Faulty Secondary Air Pump - three in 10 months

[ezdzit]

2003 Z4 3.0 38K miles - I'm original owner

In Jan service engine light (yellow) came on. Dealer could not determine cause or find anything wrong. Reset service engine soon light.

Feb - service engine light (yellow) back on - dealer kept car for a week and finally determined secondary air pump was locked up. Assumed pump was faulty and replaced it.

June - same story as in Feb except didn't take as long to determine secondary air pump was locked up. Replaced pump, unable to determine cause.

Oct - Same story - pump currently being replaced. Dealer now somewhat sure problem is corroded connector and possibly a relay. I need to ask about corroded connector. I would think if this has been the problem, it would have been noticed on previous two replacements.

Dealer thinks pumps are failing because they are running constantly (not designed for continuous operation) insteaad of only until engine warms up.

Anybody have similar problems - any thoughts as to cause?

Mike<img src=http://dive.scubadiving.com/members/memberimages/9307_3781_2.jpg>

[ezdzit]

I miss-counted - this is actually the fourth secondary air pump to be installed since Mid Jan 08.

Dealer very sure problem is related to badly corroded connector. My guess is that in Jan 07 during oil change, the windshield washer bottle was topped off and fluid was spilled in the area of this connector. A year later, prior to next oil change is when the problems started. This is my only explanation for the corrosion since the hood is rarely open other than when at the dealer.

Mike
<img src=http://dive.scubadiving.com/members/memberimages/9307_3781_2.jpg>

[BMW NA Customer Relations]

I am with BMW of North America, LLC. I've passed this message on to a BMW NA Customer Relations Representative who will be in touch with you soon.

[lpcapital]

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1998 Z3 1.9 (my baby)
2003 Z4 2.5i (my babe's baby)

[ezdzit]

is concerned about resolving problem if it continues.

I have name and phone number to contact in case problem has not been fixed. Additionally BMW NA is contacting dealer to have cost of recent repair refuned.

I haven't been on this board in a while, but have noticed that BMW NA monitors the forum and does ocassionally get involved.

Mike


<img src=http://dive.scubadiving.com/members/memberimages/9307_3781_2.jpg>

[lpcapital]

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1998 Z3 1.9 (my baby)
2003 Z4 2.5i (my babe's baby)

[zrdster]

I've several occasions where BMW NA has monitored and assisted board contributors on different matters. Kudo's to BMW NA Customer Relations...<font face="Benguiat Bk BT" size="1"><b><font color="#0896DE">MikeP<br>
///ZRDSTER<br>"Stafford, VA"
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[Inject]

My daughter has a 2003 Z4 with 54000 miles and also got the P0411 Secondary Air Injection Sytem Incorrect Flow Detected code and I discovered the air pump was bad and replaced it at Thanksgiving 2008. Within two weeks that pump stopped working so I replaced that pump as well as the check valve that attaches to the head and the relay that controls the pump. She still get the code so I removed the pump and check valve and ran a bench test. There is no flow through the check valve so I guess the last pump does not have the required pressure to open the check valve. I checked it with the old and new check valves with the same result. It appears BMW has a bad batch of air pumps.

Ken

[lpcapital]

...on the exhaust manifold? I haven't had a chance to take a look at how that check valve is controlled on the M54, but on my Z3 (M44 engine), is vacuum controlled: there is a rubber hose going from the intake (past the TB) for a solenoid then to the valve... When the SAP is running the solenoid lets the vacuum get to the valve and it's the vacuum opening the valve, not the backpressure built by the pump... But the M54 could be otherwise...
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1998 Z3 1.9 (my baby)
2003 Z4 2.5i (my babe's baby)