2001 BMW 330I Fuel system Problems

The bracket welds on the front of the right side fuel tank support strap pulled out while on the highway, leaving the fuel tank supported by only one strap. The bracket pulled right out of the sheet metal, leaving two holes where it was previously spot welded to. The support strap itself was hanging off its rear mount, dragging behind the car and potentially sparking. This was extremely dangerous, as the tank had just been filled, and if the tank had began to leak, the support strap may have sparked a fire. There was no symptom or warning sign of the impending failure. There are many reports of this issue from other BMW E46 owners. Fuel tanks should not separate from the car under normal driving conditions. The car has been in southern California its entire life, and there is zero evidence of rust or poor maintenance. Records of the car's maintenance history have been meticulously maintained. This is DANGEROUS and has been reported many times. Please make BMW own up to this poor design and potentially save someone's life.

NHTSA ID

11457351

Incident

Mar 18, 2022

THE STAINLESS STEEL STRAP THAT SUPPORTS THE FUEL TANK CAME OFF OF MY VEHICLE YESTERDAY WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY. THE STRAP IS SPOT WELDED AT 4 POINTS ON THE FRONT. THE SPOT WELDS FAILED, LEAVING THE STRAP DRAGGING BEHIND MY CAR AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. AS A RESULT, THE FUEL TANK ITSELF IS SAGGING ABOUT 4" FROM THE SURFACE OF THE ROAD. THE SPOT WELDS DO NOT SUFFICIENTLY SUPPORT THIS STRAP - THIS SEEMS TO BE AN OBVIOUS SAFETY ISSUE. MORE ROBUST MOUNTING POINTS SHOULD HAVE BEEN INCORPORATED DURING DESIGN AND MANUFACTURING.

NHTSA ID

11119568

Incident

Aug 12, 2018

Mileage

129,000 mi

WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY I SUDDENLY HEARD A THUMP OR POP FOLLOWED BY A GRINDING NOISE. I PULLED OVER AT THE NEXT EXIT AND DISCOVERED THAT THE BRACKET HOLDING THE STRAP THAT HOLDS THE FUEL TANK ON THE PASSENGER SIDE HAD TORN OFF THE BODY AND THE FUEL TALK WAS LEFT HANGING A FEW INCHES ABOVE THE GROUND. THE SHOP WHERE I NORMALLY TAKE MY CAR FOR SERVICE COULDN'T FIX IT AND RECOMMENDED A BODY SHOP WHERE THE BRACKET COULD BE WELDED BACK ON TO THE BODY. *TR

NHTSA ID

10672673

Incident

Sep 26, 2013

Mileage

135,000 mi

I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AT 70MPH WHEN I HEARD A POP SOUND FOLLOWED BY A GRINDING OF SOME SORT. I PULLED OFF THE NEXT EXIT AND COULD HEAR THE CONTINUOUS SCRAPING NOISE. I PARKED MY CAR AND COULD SEE THAT THE GASOLINE TANK STRAP HAD SEPARATED FROM THE FRAME AND IT WAS JUST HANGING FROM THE BACK. THE GAS TANK WAS 4 INCHES FROM THE CONCRETE. I HAD IT TOWED HOME, AND NEEDLESS TO SAY I AM GLAD THE TANK DID NOT HIT THE GROUND AND EXPLODE. I SEE THIS IS AN ONGOING PROBLEM WITH ALL E46 BMWS. PLEASE LOOK INTO THIS ISSUE BEFORE SOMEONE GETS KILLED. *TR

NHTSA ID

10663021

Incident

Dec 8, 2014

Mileage

168,000 mi

THE METAL STRAP THAT SUPPORTS THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE FUEL TANK JUST BROKE OFF. I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE STREET AND HEARD A POP SOUND AND THEN METAL GRINDING AND JUMPING AROUND (LIKE A NEEDLE ON A SCRATCHED RECORD/ A CD) THE BRACKET TO WHICH THE FORWARD END OF THIS STRAP MOUNTED TO THE UNDERBODY BROKE FREE LEAVING A GASH LIKE TEAR ON THE UNDERBODY. I AM HAVING THE CAR SERVICED FOR REPAIRS, BUT WHEN I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP THE PARTS DEPARTMENT DIDN'T HAVE ANY FIXABLE SOLUTION FOR THE MISHAP. THEY TOLD ME THAT THE ONLY THING THAT I COULD DO WAS TAKE IT TO A BODY SHOP TO HAVE A FABRICATED PIECE MADE. I'VE RESEARCHED THIS INCIDENT AND FOUND THAT THERE HAVE BEEN SEVERAL OTHER BMW OWNERS WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED THE SAME INCIDENT. I AM ALSO EXPERIENCING THE LOSS OF REVERSE. THE DRIVE GEAR SEEMS TO BE FINE; HOWEVER, THE REVERSE IS NOT OPERATING. I AM NOW LOOKING INTO HAVING IT SERVICED FOR THAT ISSUE AS WELL. WHEN I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP, THEY DID TELL ME THAT THERE WAS AN OPEN CAMPAIGN ON THE TRANSMISSION (THOUGH THE SERVICE MANAGER SAID THAT IT WAS ONLY FOR PROGRAMMING ISSUES). I HAD ALSO FOUND THAT THERE HAS BEEN OTHER BMW OWNERS THAT HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS ISSUE AS WELL. I KNOW THAT THEY HAD MENTIONED THAT THERE WERE TWO TYPES OF TRANSMISSION (THE GM AND THE ZF TRANSMISSION). THERE WAS A MENTION THAT IT COULD BE A FAULTY SOLENOID OR THE REVERSE DRUM HAS BROKEN/ SHREDDED. NONE THE LESS YOU CAN PLACE INTO "REVERSE" AND GIVE IT GAS AND NOTHING HAPPENS NO MOVEMENT UNLESS YOU PLACE INTO "DRIVE." MY CAR DOES HAVE THE STEPTRONIC FEATURE.

