N52 Electric Water Pump Failure

scottyD · 01-27-2012, 01:28 PM

N52 owners - beware of the electric water pump. My electric water pump failed on me on Monday. I just replaced it last night. 71k miles.

Apparently it's become somwehat of a common problem for the N52. I haven't seen this discussed much on the Z4 forums, but after doing some searching I found that it's been discussed a lot more on other forums with the N52 engine (3 and 5 series).

I started my car on Monday morning after it had been sitting in the garage all weekend, and as soon as I did the radiator fan started running at high speed, as if I was overheating. I continued driving to work, with radiator fan running on high the whole way, and noticed my temperature gauge was going high, but cold air instead of heat came from the air vents. After I shut the car off at work the fan continued to run on low speed for a few minutes. Luckily I have a short enough drive that I never got the red light indicating an overheat. Hopefully no serious overheat damage occurred.

Water pump replacement isn't too bad. The Z4 provides easy access to the pump compared to what seems to be a harder job on the 3 series. A new pump is around $400, and you need to get a few new aluminum bolts as well. You will need to drain the coolant and add new after the new pump is in. Took me about 4 hours.

thekurgan · 01-27-2012, 01:38 PM

Mechanical Pump > Electric (mapped) pump

Huz-Z · 01-27-2012, 06:59 PM

It seems that you avoided doing any damage to your car, which is good! And, that doesnt seem like a horribly painful repair, from a cost perspective anyway.

Cheers!

Aries326 · 01-27-2012, 09:33 PM

Not bad considering it failed at 71,000 miles. The water pump on my Jeep Grand Cherokee 2001 failed at around 50,000 miles. On the other hand, my dd is a 2002 Honda Civic and the only thing I've had to repair on it are brakes.

Gripster · 01-28-2012, 12:53 AM

Sounds like it might be good insurance to do this as a preventative maintenance like on the E46's. At least the Z4 has a temperature gauge. My E90 330i (also N52) has no temperature gauge. Nice move BMW.

scottyD · 01-28-2012, 02:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thekurgan

Mechanical Pump > Electric (mapped) pump

With the history of the mechanical water pump failures on BMWs, and my recent electric pump failure, I wouldn't be proud to have either. BMW just can't figure this out for some reason.

The electric pump does have some advantages over mechanical - for example, being able to vent the cooling system without running the engine.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gripster

Sounds like it might be good insurance to do this as a preventative maintenance like on the E46's. At least the Z4 has a temperature gauge. My E90 330i (also N52) has no temperature gauge. Nice move BMW.

It might be. Up until recently the history on the reliability of the electric water pump didn't exist - it was still too new of a technology. Now it seems that enough people have had failures that it may be reasonable.

thekurgan · 01-28-2012, 06:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by scottyD

With the history of the mechanical water pump failures on BMWs, and my recent electric pump failure, I wouldn't be proud to have either. BMW just can't figure this out for some reason.

The electric pump does have some advantages over mechanical - for example, being able to vent the cooling system without running the engine.

It might be. Up until recently the history on the reliability of the electric water pump didn't exist - it was still too new of a technology. Now it seems that enough people have had failures that it may be reasonable.

$400 ... hell even the Stewart pump isn't that much.

Ron Stygar · 01-28-2012, 09:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thekurgan

$400 ... hell even the Stewart pump isn't that much.

$522.11 retail.

S54 $493.87 retail.

S54 Steerng pump $611.90 retail.

DataStream18 · 01-28-2012, 09:27 PM

Nope, $190! Love it!

thekurgan · 01-29-2012, 10:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ron Stygar

$522.11 retail.

S54 $493.87 retail.

S54 Steerng pump $611.90 retail.

Stewart pump is < $200

http://www.stewartcomponents.net/Mer...y_Code=BMWHPWP

Haven't heard an S54 water pump failing as early as the new mapped units.

CalRick · 01-29-2012, 10:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thekurgan

$400 ... hell even the Stewart pump isn't that much.

The Stewart pump doesn't have wires growing out of it. Anything BMW and electrical will double the price, at least, over old tech.

