NHTSA Complaint #10356714 — 2008 BMW 335I

I HAVE NOW EXPERIENCED FOUR FAILURES OF THE HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP ON MY 2008 BMW 335I COUPE IN THE PAST YEAR. THREE OF THESE FAILURES RESULTED IN SITUATIONS WHERE POWER WAS LOST WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN HEAVY TRAFFIC THAT COULD HAVE RESULTED IN COLLISIONS FROM THE REAR. I ALL CASES THE CAR WAS BEHAVING NORMALLY AT SPEEDS UP TO 70MPH AND THEN THE ENGINE WOULD STOP OR GO INTO LIMP MODE ALLOWING TRAVEL AT LESS THAN 20MPH. THE FOURTH CASE RESULTED IN THE CAR NOT STARTING. IN ALL FOUR INSTANCES THE BMW DEALER STATED THE PROBLEM WAS THE HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP. THE PUMP HAS NOW BEEN REPLACED TWICE AND THE ENGINE SOFTWARE HAS BEEN UPDATED THREE TIMES. THE MOST RECENT INSTANCE OCCURRED IN LATE AUGUST AND REQUIRED THAT THE VEHICLE BE TOWED. THAT IS THE OCCURRENCE REPORTED IN THE BALANCE OF THE FORM. PREVIOUS FAILURES WERE IN JUNE OF 2010, AUGUST OF 2009 AND JULY OF 2009. THIS IS CLEARLY A PROBLEM THAT COULD RESULT IN A VERY SERIOUS ACCIDENT IF IT WERE TO OCCUR IN CLOSE CHARTERS AT HIGH SPEED. *TR