This has happened first thing in the morning 3 times. Car garaged under house, about 45 degrees this AM. Today it stalled 5-6 times upon starting, the idle obviously didn't stay up where it should have. I couldn't really get the gas pedal to give it gas the first few times either (maybe it won't work on startup I don't know). Once I was able to give it gas it was fine. There is no abnormal noise at all. Anyone?

 

dirty gas? water in gas? where do U fill up??

 

Short Commute? That sounds like the problem I had last year (only not as bad)

 

This happened to me last winter. There is a secondary fuel pump near the fuel rail on these cars, and if it fails the car will have trouble starting until the primary fuel pump builds up enough pressure for the injectors to get enough gas into the cylinder to start. Once the fuel lines get to the proper pressure it will be fine and give no more trouble. In a way it is a cold start issue because it only happens after the fuel pressure drops back to ambient from not being driven overnight and your engine needs more gas in your air/fuel ratio when it is cold. You should call your SA and ask him to check out the car and pay attention to this fuel pump. After about a week of ignoring your advice to check out the fuel pump and after replacing your ECU your dealer might swallow his pride find out it is the fuel pump and fix your car in two hours.

 

had one of these at work and it was the high pressure fuel pump. im assume u have a cooper s.

 

So you're saying there are 2 fuel pumps in this car, one primary and another secondary one that is meant to work when the engine is cold? Or does the secondary pump funcion first? I didn't know this. Thanks

 

I didn't know there were two pumps either until one of mine failed. The dealer told me that there are two, one in the fuel tank (high volume) and the other closer to the fuel rail (high pressure). They both work at the same time all of the time. When the fuel pump closer to the fuel rail failed on my Mini the car would still run, but it had trouble starting because the pump in the tank was doing all of the work and it took more time for it to build up enough pressure to get enough fuel into my cylinder to run a cold engine. After 20-30 seconds the fuel pressure would have built up enough to start the engine.

 

That's good to know. Now that I know this do you think I should approach a service advisor (bypass the MA, I don't even remember who he was) and bring this to his attention so he can directly test the high pressure pump? It sounds like that's my problem.

 

http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts...97&hg=13&fg=15

 

Any Chance youd be coming down today? There'll be a good turn out at the dealership for an event...

Dont know if you remember me, but I met you at the Shell on Gail Gardner and Iron Springs a while back...I was riding my quad. So you never got to see my Mini

 

I always go to straight to the SA, but I've been in so much we're on a first name basis.

 

Why go to the sales department if you're there for service? Our dealer had an open house a couple weeks ago and the service manager said to all those assembled (15-20 folks), "Pull up to the door, it'll open automatically, drive in, then I'll come over and write up the service order".

 

I haven't taken it in. I live 100 miles away, so I'd need to be there for something else. It still does it. Not every day, but 2-3 times a week. Usually starts on the 3rd to 5th try.

 

Is the 2nd fuel pump what I hear when I click the unlock button on my car? I've always wondered and never actually asked anyone, just assumed it was the fuel pump.

Sounds like the hydraulic pumps on an SMG transmission almost...

 

Started another thread about my car (CC ID 029). Yesterday I couldn't start it at all in 8 tries. Then it started and I could rev it with sluggigish throttle response but it died when I took my foot off the gas. Then it started and ran, badly, shaking, as if 2 cylinders were firing, and there was no throttle response at all. About 500 rpm. CEL came on finally, ID 029. Lots of bad exhaust smell in garage. Temp was 55 degrees here. Had it towed to dealer in Scottsdale this morning. I think it's a fuel delivery problem. 91 gas, no recent fillups, about 200 miles on this tank. Gas cap tight. Any guesses as to what they'll find? Thanks.

 

my guess is the same as yrs: fuel delivery issue somewhere.

 

They haven't torn into it yet (will be done tomorrow) but they're sure it's a fuel pump, maybe the high pressure one, as mentioned by Scarrabrian in this thread. I'll know tomorrow when I pick it up. It was nice of him to say they'd deliver it to me if I'm over 100 miles away (I am), but I'll be down there for New Years anyway.
Edit: Car fixed. High pressure fuel pump (under the hood somewhere) was said to be the problem. I guess when it goes out the car will not function. I was under the impression that because there is another fuel pump (high volume, in the gas tank) that the car would eventually start and run just fine. I guess that's not the case, 'cause my car wouldn't run the other day, trust me!