[smallseafishie]

I have 36k miles on my original pump. I have seen people here on the forums that are on the second car after a lemon replacement and still have HPFP issues! On the other hand, I have also seen people that have purchased lemon'd HPFP cars without a hiccup!

Makes me wonder if it's something else that an owner may doing to agitate the problem. There have been discussions about gas quality and what not but through the polls it seems as if it's wide spread regardless of gas brand.

My theory is that some people are starting their cars shortly after they first unlock it (not saying they shouldn't, as the car should work fine regardless). If you ever sit in the car after it has been parked a while, you will hear a whine of the fuel pump priming after unlocking. The reason I have come to this hypothesis is that I remember reading a post a while back that said if they unlocked their car, and waited a while (wait for nav to start or something) prior to starting the car, it would less likely have long cranks.

I also have 2 friends with 335i's that have had HPFP issues. One has Comfort Access and starts the car as soon as they get in. The other unlocks his car right at the door and gets in and starts the car immediately as well.

2 other friends and I have not had any HPFP issues and we are all over 30k miles on our original pumps. We all unlock our cars from relatively long distances and walk to the car thus providing ample time for the pump to prime before we start the engine.


Just a wild shot in the dark...

[tcc230]

I like your theory...I am going to try it...makes sense and it cannot do any harm

Do you think driving style (hard vs "normal") has any effect. Hard meaning always pushing car, reving High..etc...

Do you think driving conditions have anything to do with it too...ie long distance vs short drives...

Or maybe it is just the luck of the draw

[smallseafishie]

Originally Posted by tcc230

I like your theory...I am going to try it...makes sense and it cannot do any harm

Do you think driving style (hard vs "normal") has any effect. Hard meaning always pushing car, reving High..etc...

Do you think driving conditions have anything to do with it too...ie long distance vs short drives...

Or maybe it is just the luck of the draw

I don't drive it hard. I let it rev past a little over 4500rpm every now and then just to hear the engine when my windows are down.

[BTM]

While I haven't owned my car long enough to tell, it's still on it's original pump 37k miles and I don't go over 4k rpm until it's fully warmed up...I can hear the pump turning on when I unlock it and usually wait for the whirring noise to go away before I start the engine...assuming the engine/pump is "primed" by then

[nyknickfan]

you know...i noticed today that when I rushed into the vehicle and started it...it took a TINY bit longer to crank than usual...not sure if it is a cause of the problem but it doesn't hurt to take a minute longer before actually starting the car

I think babying the car for long periods of time will hurt it though as well...the car is meant to be driven so do not be afraid to take the car the length of the powerband often...this does not necessarily mean stomp on the gas...just work the RPMs...give your car a nice lil' workout

[BTM]

Lol I'm not scared to give her a workout...just not before the temp gauge reads 210*

[Oulixes]

This is an interesting thread. I would only add that companies that invest more in engineering than joy are expected to make sure that it does not matter how the car starting procedure is implemented, and it should not matter how hard the car is run, within reasonable limits.

[nyknickfan]

I was referring more to smallseafishie...didn't see your post BTM before I replied buddy ...and I agree with you...gotta wait for the engine to warm up before having a little fun

Just putting it out there cause peak hp occurs around 5600 if I'm correct...and smallseafishie was saying he gets to 4500 every once in a while...that's at least 1500 more RPMs of joy!!

[deletedelete]

10k miles here and no pump issues. I do wait for a few seconds to start the car and never let the tank get below 1/4. I believe thats what keeps me pump problem free.

[smallseafishie]

Originally Posted by Prowess Symphony

10k miles here and no pump issues. I do wait for a few seconds to start the car and never let the tank get below 1/4. I believe thats what keeps me pump problem free.

I too rarely let it go before 1/4 tank. Empty tank = more work for fuel pumps.

