[abraham17]

This is for the 2013 BMW X3 28ixDrive Chassis F25 Engine N20, it has 76,000km.

Symptoms: Power Train Malfunction message on the dashboard, immediately the limp mode is activated, fuel delivery fails, and the engine cuts off.

Cause: EKPS module overheating; the fuel system components are in-tank fuel pump, hi-pressure fuel pump, pressure sensor and the EKPS module (electronic fuel pump module).

First time I got the problem I was driving in the afternoon, exterior temperature around 25 Celsius, the message appeared as a Power Train Malfunction and the car died; after some minutes it started but then again maybe 5 minutes driving it died. Next day I got a OBD reader, a generic one, and I got the error code as a “High Pressure Fuel Fail”. I towed the car to my home and started my research, the thing is the car started normally and was able to drive but I was not sure how much time it will take to fail again.

I decided to change the Hi-pressure pump, the one located in the engine bay. It cost around $200 USD it was a new Bosch pump, installed the pump and got back to normal use of the car. Two weeks later if failed again.
Again, the OBD reader sent the Fuel System Fail, after some research possible component to be failing was the fuel pressure sensor located in the fuel trail next to the fuel injectors. I changed the sensor, bought a new Bosch sensor cost around $100 USD.

Couple of days of normal driving got the same failure, OBD reader sent Fuel System Fail, next thing to check was the in-tank fuel pump; changed the in-tank pump bought a new one for around $200 USD but 3 weeks later the problem again appeared once.

Immediately after that, the COVID-19 lockdown started here in Mexico City and the truck was not in use daily and the problem did not appear for about 6 months.

I was really pissed off because this intermittent problem, the most annoying thing was that the car could be driven without problems and suddenly the car died and left you in the middle of a traffic light… I had changed both pumps and the pressure sensor.

Mistake number one, and the costliest, use an OBD generic reader.
After some research I got myself the ISTA+ BMW software, I started to read the codes from the fault memory in the X3, the fuel fault was stored in the memory and I decided to start the testing procedure; ISTA was able to run a test for both pumps and the fuel pressure sensor, the only component missing was the EKPS module, this is an electronic module that sends the signal to the in-tank pump to start.

The EKPS module is located underneath the rear seat, I removed the rear seat and plugged in a multimeter to it, started the engine and left it running for some time voltage is going from 9v to 14v; sun light was hitting the module directly and after maybe 10 minutes the module failed, voltage reading was 0v and it was very hot.

Finally, I have found the responsible of this mess, spent more than $500 USD and ten months of uncertainty… the EKPS module was overheating from time to time and cutoff the signal to the in-tank fuel pump, that was the reason the fail was intermittent, only when the exterior temperature was so high the module started to fail, when it cools down the fuel delivery starts again.

Strongly suggested, get ISTA to diagnose and test your BMW, don’t trust OBD generic readers, your best investment saves you time and money.

Solution: changed the EKPS module. I grabbed one used with the same numbers on Ebay for $50 USD, plug and play. The X3 is running fine since then.

Note. Some guys prefer to get a new EKPS module instead, but you will need to code the new EKPS for your engine, coding requires ISTA P, i.e. the software to code modules for BMW’s.

[GypsyRow]

Hi I read your post I am experiencing something similar after bring my car home from the shop where they had replaced my coils and spark plugs. They have not had time to get it back in. My car has only died on me once but when I accelerate it sometimes stalls and shakes violently. I will go to pull out and it stalls not all the time. I haven't driven it much maybe a 1000 miles over a period of 2 months over the past couple days I have began to notice a very strong fuel smell. It's very overwhelming like someone poured gas inside the car. I noticed some things in your post but I was curious if you experienced any of the other things I mentioned. Thank you for your time.

[pungo]

Originally Posted by GypsyRow

Hi I read your post I am experiencing something similar after bring my car home from the shop where they had replaced my coils and spark plugs. They have not had time to get it back in. My car has only died on me once but when I accelerate it sometimes stalls and shakes violently. I will go to pull out and it stalls not all the time. I haven't driven it much maybe a 1000 miles over a period of 2 months over the past couple days I have began to notice a very strong fuel smell. It's very overwhelming like someone poured gas inside the car. I noticed some things in your post but I was curious if you experienced any of the other things I mentioned. Thank you for your time.

I would not drive it at all with a "very strong fuel smell" since your vehicle may catch on fire and total it

You never mentioned if you used a proper scan tool like ISTA+ to check for codes