BMW Voluntary Emissions and Safety Recalls 130,000 vehicles with N54 engine

[satinGHOST|r!der]

I know quite a number had been affected by the HPFP but even if we do get our cars recalled to be repaired, what kind of repair are they going to carry out? I mean BMW had not been able to fix the problem for 3+ years now. How can owners be sure that (even with recall) that this issue will be finally rectified now?

Just my 2c thoughts.

My take if it is JUST a hardware replacement I think it will be fixed. But when software is involved with a hardware replacement, I can't help but to think that something else in the car will be "adjusted" below optimal operating levels. Just like what they did with the wastegate rattle in the N54 where they adjusted the actuators to "conceal" the sound of the wastegate rattle. It is NOT a fix IMHO. The hardware fault is still there. All those who had this software in the car complained of horrible lag. Remember this is a massive recall and it sure as hell from a commercial point of view makes sense to save the most money. So in the end, it's hard to really know what is put in. But for sure, people will find out what has been done especially in the US. Yes almost 4 years now and it's still unresolved. Amazing.

Those who want to know more about the wastegate rattle can read here. Sometimes they should have just run external goddamn wastegates. Anyway as I understand, the newer cars come with THICKER actuator rods that do not loosen itself over time.

http://www.1addicts.com/forums/showthread.php?t=220310

Excerpt

Originally Posted by Mr. 5
I take no responsibility for what you do with your car. What you do is at your own risk!
As some of you know, I've had some problems with my wastegates rattling.
I was one of the first to have this issue.
If you don't know about this issue then read the link down below and look at the pictures. It will help you understand this issue.
I started this thread once I found what I thought was the issue but then I realized that it had nothing to do with gaps where I thought.
http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=132037
I closed that thread because of a couple reasons:
1. If you want it done professionally and you don't care about the extra lag and the less power with tunes then you need to take it into the dealer and have them fix it.
2. This really is a solution to the problem. In most (if not all) cases that I know, the wastegate ticking is caused from the rear wastegate ticking. The front one is perfectly fine.
First off, how is everything working?
When you start the car with a pre 29.2 program, the rear wastegate shuts at idle to decrease some of the lag.
The solenoid is controlled electronically to control the actuator with a vacuum. This is why there is a vacuum line going from the solenoid to the actuator.
When the actuator is being controlled with a vacuum, the actuator rod gets sucked into the actuator, which pulls the wastegate closed.
The ticking is the sound of the wastegate rattling against the seal if there is not enough pressure keeping it closed.
Why does 29.2 solve the issue most of the time?
Because with this program, when you start the car up, the rear wastegate is not closed anymore. It is open. Therefore, there is nothing to rattle against any seal.
Here is the issue:
The Actuator Rod is loosening after time. When the rod loosens, the length of the rod increases and increases, eventually making the wastegate not seal properly. Since there eventually becomes little to no pressure against the seal, then the wastegate rattles against the seal, causing the ticking sound.
I took my car to the dealer and they told me that in order to fix the problem, they would need to first update the program to the newest software before they touch the wastegates. The dealer does not adjust the actuators. They are told to replace the actuators with brand new ones and then adjust the new ones.
So, because of this, I refused the service.
Let's think about how to fix this:
There is the one 10mm nut, and there is a groove on the actuator rod, which is meant for a wrench to adjust.
I figured, why I can’t I do this?
The first thing you need to do is loosen the 10mm nut.
Second, you need to find a wrench that's small enough to fit in the groove of the rod. I actually made one using a regular piece of scrap metal in the garage and a dremel to cut a groove in it since I don't have tools that small.
Once you have the tool, tighten the rod a couple revolutions (this is subjective because some ticking could be worse than others). Of course, you don't want to tighten the rod up that much since the wastegates still need to open.
Seriously, for those out there that never ever wants the new program because of the lag and all the crap that goes with it, this really is an easy solution for you to do if you are somewhat handy.
I take no responsibility for what you do with your car. What you do is at your own risk!

[davidtch]

Another 2 article from BMW Blog:
Has the ABC News investigation influenced BMW’s recall decision?
Ignition and Recall Timing: A Tale of High Pressure Fuel Pump Failures

Alpina has been turbocharging BMW engine for decades. If prototype N54 is build by Alpina, BMW should seriously look @ the prototype again.

On the other hand, the price difference btw E92 335 & Alpina B3S in UK about GBP 12k.

[satinGHOST|r!der]

Another 2 article from BMW Blog:
Has the ABC News investigation influenced BMW’s recall decision?
Ignition and Recall Timing: A Tale of High Pressure Fuel Pump Failures

Alpina has been turbocharging BMW engine for decades. If prototype N54 is build by Alpina, BMW should seriously look @ the prototype again.

On the other hand, the price difference btw E92 335 & Alpina B3S in UK about GBP 12k.

Fully agree. They should go back to the main prototype they bought off Alpina and start putting back the original items that came with it. At least the ones that are failing on the current engines now like the HPFP.

[Kunimine]

It would be nice if we could take BMW Asia to task as an interest group, in a formal manner, possibly in the form of a signed petition. This could involve all forum members who may be exposed to this risk, or already have, but had suffered in silence. Since BMW has already acknowledged this as a known fault, surely, owners of both PML and PI cars can be involved, and they have to respond to us.

Granted they haven't found a permanent solution to this issue, a blanket 10 year warranty to replace the HPFP, like the one BMW USA gave to their customers, would suit us perfectly, since that's usually how long our cars last in Singapore.