Scare at Start
 

This morning (60 degrees in the garage) I go to start up the 2011 35i and it shuddered rather dramatically for several seconds as though it were going to die and NOT start.

It DID start normally, however, and everything seems OK, but it did give me a bit of a fright. This is not normal on this vehicle.

(although I now understand why people ask about the weird startup sounds)

Is it developing a problem already at ~3200 miles? If it were COLD, I could understand (a little) but it wasn't.

I was tempted to hook up an ODB reader to it to see if it spit anything out, but I didn't have time this morning.

Maybe first sign of pending HPFP failure? They can fail at any mileage...

I remember (well, hopefully my memory is right) reading the other day that it's a problem on the F01 platform, but does it affect others?

If it does fail, does it tend to fail suddenly? Like stop on the highway sudden?

Goog'ling around, I see lots of HPFP complaints with the N54 engines, but my 2011 has an N55 engine, doesn't it? Is it still the same (or similar enough) part?

All of the new BMW turbo engines have a HPFP and they still are reportedly failing even on brand new 2011 models. I don't know what, if any, changes have been made to the pumps but the problem is not fixed. It's one reason I got an M3 (naturally aspirated and no HPFP) instead of a 335i last year.

Ethanol in the fuel has to be a contributing factor IMO but no one has proved that conclusively. If I had a BMW turbo engine, I would definitely try to keep at least a half tank of fuel in it at all times just to make things as easy as possible on the fuel pump. I have no idea if that would really help prevent a pump failure but it's what I would do...