Fuel tank failure/ Warranty?

[teknake]

Ist post I have 2011 e90 with n51 engine and my independent garage has diagnosed that the fuel tank has failed. Symptoms, while driving the car would die and I would pull off to the side of the road and after waiting 5 minutes or so it would restart and run fine. This happened on 4-5 different occasions. Then it did the same thing while en-route to have issue diagnosed and didn't restart. Had the vehicle towed to indy garage and it then started and they drove it off the tow truck. The service tech did determine that the fuel tank would need to be replaced. I have been quoted $2600 to replace the tank. This is a SULEV vehicle is there a possibility that it is a warranty item?

[JDStrickland]

Ist post I have 2011 e90 with n51 engine and my independent garage has diagnosed that the fuel tank has failed. Symptoms, while driving the car would die and I would pull off to the side of the road and after waiting 5 minutes or so it would restart and run fine. This happened on 4-5 different occasions. Then it did the same thing while en-route to have issue diagnosed and didn't restart. Had the vehicle towed to indy garage and it then started and they drove it off the tow truck. The service tech did determine that the fuel tank would need to be replaced. I have been quoted $2600 to replace the tank. This is a SULEV vehicle is there a possibility that it is a warranty item?

Yes, there is a very good chance that this is covered by the warranty. How many miles?

I would Google N51 EMISSIONS WARRANTY to see what the coverage is. I'm not certain, but I think that you have to go to the dealership to get warranty remedy. You're describing a fuel pump failure, and if the N51 is anything like the M56 (SULEV used in the E46 cars) then you must replace the fuel tank.

[teknake]

Yes, there is a very good chance that this is covered by the warranty. How many miles?

I would Google N51 EMISSIONS WARRANTY to see what the coverage is. I'm not certain, but I think that you have to go to the dealership to get warranty remedy. You're describing a fuel pump failure, and if the N51 is anything like the M56 (SULEV used in the E46 cars) then you must replace the fuel tank.

Approximately 120,000 miles

[jclausen]

I would check the white booklet that lists a lot of emission warranty items or go to the dealer check with service but either way there going to have to diagnoise it first also there is a fuel pump module that could cause issues

[marvinstockman]

There are certain states that followed California for emissions, but I don't think Iowa is one of them. Call a dealer or BMW, and give them you VIN. See what they say. I live in Maryland and have an SULEV, and it is covered by the extended warranty.

[JDStrickland]

There are certain states that followed California for emissions, but I don't think Iowa is one of them. Call a dealer or BMW, and give them you VIN. See what they say. I live in Maryland and have an SULEV, and it is covered by the extended warranty.

I think that all SULEV cars get the same emissions warranty.

The whole point of the Super Ultra Low Emissions Vehicle standard is that they are sealed tightly so that no fumes escape to the atmosphere. SULEV is a federal standard, not manufacturer or state. The emission system warranty is 15 years or 150,000 miles. It's difficult to tell, but it appears that there are tax incentives that the feds give if an auto maker builds a car to the SULEV standard, but the exposure to the automaker is that they must support the car (emissions system, mostly) longer than they support "regular" cars. The danger to the owners of these cars is TIME, if you're the kind of owner that keeps a car for 20 years, then an SULEV opens you to maintenance costs that you might otherwise be able to cover by working on the car by yourself. For example, replacing a fuel pump is not a task that is required to be done by professionals -- there's absolutely no reason that a guy with a healthy collection of screwdrivers could not replace a fuel pump in his driveway unless the fuel pump is in an SULEV vehicle. Google SULEV WARRANTY, the designation is applied to several auto makers, not just BMW.

[teknake]

I think that all SULEV cars get the same emissions warranty.

The whole point of the Super Ultra Low Emissions Vehicle standard is that they are sealed tightly so that no fumes escape to the atmosphere. SULEV is a federal standard, not manufacturer or state. The emission system warranty is 15 years or 150,000 miles. It's difficult to tell, but it appears that there are tax incentives that the feds give if an auto maker builds a car to the SULEV standard, but the exposure to the automaker is that they must support the car (emissions system, mostly) longer than they support "regular" cars. The danger to the owners of these cars is TIME, if you're the kind of owner that keeps a car for 20 years, then an SULEV opens you to maintenance costs that you might otherwise be able to cover by working on the car by yourself. For example, replacing a fuel pump is not a task that is required to be done by professionals -- there's absolutely no reason that a guy with a healthy collection of screwdrivers could not replace a fuel pump in his driveway unless the fuel pump is in an SULEV vehicle. Google SULEV WARRANTY, the designation is applied to several auto makers, not just BMW.

Thanks to all. I will contact BMWNA and see what response I get. Will add to thread once I have more info.

[BC535is]

You might have them check the fuel pump control module. I had a very similar problem in my 08 328xi and it was resolved by replacing that module and of course, having it programmed for the vehicle.

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[teknake]

Thanks to all.I took to BMW dealer who diagnosed the problem as Fuel pump control module. Not covered by SULEV warranty. They said $900+ to replace which included $150 diagnostic fee. I called indy, whom I have used for years and he said they would take care of it as they had recently replaced fuel pump after mis diagnosing the issue. I'm not positive but I think if the vehicle was registered in a state which had adopted the California emission standards it would have been covered.

[JDStrickland]

Thanks to all.I took to BMW dealer who diagnosed the problem as Fuel pump control module. Not covered by SULEV warranty. They said $900+ to replace which included $150 diagnostic fee. I called indy, whom I have used for years and he said they would take care of it as they had recently replaced fuel pump after mis diagnosing the issue. I'm not positive but I think if the vehicle was registered in a state which had adopted the California emission standards it would have been covered.

SULEV is not a California emissions standard. It is a federal standard that gives the automaker an incentive to build/sell low emissions cars by charging extra for the low emissions components, but then covering the failures under warranty for people that buy them. The automaker rolls the dice that the SULEV stuff will not need service, and they therefore get to sell stuff at a premium with little to no exposure to the downside risk.

If your indy replaced the fuel pump without replacing the fuel tank, then you do not have the SULEV. The key to your question is in whether you have the N51 or the N52. The N51 is SULEV.

[BC535is]

I would like to offer a clarification here. The fuel pump can absolutely be replaced on a SULEV e90 with a N51 engine! It is a more expensive fuel pump than others but otherwise the same procedure. Perhaps there is some confusion over SULEV e46 vehicles?

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[JDStrickland]

I would like to offer a clarification here. The fuel pump can absolutely be replaced on a SULEV e90 with a N51 engine! It is a more expensive fuel pump than others but otherwise the same procedure. Perhaps there is some confusion over SULEV e46 vehicles?

There can certainly be some confusion of the E46 SULEV cars and the E9x SULEV cars. Having said that, SULEV cars have a warranty coverage for emissions and fuel delivery that is better than for the same systems that are not SULEV. The SULEV warranty is federal, not state.

[marvinstockman]

I believe, but check, if your car was 2010, was sold in CA, and now lives in Iowa, it would be covered. It is a 2011, and needs to be registered in a CA compliant state, like Maryland, to be covered. Mine is a 2011 and is covered in MD.