS NO CLUE BUT WANT TO CHARGE ME ANOTHER 1000 TO REPLACE ANOTHER PART.

NHTSA ODI 11163823

FUEL SYSTEM WAS THE ALARM ON THE CAR AND IT WON'T STAY STARTED ON MORE THAN 2 SECONDS. FINAL AFTER 4 ATTEMPTS IT WON'T START AT ALL. HAD TO GET THE VEHICLE TOWED.

NHTSA ODI 11157080

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 BMW 535I. WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED AND THE "FUEL MALFUNCTION" WARNING MESSAGE APPEARED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER (BMW OF ARLINGTON IN ARLINGTON, TEXAS) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE LOW PRESSURE FUEL PUMP AND THE FUEL PUMP CONTROL MODULE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 86,196.

NHTSA ODI 11091372

(THIS COMPLAINT IS BEING MARKED FOR DELETION; DUPLICATE OF 11091372) TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 BMW 535I. WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED AND THE "FUEL MALFUNCTION" WARNING MESSAGE APPEARED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER (BMW OF ARLINGTON IN ARLINGTON, TEXAS) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE LOW PRESSURE FUEL PUMP AND THE FUEL PUMP CONTROL MODULE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 86,196.

NHTSA ODI 11091373

NHTSA RECALL NUMBER 16V746; IN-TANK FUEL PUMP: THIS FUEL PUMP CONSIST OF 2 PARTS: A HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP (HPFP) AND A LOW PRESSURE FUEL PUMP (LPFP). AFTER CONTACTING BMW PACIFIC IN GLENDALE ,CA. I WAS TOLD THAT THEY WILL REPLACE THE LOW PRESSURE FUEL PUMP ONLY. MY QUESTION: IS IT ONLY ONE PART OF THE FUEL PUMP INCLUDED IN THIS RECALL??? AFTER CONTACTING MY MECHANIC (A BMW EX MASTER TECHNICIAN EMPLOYEE), I AM CONCERNED THAT NOT REPLACING THE WHOLE UNIT (HPFP AND LPFP UNIT FUEL PUMP) WILL KEEP THE PROBLEM ALIVE AND IT WILL GIVE THE FALSE IMPRESSION THAT THE PROBLEM WAS TAKEN CARE OF..... MY CAR HAS SHOWN UNEVEN START UPS IN THE MORNING AND ENGINE CODES RELATED THE FUEL PUMP MALFUNCTION. THIS INCLUDE IN MOTION AND STATIONARY....

NHTSA ODI 11065521

IT HAS ACCELERATION ISSUES ALL OF THE TIME. DOES NOT ACCELERATE AS IT SHOULD, INSTEAD IT JERKS. WHEN AT A STOP SIGN OR LIGHT AND LOOKING TO ACCELERATE IT WOULD JERK MAKING IT UNSAFE. I HAVE ALMOST HIT MULTIPLE VEHICLE ECAUSE OF THIS.

NHTSA ODI 11035341

I WAS DRIVING MY BMW 535 XI ON INTERSTATE HIGHWAY. ALL OF A SUDDEN CARS GAVE A MESSAGE OF "DRIVETRAIN MALFUNCTION: CONTACT YOUR SERVICE CENTRE". AFTER THAT CAR'S POWER REDUCED. AFTER THAT WHENEVER I APPLY BRAKE, THE CAR IGNITION STOPPED AND CAR PUTS ITSELF IN NEUTRAL. I HAD TO START THE CAR AROUND 8 TIMES TO REACH HOME SAFELY. AFTER THAT I TOWED THE CAR TO NEARBY BMW SERVICE. BMW DEALERSHIP TOLD ME THAT MY CAR'S HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP IS NOT WORKING. THIS IS TRAUMATIC EXPERIENCE AS I WAS ON INTERSTATE AND SUDDEN STALLING ON INTERSTATE COULD HAVE BEEN FATAL FOR ME AS WELL AS MY PASSENGER.

NHTSA ODI 11034369

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 BMW 535I. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V746000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE) HOWEVER, THE PART NEEDED FOR THE REPAIR WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT HE HAD TO WAIT FOR ANOTHER NOTICED AND HAD NO DATE WHEN THE RECALL REMEDY PART WILL BECOME AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. PART DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.

