2003 BMW Z4 Fuel System Problems

12-31-08 MY CAR FAILED TO ACCELERATE WHILE I WAS TRAVELING ON THE INTERSTATE BETWEEN 55-65 MILES PE HOUR. I WAS TRAPPED IN THE MIDDLE LANE BUT WAS ABLE TO CRUISE TO THE OUTER LAND BUT WAS UNABLE TO DRIVE MY CAR TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD BEFORE THE ENGINE TURNED OFF. TAFTER 10 =15 MINUTES MY CAR STARTED, AND THE FLORIDA STATE TROOPER ASSIST ME TO THE NEXT EXIT. AFTER I HAD TO HAVE MY CAR TOWED TO MY HOME 45 MILES AWAY.... IT COST ME $197.00 BUT MY EXTENDED WARRANTY PAID 70 DOLLARS OF THE FULL COST..... BMW HAVE A RECALL ON CERTAIN 2003 Z4 FOR THE SAME PROBLEM BUT HAS REFUSED TO RECALL MY CAR AFTER IT IS HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM. *TR

I OWN A 2003 BMW Z4 AND HAVE HAD TWO FUEL PUMPS AND FILTER REPLACEMENTS. THE CAR HAS APPROXIMATELY 21,500 MILES. THE FIRST FAILURE WAS JUNE 2008. THE SECOND FAILURE OCCURRED WITHIN 1,000 MILES OF THE FIRST REPLACEMENT. BMW DEALER MAINTAINS IT IS ETHANOL IN THE PREMIUM GAS I BUY, WHICH IS FROM CHERVRON. THE FUEL PUMP IS SUPPOSEDLY SUBJECT TO FAILURE IF THE ETHANOL CONTENT EXCEEDS 10% OR MORE. I HAD THE CHEVRON FUEL TESTED AND IT FALLS WITHIN THE 10% LIMIT. ALL FUELS IN THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST CONTAIN UP TO 10% ETHANOL. I FIND IT HARD TO BELIEVE THAT BMW CANNOT DESIGN A FUEL PUMP TO HANDLE THE FUELS SOLD IN THE U.S. I SUPECT THE FUEL PUMP DESIGN IS FAULTY. ANYWAY I AM OUT ABOUT $2000 AND I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE THE CAR VERY FAR FROM TOWN. *TR

THE CONSUMER HAD THE VEHICLE FIXED UNDER RECALL CAMPAIGN NUMBER 04V-182000, BUT THE RECALL FAILED. *JB

DT: CONTACT RECEIVED RECALL 04V182000 CONCERNING THE FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE; DELIVERY; FUEL PUMP. HE SAID THIS VEHICLE WAS DOING EXACTLY THE SAME THING AS MENTIONED IN THE RECALL. IT WAS A PROBLEM THAT LED TO ENGINE SHUT DOWN. WHILE TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY VEHICLE DIED. WAS NOT ABLE TO RESTART THE CAR FOR ABOUT AN HOUR AND A HALF. CONSUMER FELT THAT THIS CAR SHOULD FALL WITHIN THE RECALL, BUT THE DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER TOLD HIM CAR DID NOT FALL INTO THE RECALL.*AK

WHILE DRIVING WEST ON I-70 NEAR EXIT 218 (ELEV 10,300', WEST OF DENVER) MY 2003 BMW Z4 STALLED. AFTER NUMEROUS RESTARTS, I WAS ABLE TO GET IF OFF THE ROAD AND ONTO THE EXIT. THE CAR WAS TAKEN TO THE HAULED TO THE BMW DEALER IN DENVER. THEY REPORTED TO ME THAT A SCREEN ON THE BOTTOM OF THE FUEL PUMP HAD COLLAPSED, CUTTING OFF THE FUEL SUPPLY. THE REPLACED THE PUMP. AT THAT TIME THE CAR HAD ABOUT 5000 MILES ON IT. IN EARLY AUGUST 2005 I WAS DRIVING THE CAR WEST ON US 6, CROSSING SOLDIER SUMMIT (ELEV. 7400'), WEST OF PRICE, UT. AGAIN THE CAR STALLED, ACTING LIKE IT WAS A FAILED FUEL PUMP. AFTER SPENDING ABOUT 20 MINUTES ON THE PHONE WITH THE SALT LAKE CITY BMW DEALERSHIP, I WAS ABLE TO START THE CAR AND DRIVE TO THE DEALERSHIP. AFTER CHECKING OUT THE CAR AT MURRAY MOTORS, THEY THOUGHT THAT THE PROBLEM WAS CAUSED BY THE HIGH ALTITUDE AND HIGH TEMPERATURE (IT AS ABOUT 75 DEGREES ON SOLDIER SUMMIT.) SINCE THE CAR HAD NOT HAD PROBLEMS THE PREVIOUS WEEK AT HOME (ELEV. 8050', TEMPERATURES UP TO 90), I QUESTIONED THAT DIAGNOSIS THEY SAID THAT BMW HAD DESIGNED A NEW FUEL PUMP FOR THE CAR, AND BMW AGREED TO INSTALL A NEW ONE, BUT THERE WERE NONE IN SLC. THEY TOLD ME TO DRIVE ON TO PORTLAND, OR, WHERE A NEW ONE WOULD BE INSTALLED. I DROVE TO PORTLAND AND IT WAS INSTALLED. DOES BMW HAVE PROBLEMS WITH THE Z4 FUEL PUMP? WE GOT NO RECALL NOTICE. MY WIFE IS HESITANT TO DRIVE THE CAR, IN CASE IT SHOULD STALL IN HEAVY TRAFFIC, AND RESULT IN AN ACCIDENT. IT SEEMS UNUSUAL FOR A CAR TO REPLACE THE FUEL PUMP TWICE IN 40,000 MILES. *NM