[smallseafishie]

Originally Posted by nyknickfan

I was referring more to smallseafishie...didn't see your post BTM before I replied buddy ...and I agree with you...gotta wait for the engine to warm up before having a little fun

Just putting it out there cause peak hp occurs around 5600 if I'm correct...and smallseafishie was saying he gets to 4500 every once in a while...that's at least 1500 more RPMs of joy!!

Yeah I'm more of a fan of the torque. I get that at 1500rpm.

[Jeff@TopGearSolutions]

Regardless if your theory is correct or not that is REDICLOUS that you have to unlock your car for a few seconds before your car function properly LOL.

However, playing devils advocate, I always unlock my door from distances, Put key into slot nice and slow.

Blah blah

Still had HPFP.

Ive also tried doing the whole process fast and had long cranks.

I dont think your theory holds any water, it simply the luck of the draw and/or too many factors contributing to the whole perhaps, making it difficult to pin point.

Possibly a combination of Fuel, driving habits, tune, luck, unlock door, weather etc

[nyknickfan]

Originally Posted by smallseafishie

Yeah I'm more of a fan of the torque. I get that at 1500rpm.

1400 - 5000rpm

[smallseafishie]

Originally Posted by JPSlick

Possibly a combination of Fuel, driving habits, tune, luck, unlock door, weather etc

I agree

[deletedelete]

The last time i was on here a few months ago, there was talk of a new fuel pump that was suppose to be the answer. Did that work?

[Cookiemonster]

Anyone depress the gas pedal a little while starting the car?

[BTM]

FWIW most times starting my car it is already unlocked. I don't lock it in my garage, and considering it's literally parked right outside my office and I can see it through the window I usually don't lock it here either. My startup procedure is put the key in, plug my phone in and get whatever else situated (water bottle, what have you) and then start the car, so there is probably about 30sec. Not sure if this makes a difference, but it's what I do when starting any vehicle not just because I'm scared of pump failure

X2 on not going below 1/4 tank...

[gizmo335i]

I wonder if anyone at BMW is sitting around thining about any of this stuff? I would say probably not. This is rediculous that we have to worry about all this....but I guess I will from now on. I had the engine malfunction reduced power 4 times. I took it in and it ended up being the pressure sensor. I'm still wondering if this is a symptom before it actually fails. I'm at 32K and I'm starting to think that posting anything about this on here is just going to jinx me at this point, lol...

[smallseafishie]

Originally Posted by BTM

FWIW most times starting my car it is already unlocked. I don't lock it in my garage, and considering it's literally parked right outside my office and I can see it through the window I usually don't lock it here either. My startup procedure is put the key in, plug my phone in and get whatever else situated (water bottle, what have you) and then start the car, so there is probably about 30sec. Not sure if this makes a difference, but it's what I do when starting any vehicle not just because I'm scared of pump failure

X2 on not going below 1/4 tank...

Well if you leave your idle, the car goes to sleep. Unlocking it wakes the car. I think the ECU goes to sleep regardless if you lock it or not.

On a second thought, I think my car locks itself if it's been unlocked after a long while? I can't remember...

[JoeyBananaz18]

thats so crazy it just might work. i remember the only long crank iv ever gotten was right after i immediately jumped in. holy crap. this may be a breakthrough.

[vasillalov]

It also makes sense to see fuel pumps fail for people who drive their cars primarily in the city. Such people start/stoop their engines more frequently and accumulate less miles. Each time the engine is started AND the fuel system is not pre-primed properly will put strain on the HPFP. This means that city rats like myself will experience HPFP failures more frequently. Mine went belly up at 7,500 miles.

On the other hand people who drive primarily on the highway, I suspect, that they may not have HPFP problems till much later.

Just another theory... The fact is, priming the fuel system is VERY important and especially for DI engines like ours.

[rkan]

This has been mentioned before but... I just got a software update to deal with pop up turn arrow not working and loss of ipod control when restarting car. I have comfort access and now when I touch the handle to unlock I hear a new whirring noise, most likely fuel pump priming. This was not the case before the update. I have seen some posts that report dealers are trying a software upgrade before pump replacement.