NHTSA ODI 11020069

BMW RECALL CAMPAIGN NO. 16V-746 IN-TANK FUEL PUMP. BMW AG HAS DECIDED THAT THE ABOVE FUEL TANK LISTED ABOVE IS DEFECTIVE WHICH RELATES TO MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY. THIS NOTICE WAS SENT IN DECEMBER OF 2016, WHICH STATED THE PARTS WERE UNAVAILABLE. ALTHOUGH, THE LETTER STATED I WOULD BE CONTACTED WHEN PARTS BECAME AVAILABLE. IT IS NOW EIGHT MONTHS INTO YEAR 2017 WITHOUT THIS ISSUE BEING RESOLVED. ALSO, OVER TIME, THE FUEL PUMP CONNECTOR CAN BECOME DAMAGED. IF THIS HAPPENS, A FOUL ODOR MAY BE NOTICED. THIS COULD ALSO LEAD TO A FUEL LEAK DURING FUELING, OR WHEN CORNERING WHILE DRIVING. THE FUEL PUMP COULD ALSO STOP WORKING AND LEAD TO A NO START OR STALLING CONDITION. WE HAVE NOTICED, A FAINT GAS ODOR AND SLIGHT STALLING WITH THE VEHICLE, ESPECIALLY WITH STARTING AND TAKING OFF. THIS HAS HAPPENED WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY AND IN MOTION. WHEN THE CAR WAS SERVICED BY BMW SPECIALIST, WE WERE ENCOURAGED TO GET THE FUEL PUMP REPLACED IN A TIMELY MANNER DUE TO THE RECALL.

NHTSA ODI 11015282

DRIVE TRAIN MALFUNCTION & CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. SCANNED CODE CAME BACK AS P0087 WHICH TRANSLATE TO "LOW FUEL RAIL PRESSURE". ZEIGLER BMW OF 11030 W 159TH ST, ORLAND PARK, IL 60467 STATES REMEDY IS UNAVAILABLE HOWEVER THEY WANT TO CHARGE ME $167.00 TO DIAGNOSE IT. TOLD ME TO WAIT FOR LETTER STATING REMEDY IS READY. $60K CAR I CANT DRIVE.

NHTSA ODI 11011930

GAS SMELL IN INTERIOR OF VEHICLE, SERVICE NOTED THAT THERE IS GAS LEAK. THERE IS A KNOWN RECALL BUT WHEN WE CALL BMW AND THEY SAY THEY ARE PREPARED TO DO NOTHING AT THIS TIME AND WE NEED TO WAIT. WE HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR OVER 9 MONTHS NOW.

NHTSA ODI 11010870

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 BMW 535I. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V746000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE). THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE AND STATED THAT THE CONTACT SHOULD ONLY BRING THE VEHICLE IN IMMEDIATELY IF SHE DETECTED A FUEL ODOR. A DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.

NHTSA ODI 11005346

MY VEHICLE RECENTLY HAD THE LO PRESSURE FUEL PUMP RECALL COMPLETED. I WAS HOPING THAT IT WOULD CORRECT THE FUEL RELATED DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODES AND THE VEHICLE STALLING AND GOING INTO REDUCED POWER MODE. HOWEVER, THIS RECALL FAILED TO CORRECT THESE PROBLEMS. I HAVE NOW LEARNED THAT MY HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP IS FAILING. MY LOCAL BMW DEALER INFORMED ME THAT THIS VEHICLE DOES NOT QUALIFY FOR THE EXTENDED FREE REPLACEMENT OF THE HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP BASED ON THE VIN EVEN THOE IT IS THE SAME N54 ENGINE THAT OTHER BMW VEHICLES HAVE THAT IS COVERED UNDER THE RECALL. SYMPTOMS, WHILE DRIVING MY VEHICLE ON SLIGHT ACCELERATION I GET A WARNING ON THE DASH THAT STATES "REDUCED POWER MODE" AT THAT POINT THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON AND I LOOSE POWER IN THE VEHICLE. AT TIMES THE VEHICLE WILL SHUT COMPLETELY DOWN WHILE DRIVING. THE VEHICLE HAS AN EXTENDED CRANK TIME AS WELL BUT ALWAYS SEEMS TO START.

NHTSA ODI 11004171

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 BMW 535I. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V746000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE); HOWEVER, THE PARTS TO DO THE REPAIR WERE UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE CONTACT CALLED A LOCAL DEALER (NIELLO BMW SACRAMENTO LOCATED AT 2005 FULTON AVE SACRAMENTO, CA 98825 877-664-3060) WHO STATED THAT THE PART WAS ON BACKORDER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER AT 1-800-831-1117 WHO STATED THAT THE PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE AND ADVISED THE CONTACT TO CALL BACK IN TWO WEEKS. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.

NHTSA ODI 11003126