FaultScore

2012 BMW 550I fuel system problems

13 of the 53 complaints about the 2012 BMW 550I are about the fuel system — 25% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 58,200 miles.

D

13

Complaints

0

Crashes

1

Fires

0

Injuries

Exactly what failed

Fuel/Propulsion System 11 84.6%
Fuel System, Gasoline 2 15.4%

What owners said

Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.

FT Worth, TX

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

I was driving when the vehicle engine randomly shut down with out warning I was on the freeway at the time and could have been hit by a car. I took thr car to an auto repair shop, had the problem inspected snddiagnosed and was told the engine was faulty. I had the engine replaced and the same issue occurred. There were no warning lamps, messages, or alerts prior to the problem occurring. The drivetrain malfunction light came on as soon as the engine cut off.

NHTSA complaint #11542232 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Glendale Heights, IL

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

2012 F10 had issues while running as car installed and stopped completely multiple times in traffic. Fuel supply sign came on. Diagnosed as low pressure fuel pump degraded and need replacement. Same recall took place for 2007-2011 5 series model as well via recall campaign No. 16v-746: In-Tank Fuel Pump. 2012 have same issue and very dangerous to drive on road when vehicle stalls and stops while driving in traffic

NHTSA complaint #11421987 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 58,200 miles Epsom, NH Fire

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

THE HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP CAUSED A FIRE IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AND TOTALED THE CAR WITH LESS THAN 60K MILES ON IT

NHTSA complaint #11399068 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 118,000 miles APO, AE

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 BMW 550I. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE DRIVETRAIN MALFUNCTION WARNING LIGHT APPEARED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE CONTACT ALSO NOTICED THAT THE WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED UPON DEPRESSING THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE VEHICLE HESITATED WHEN THE FAILURE OCCURRED. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO REPLACED A SINGULAR COIL AND A SPARK PLUG. TWO MONTHS LATER, THE SAME FAILURE RECURRED AND THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THEY REPLACED ALL THE COILS AND SPARK PLUGS. UPON RETURN OF THE VEHICLE, THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING HOME AND THE VEHICLE SHUT-OFF WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED BACK TO THE SAME INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. UPON FURTHER INSPECTION OF THE VEHICLE, THE MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE OIL PUMP TIMING CHAIN WAS LOOSENED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. UPON INVESTIGATION, THE CONTACT LINKED THE FAILURE TO NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V746000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE) HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED. THE CONTACT REACHED OUT TO A DEALER AND WAS INFORMED THAT A DIAGNOSTIC NEEDED TO BE PERFORMED TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT DECLINED THE DIAGNOSTIC TEST. THE CONTACT ALSO EMAILED THE MANUFACTURER WHO INFORMED HIM TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO A LOCAL DEALER FOR ASSISTANCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 118,000.

NHTSA complaint #11361593 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 50,000 miles Plano, TX

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 BMW 550I GRAN TURISMO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE HER SON WAS DRIVING AT 45 MPH, THE VEHICLE LOSS POWER AND STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS PULLED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND RESTARTED. THE VEHICLE JERKED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE CLASSIC BMW LOCATED AT 6800 DALLAS PKWY, PLANO, TX 75024, (214) 778-2600, WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE FUEL PUMP AND THE SPARK PLUGS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CONTACT WAS TOLD THAT THERE WAS NO RECALL. THE MANUFACTURE WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THERE WAS NO RECALL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 50,000.

NHTSA complaint #11325994 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 87,900 miles Atlanta, GA

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

WHEN YOU FIRST TURN THE CAR ON IT SOUNDS VERY LOUD FOR ABOUT 5 MINUTES (LOUDER THAN NORMAL). WHEN DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD THE CAR WILL START SHAKING AND THE CAR COMPUTER POPS UP SAYING DRIVETRAIN MALFUNCTION AND YOU HAVE TO PULL OVER TO RESTART. HESITATE BEOFRE TAKING OFF AT A RED LIGHT OR WHEN TURNING IN AN INTERSECTION. COMPUTER ERROR MASSAGE COMES AND GOES.

NHTSA complaint #11321577 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 80,000 miles Port Wentworth, GA

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

WHEN DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD THE CAR WILL START SHAKING AND THE CAR COMPUTER POPS UP SAYING DRIVETRAIN MALFUNCTION AND YOU HAVE TO PULL OVER TO RESTART THE CAR. BUT IT DOES IT AGAIN 5-10 MINUTES LATER

NHTSA complaint #11315757 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 51,000 miles Glen Burnie, MD

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

WHEN I PRESS ON THE GAS TO ACCELERATE THE "DRIVETRAIN MALFUNCTION" ERROR COMES ON. MY CAR ONLY HAVE 51,000 MILES. I HAVE TO TURN THE CAR OFF AND WAIT A MINUTE TO RESUME DRIVING.

NHTSA complaint #11277330 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 89,359 miles Aurora, IL

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

CAR WILL STALL JERK AND STALL LOSSES POWER WHILE ACCELERATING.