NHTSA ID

10471001

Incident

Aug 9, 2012

Mileage

169,500 mi

UPON EXITING THE FREEWAY A HORRIBLE, CONTINUOUS METALLIC SCRAPING NOISE BEGAN. I HAD HEARD THIS PERIODICALLY ON MY DRIVE, BUT UNTIL NOW IT WAS NOT CONTINUOUS. LOOKING UNDER THE CAR, I COULD SEE THE METAL GAS TANK STRAP HANGING AND RESTING ON THE GROUND. IT WAS THE PASSENGER SIDE FRONT THAT FAILED, SO THE STRAP WAS POINTING FORWARD. I ASSUME IT WAS ONLY PERIODICALLY AT FIRST BECAUSE IT TOOK SOME TIME FOR MY ACTUAL GAS TANK TO SLIP DOWN FORCING THE STRAP AGAINST THE ASPHALT. KNOWING THAT A METAL STRAP WAS SCRAPING AND POSSIBLY SPARKING AGAINST THE ASPHALT NEXT TO MY SAGGING GAS TANK, THE CAR HAD TO BE TOWED TO THE NEAREST MECHANIC. *TT

NHTSA ID

10444547

Incident

Jan 18, 2012

Mileage

171,330 mi

THE FUEL PUMP/TANK SENDING UNIT BEHIND PASSENGER'S SEAT IS LEAKING FUEL WHEN THE TANK IS FULL. STRONG GASOLINE VAPORS ARE PRESENT IN THE CABIN AFTER THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN SITTING A FEW MINUTES AFTER A FILL UP. THESE VAPORS POSE A SIGNIFICANT EXPLOSION/FIRE HAZARD SHOULD SOMEONE BE SMOKING AS THEY ENTER THE VEHICLE OR SHOULD THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM MALFUNCTION AND BECOME AN IGNITION SOURCE. WHEN THE FUEL PUMP/SENDING UNIT ASSEMBLY IS VIEWED FROM THE TOP, THERE IS AN ENCLOSED PLASTIC CYLINDRICAL PIECE APPROXIMATELY 1/4 OF AN INCH IN DIAMETER WITH A BALL SHAPED END, THAT IS LEAKING AT THE TOP. FAILURE OF THE FUEL/PRESSURE RETAINING PLASTIC COMPONENTS ON FUEL PUMPS AND SENDER UNITS APPEARS TO BE A COMMON MANUFACTURING DEFECT AS SIMILAR (UNREPORTED) LEAKING PROBLEMS ARE FOUND WHEN RESEARCHING SIMILAR VEHICLES ON THE WORLD WIDE WEB. REFERENCE : ODI 10426736. *TR

NHTSA ID

10432620

Incident

Oct 24, 2011

Mileage

91,453 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 BMW 330I. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 TO 65 MPH ON NORMAL ROAD CONDITIONS, THERE WAS A LOUD NOISE OUTSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO CONTINUE DRIVING THE VEHICLE TO THEIR RESIDENCE. THE FOLLOWING DAY, THE CONTACT OBSERVED THAT THE FUEL TANK SUPPORT STRAP WAS DISENGAGED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER AND THE TECHNICIAN CONFIRMED THAT THE FAILURE WAS RELATED TO THE FUEL TANK STRAP. THE TECHNICIAN WELDED THE FUEL TANK STRAP IN PLACE; HOWEVER, THE CONTACT HAS CONCERNS OF THE SAFETY RISK INVOLVED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE UNAVAILABLE.

NHTSA ID

10285003

Incident

Aug 1, 2009

WHILE DRIVING, VEHICLE STALLED, CONSUMER EXITED VEHICLE TO FIND VEHICLE ON FIRE, FIRE SEEMED TO COME FROM THE UNDERSIDE OF THE VEHICLE AND NOT THE ENGINE AREA, DUE TO THE FUEL LINE RUBBING AGAINST THE RIGHT FRAME RAIL, THERE WAS A HOLE IN THE FUEL LINE, CLAIM 16-N141-453. *SLC

NHTSA ID

6900643

Incident

Oct 19, 2000