01-27-2012, 01:28 PM	#1
scottyD Private First Class 2 Rep 136 Posts Drives: 07 3.0si Coupe Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: DC/Baltimore area iTrader: (0)	N52 Electric Water Pump Failure N52 owners - beware of the electric water pump. My electric water pump failed on me on Monday. I just replaced it last night. 71k miles. Apparently it's become somwehat of a common problem for the N52. I haven't seen this discussed much on the Z4 forums, but after doing some searching I found that it's been discussed a lot more on other forums with the N52 engine (3 and 5 series). I started my car on Monday morning after it had been sitting in the garage all weekend, and as soon as I did the radiator fan started running at high speed, as if I was overheating. I continued driving to work, with radiator fan running on high the whole way, and noticed my temperature gauge was going high, but cold air instead of heat came from the air vents. After I shut the car off at work the fan continued to run on low speed for a few minutes. Luckily I have a short enough drive that I never got the red light indicating an overheat. Hopefully no serious overheat damage occurred. Water pump replacement isn't too bad. The Z4 provides easy access to the pump compared to what seems to be a harder job on the 3 series. A new pump is around $400, and you need to get a few new aluminum bolts as well. You will need to drain the coolant and add new after the new pump is in. Took me about 4 hours.
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01-27-2012, 01:38 PM	#2
thekurgan Bad Lieutenant 232 Rep 3,517 Posts Drives: E90M3 Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Sacramento iTrader: (0) Garage List 2008 BMW M3 [0.00]	Mechanical Pump > Electric (mapped) pump __________________ 02 E39M5 \| TiAg/Schwartz \| Tubi Rumore \| Ultimate Ti Pedals \| E60 SSK \| Jim Blanton 3.45 40/100% \| Coby Alcantara \| StrongStrut STB
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01-27-2012, 06:59 PM	#3
Huz-Z Brigadier General 851 Rep 4,057 Posts Drives: Z4 3.0si, 328 XDrive, X5 35i Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Canada iTrader: (0)	It seems that you avoided doing any damage to your car, which is good! And, that doesnt seem like a horribly painful repair, from a cost perspective anyway. Cheers! __________________ Huz-Z BMW Z4 3.0si Roadster. Montego Blue Metallic. Premium and Sport Package.
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01-27-2012, 09:33 PM	#4
Aries326 Lieutenant Colonel 195 Rep 1,530 Posts Drives: 2008 Z4 3.0si, 2013 E92 M3 ZCP Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: NC iTrader: (2) Garage List 2013 E92 M3 [0.00] 2008 BMW Z4 3.0si [9.00]	Not bad considering it failed at 71,000 miles. The water pump on my Jeep Grand Cherokee 2001 failed at around 50,000 miles. On the other hand, my dd is a 2002 Honda Civic and the only thing I've had to repair on it are brakes. __________________
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01-28-2012, 12:53 AM	#5
Gripster Captain 147 Rep 981 Posts Drives: E93 M3 Join Date: May 2005 Location: San Diego iTrader: (5) Garage List 2013 BMW M3 [0.00]	Sounds like it might be good insurance to do this as a preventative maintenance like on the E46's. At least the Z4 has a temperature gauge. My E90 330i (also N52) has no temperature gauge. Nice move BMW. __________________ *2013 M3 (E93)* - ZPP/ZCW/DCT
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01-28-2012, 09:27 PM	#9
DataStream18 Lieutenant 45 Rep 556 Posts Drives: 2003 ESS TS1 Z4 Join Date: May 2011 Location: Muskegon, Mi iTrader: (0) Garage List 2004 ESS Supercharg ... [4.00]	Nope, $190! Love it! __________________ TS2/Cat-Less Headers/Jet Hot Coating 2000/CF Engine covers & Oil Cap/RPi Scoop/Matte Black Grills/H&R Sport Springs/15mm Spacers Rear/12mm Spacers Front/Flowmaster 40 series/Alcantara Shift Boot/CF Vinyl wrap/SPEC Stage 2+ clutch/8 Lbs Fly wheel/ZHP Shift knob/Hawk HPS Pads/Cross Drilled/Slotted Rotors/Performance Pedal Set/Stewart water pump Love is like a fart; if you have to force it, it's probably shit.
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