NHTSA complaint #11255451 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 60,000 miles Somerville, TX

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

"TAKATA RECALL" OUR CAR STARTED FLASHING "INCREASED BATTERY DISCHARGE" AND "ALL ELECTRICAL DEVICES WILL SHUT OFF" WE TOOK IT TO THE BMW HOUSE. THEY DIAGNOSED IT, AS NEEDING A NEW BATTERY. WE REPLACED THE BATTERY AND 1 WEEK LATER THE SAME MESSAGE CAME ON AGAIN "INCREASED BATTERY DISCHARGE' "ALL ELECTRICAL DEVICES WILL SHUT OFF" . WE HAD TO TAKE IT BACK TO THE BMW HOUSE AND THEY DIAGNOSED IT THIS TIME AS NEEDING THE EXTERNAL DOOR HANDLE REPLACED, THEY SAID THE DOOR HANDLE HAD GONE OUT AND THAT SOME PART IN THAT HANDLE PUTS THE CAR TO SLEEP BUT IT WAS NOT ALLOWING THE CAR TO GO TO SLEEP AND THIS PULLED THE BATTERY DOWN. WE REPLACED THAT. THAT LASTED 2 WEEKS AND AGAIN THIS SAME MESSAGE CAME "INCREASED BATTERY DISCHARGE" "ELECTRICAL DEVICES ARE SHUTTING DOWN. I WAS ON THE WAY TO THE BMW HOUSE ONCE AGAIN IT STARTED TO SMELL LIKE WIRES BURNING AND UNDER THE CONSOLE WHERE THE GEAR IS STARTED TO SMOKE BAD!! TO THE POINT THAT I PARKED THE CAR THEN I CALLED THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. OUR CAR HAD TO BE HAULED TO THE BMW HOUSE. IT IS UNKNOWN WHY ALL THIS HAPPENED.

NHTSA complaint #11139976 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 35,000 miles Lynnwood, WA

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

FUEL PUMP DISENGAGES WHEN THE CAR GETS TOO HOT. IT'S HAPPENED THREE TIMES FORTUNATELY EACH TIME I WAS GOING 20 MPH OR LESS. THE CAR ESSENTIALLY STALLS OUT AND AT HIGHER SPEEDS COULD BE AN ISSUE. BMW HAS MADE A FUEL PUMP RECALL BUT THE 2012 550I DID NOT QUALIFY AND I BELIEVE IT SHOULD.

NHTSA complaint #11090889 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 40,800 miles Hopewell Junction, NY

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

THE CAR THREW A DRIVE TRAIN MALFUNCTION CODE WHICH HAPPENS WEEKLY ON THESE ENGINES AND THE CAR JUMPED A LANE AS IT MISFIRED AND WENT INTO LIMP DRIVING MODE. IF THERE WAS CARS NEXT TO ME THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN A CRASH. SINCE THEN BMW HAS ISSUED A CUSTOMER CAMPAIGN ON THE N63 ENGINE EFFECTING THOUGHTS OF CARS. THEY ARE CHANGING TONS OF PARTS FROM INJECTORS TO FUEL RAILS. IT SHOULD BE A FULL BLOWN RECALL AND THE NHTSA SHOULD GET INVOLVED ON THIS. MY CAR HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP SINCE 12/23 AND STILL HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED CORRECTLY. I HAVE A FEELING YOU ARE GOING TO BE GETTING THOUSANDS OF THESE COMPLAINTS AGAINST BMW. THEY NEED TO BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR THESE FAILURES.

NHTSA complaint #10676388 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 5,500 miles Auburn, WA

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

I HAVE A 2012 BMW 550I, CROSSTRACK, V-8, AND WITH ONLY 5500 MILES (PURCHASED IN JULY 2012). WHEN INITIALLY STARTING MY CAR ON A FLAT PLAIN, THE BEHAVIOR OF THE CAR STARTED TO SHAKE FIERCELY, REPEATED LOSS OF POWER, AND THE I-DRIVE REPORTED THE CHASSIS WAS MALFUNCTIONING. ONLY MODERATE DRIVING WAS PERMITTED. THE ENGINE LIGHT STAYED ON, AND NO MATTER HOW FAR THE GAS PEDAL WAS PRESSED, THE CAR WOULD NOT GAIN POWER. WHILE DRIVING, THE CAR STALLED SEVERAL TIMES AS I WAS ATTEMPTING TO GO UP THE HILL TO MY HOME. WHEN THE CAR STALLED, THE GEARS WOULD NOT GO INTO NEUTRAL OR PARK, AND THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP IMMEDIATELY. THIS EXPERIENCED WAS CLOSE CALL TO CRASHING THE CAR AND POSSIBLE SUSTAINING SIGNIFICANT INJURIES. AFTER WAITING FOR THREE HOURS, THE CAR STARTED UP NORMALLY. SEVERAL PEOPLE WHO HAVE CHATTED WITH REGARDING THE 2012 BMW 550I CROSSTRACK, V-8 HAVE REPORTED THESE SAME EXPERIENCES. APPARENTLY THE REPORTS ALL LINK BACK TO THE FUEL SYSTEM. (E.G., FUEL INJECTORS, FUEL PUMP, FUEL SENSORS, ETC.)

NHTSA complaint #10484582 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Other 2012 BMW 550I problems

← Full 2012 BMW 550I report