NHTSA Complaint #11012840 — 2008 BMW 335I

MY CAR BEGAN TO RUN ROUGHLY AFTER A COLD START AS I WAS LEAVING MY OFFICE. AFTER A FEW SECONDS AND FEELING DECREASED POWER, I TRIED TO PULL OFF THE ROAD AND INTO A PARKING SPOT IN THE PARKING GARAGE AT MICROSOFT'S HEAD QUARTERS (WHERE I WORK). THE VEHICLE STALLED OUT. I WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE AND GET INTO A PARKING SPACE, BUT IT CONTINUE TO RUN ROUGHLY. I NOTICED AN INTENSE SMELL OF GASOLINE AND IMMEDIATELY TURNED OFF THE ENGINE. I EXITED THE VEHICLE AND CHECKED THE EXHAUST. IT WAS BLOWING WHITE SMOKE AND HAD GASOLINE DRIPPING OUT OF THE TAIL PIPES, I LET THE VEHICLE COOL DOWN AND RESTARTED THE ENGINE WITH ANOTHER PERSON OBSERVING THE TAIL PIPE. IT AGAIN WAS RUNNING VERY ROUGH AND HAD GASOLINE SPRAYING OUT OF THE TAIL PIPE. I IMMEDIATELY TURNED OFF THE ENGINE. THE CAR WAS TOWED TO A SERVICE CENTER. THEY HAVE DIAGNOSED THE ISSUE IS THAT 2 OF THE INJECTORS ARE STUCK IN THE FULLY OPEN POSITION. AS A RESULT, THE CAR IS UNSAFE (I WAS LUCKY THERE WASN'T A MASSIVE FIRE). PREVIOUSLY, I'D HAD THE HPFP (HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP) REPLACED UNDER RECALL. I AM CONCERNED THAT THE RECALLED/REPLACED HPFP MAY ITSELF BE DEFECTIVE AND FAILED, CAUSING 2 INJECTORS TO FAIL SIMULTANEOUSLY (THERE'S STATISTICALLY NO CHANCE OF TWO INJECTORS FAILING SIMULTANEOUSLY WITHOUT SOME CAUSAL FACTOR UPSTREAM IN THE FUEL SYSTEM). ON CONTACTING BMW (IN BELLEVUE WA) AND BMW NORTH AMERICA, THEY HAVE REFUSED TO COVER THE REPAIR OR ACKNOWLEDGE THE ISSUE. I AM CONTINUING TO ENGAGE WITH THEM ON THE REPAIR, BUT BELIEVE THIS IS A MORE SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE. HAD I NOT PULLED OFF WHEN I DID, THE VEHICLE COULD HAVE WENT UP IN FLAMES WHILE ON THE HIGHWAY.