X5D - Warning, Use Sup. Fuel Filler with Caution!

[SJCFlyer]

Originally Posted by Penguin

New BMW diesels feature incorrect fueling protection system — Autoblog Green

Great find, Penguin! I had no idea this was anything other than a "normally sized" opening.

[cetane]

I don't understand the need for a fuel filler tube. Why can't BMW just make the fuel filler hole the right size to begin with? Especially if the car is assembled in the US anyway? I never had any issues filling up my Dodge Ram diesel, even when using a high flow truck pump. Using the BMW fuel filler tube with those is pretty dangerous. Also, like someone else said earlier in this thread, there are some diesel pumps that are the same size as regular gasoline pumps. These in turn cause the fuel opening to stay shut but you can still fill the tank like this without inserting the nozzle. It takes more time this way because it causes foaming and there's risk of spillage so you have to be careful.

[Penguin]

Originally Posted by cetane

Why can't BMW just make the fuel filler hole the right size to begin with? Especially if the car is assembled in the US anyway? I never had any issues filling

Because they want a system to prevent accidental fueling with a gasoline nozzle. To make it work, it must be sized to only accept the "correct" nozzle size.

[cetane]

Originally Posted by Penguin

Because they want a system to prevent accidental fueling with a gasoline nozzle. To make it work, it must be sized to only accept the "correct" nozzle size.

So basically it comes down to preventing warranty claims from idiots who put gasoline in their diesel vs. inconveniencing and endangering all non-idiot diesel owners. And not very effectively either because you can still fill up with gasoline-size diesel pumps.

Sorry but if you can't put the right type of fuel in your car then maybe you shouldn't be driving at all. Defeating the pump auto-shutoff feature by forcing people to use a plastic adapter tube is just asking for a lawsuit.

[ard]

Originally Posted by cetane

So basically it comes down to preventing warranty claims from idiots who put gasoline in their diesel vs. inconveniencing and endangering all non-idiot diesel owners. And not very effectively either because you can still fill up with gasoline-size diesel pumps.

Sorry but if you can't put the right type of fuel in your car then maybe you shouldn't be driving at all. Defeating the pump auto-shutoff feature by forcing people to use a plastic adapter tube is just asking for a lawsuit.

Bingo.

It just feels like an overly complicated solution to a non-problem.

Maybe BMW did research that indicated US drivers would 'need' this feature? (Is this on EU cars??)

Or they thought they could gain some marketing mileage by promoting this as a "BMW technology breakthrough" to address the 'US market resistance to diesel vehicles'....

Annoying. With my pickup I can pop into a truck stop in fill 27 gallons in what feels like 27 seconds!

A

[Penguin]

Originally Posted by cetane

So basically it comes down to preventing warranty claims from idiots who put gasoline in their diesel vs. inconveniencing and endangering all non-idiot diesel owners. And not very effectively either because you can still fill up with gasoline-size diesel pumps.

Yup... but one correction -- you cannot still fill-up with gasoline-size diesel pumps, as the interlock prevents smaller, as well as larger, nozzles from entering.

[Penguin]

Originally Posted by ard

Or they thought they could gain some marketing mileage by promoting this as a "BMW technology breakthrough" to address the 'US market resistance to diesel vehicles'...
A

My guess is that they did it to avoid a marketing disaster for the BMW diesels, e.g., all you need is a dozen or so stories to get in the newspaper's auto section about how they got a several thousand dollar bill by inadvertently putting gasoline into their BMW diesel vehicles and you've got a P.R. problem.

And it isn't necessarily a brain-dead owner. You could lend you vehicle to someone who isn't used to diesels and they might fill the tank with gasoline.

Frankly I can see the arguments for both sides, but it doesn't make me much difference -- in 21,000 miles of traveling over the West from National park to National park, and through the Midwest to get there a few times, I have never once had a problem with a wrong-sized nozzle. Once I pulled-up to a pump and the large Diesel nozzle wouldn't fit, but a quick look showed that the other diesel pump has the correct sized nozzle, i.e., the adapter has yet to leave it's plastic bag.

So at least for me, it's a non-issue.

[FSETH]

I have a very early model year 2009 X5 35d. I notice that if I were to push my finger on the flap on my gas tank that it moves inward. This means it appears the smaller nozzles would be alloweed to go in without issue. However, my buddy has a late model year 2009 X5 35d and his flap will not push in with your finger. He has also had some issues filling up at stations where I haven't had any problems. Is there something wrong with my flap, or was this safety feature introduced after my X was produced? Want to say my build date was 12/2008.

[Thunder22]

Originally Posted by FSETH

I have a very early model year 2009 X5 35d. I notice that if I were to push my finger on the flap on my gas tank that it moves inward. This means it appears the smaller nozzles would be alloweed to go in without issue. However, my buddy has a late model year 2009 X5 35d and his flap will not push in with your finger. He has also had some issues filling up at stations where I haven't had any problems. Is there something wrong with my flap, or was this safety feature introduced after my X was produced? Want to say my build date was 12/2008.

What you and your buddy do with your fingers and flaps is probably best kept in private

(sorry, couldn't pass up the lob and went for the entertainment value )

[FSETH]

Originally Posted by Thunder22

What you and your buddy do with your fingers and flaps is probably best kept in private

(sorry, couldn't pass up the lob and went for the entertainment value )

Lol! Yeah, it got a little weird.