Ok so I'm cringing as I type this but yet I'm still typing, flame away if you must but really what new fun topics are on the board anyway?
Since I picked up my car 1100 miles from my home the only problem I have is my fuel gauge, on the way home it said I had 30 miles left but I ran out in las vegas ( I hate Vegas). Anyway I though no big deal bit as time has hone ob the gauge has become worse! Of I fill up it shows full but anything after half a tank is a crap shoot, all over the map!! Today was the last straw I ran out and it said a quarter thank!!! I put a gallon from a gas station I walked to in and it went to a half!
It clearly getting worse! Is this a sending unit issue or what?
E38, E39 & E46 all have a number of common issues.
1. Fuel level senders go bad and read incorrectly very often at this age, I have 2 new ones sitting here to be installed in my car.
2. Fuel gauge does not read correctly if you leave your ignition on to listen to the radio when filling up. Car will have to go into sleep mode to clear fuel level issue, usually after 16 minutes parked.
3. Suction jet transfer pumps do no work correctly when fuel pump is into soft fail mode. Secret OBC menu will help you determine this.
4. The new BMW curse - Trust me on this one. You have a new to you 9 year old BMW, replace your fuel pump now, it will leave you stranded soon. I would bet you still have the original pump in the car? Pull the lower rear seat and if the sound proofing on the passenger side does not have the tabs cut, you have the original fuel pump. Change the fuel pump, filter and fuel pump relay and you will be good for at least another 7-8 years.
Use your trip odometer to also monitor distance since fill up along with the fuel gauge. You should get close to 300+ miles per tank, but if you are smart, you would fill up every 250 miles and watch the levels with the hidden OBC menu.
But do yourself a favor, just replace the fuel pump now, filter and relay can wait a bit but get it done ASAP as you are starting to get the BMW curse!
I mention the fuel filter as if you have a "new" used M5, chances are you do not know the full history on the car and you might as well get the pump, relay and filter sorted. The filter is not likely to leave you stranded, however, you should quickly change the fuel pump and strongly consider the relay.
As for the fuel pump relay part # 61357892976, its called an EKP Module and is black, not white like many documents indicate, located in the trunk, right side access panel forward most relay.
I believe that Menu #6 is the fuel level indicator for each tank and the 2 combined?
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