Hi folks, hoping someone could give me an armchair opinion on what may have happened to my '06 530i.

For a few months following an automatic transmission rebuild last year I was having an issue where anytime the gas tank went under half the car would stop. I assumed this was related to a fuel pump issue but since I had just dropped 4k into the car and it was still drive-able I decided I would get this repaired at my next oil change In March.

I live in Baltimore and we just had a terrible blizzard as you all know, after digging my car out I went to start it and it was fine, I backed out and reparked and left it alone for a couple of days since the roads weren't clear yet. When trying to restart it I couldn't get it to turn over while cranking. I thought maybe it was related to the fuel pump again (car was about half full), but after putting 2 gallons in I still couldn't get it to start.

I had it towed to the BMW stealership and was told my Eccentric Shaft Sensor failed, but they made no mention of a fuel pump error which I believe would be the obvious issue.

What do you guys think? Am I about to drop $1800 on this shaft only to then be told I also need a fuel pump?

 

hi,

I know this is an older thread but I'm having similar issues with our 07 530xi. Were you able to determine if the actual culprit was the fuel pump or the eccentric shaft sensor?

TIA,
Jim

 

Hi, Don't know about your n52 engine, but on my 05 530 with m54 engine, I changed my fuel filter and first time around, I didn't get the scavenge pipe hooked back together properly. I could only get the car to run for first haft a tank. Turns out with the split tanks, left cell and right cell, without the left cell transferring fuel back toright cell, when you get down to 1/2 tank, the tank divider will keep the left cell, the better part of full and the right cell runs dry. So if anyone has been into the fuel cells, this may be your problem.

 

Thanks, this is great information. I did change the fuel filter a couple of months ago but the problem started later than that as I have had several tanks at below the half mark without issues since replacing the fuel filter. The problem started after I drained and filled the transmission fluid and reset all adaptations using INPA. The car lost power in stop and go traffic after it was run at highway speeds for a while. When that happened the tank was half full. I pressed on the accelerator and it doesn't want to rev for a few seconds and then it jumped and then bogged down repeatedly and that goes on and on until I pull over and shut and restart the car. Then it runs fine for a couple of weeks until I run into similar conditions (long highway trips, followed by stop and go traffic and tank half full). I have checked with INPA and ISTA/D and there are no codes. This is a weird one and I'm thinking it may also be a slow dying fuel pump or the eccentric shaft sensor or a crankshaft sensor but that's guessing for now.