In summary I took my car into Penske to get diagnosed. It was running really rough. I had taking my car into a private shop and and they said it could be anything from a computer issue, valves, injectors to needing a new motor. So I took it in. Penske had the car for 2 days then called me and said they re flashed the computer because because they were seeing that the car was missing on multiple cylinders, which meant it was not a mechanical issue but a computer issue. However, since the re flash the car has bee running fine. They would like the technician to drive the car home with the diagnostic tool plugged in to make sure there wasn't any issues. Penske then called me the next day and told me the car was fine and and to come pick it up. They had driven the car for 80 miles and everything looked good. They then called me 10 minutes later and told me they had just finished washing the car for me to pick it up and it would not start, so they were going to keep it longer. I then get a call from them on Monday, telling me that the car needs a new motor. So I go down today to pick up the car and they proceed to tell me that when the car was getting washed a fuel injector had dumped to much fuel into the motor and hydro locked it.

I took the car into be diagnosed and and after they told me it was fine, they seized the motor. I could have paid for a new ECU, vlave job or head gasket but a whole new motor???? I am a little lost right now and don't know what to do. When I bought the car it had 38K on it and also had aftermarket headers, which I had removed and put back to stock. I have a AMG euro airbox and cat backs, but nothing that was done to the computer, at least from me. The car now has 64K on it, of which the warranty expired at 60K. Penske told me they are not going to do anything and to take my issue to MB. They said since there had been the mods that I listed to the car prior to me taking ownership, they probably wont do anything. I had taken the car to them before and never heard about the computer be changed and according to them the injector caused the seizure, which was what I was taking it to them in the first place.

I was paying for a diagnosis and they told me it was fine to come pick it up. They drove the car for 80 miles and they tell me it was fine, it was not mechanical. Then they seized the motor , do I get stuck with the 40K bill??? That does not seem right. I brought them a running car, misfiring, but running and now they want me to take home a car with a seized motor.

 

that's tough. mb usually isn't very helpful. might give you a 25% discount if the dealer does the work. i would try to work something out with the dealer. threaten bad publicity in the news and paper. reports to the bbb, etc. you could have a problem. to me worst case scenario is buy a used engine, but i would pursue all avenues. the car seized under their supervision. who knows, maybe somehow the car wash introduced water into the engine creating the hydo lock. many cars seize engines due to hydrolock aftyer running through deep water.
good luck,=!!

 

Good luck to you...you'll need some research as to why the motor actually hydrolocked.

Oil change show gas (or water) in oil might be a good lead...but don't have the dealer do this or know that is what you are going to do....you need someone independent.

I gather hyrdolock means (in your case) that a cylinder got filled with fuel and the piston compressed it and bent a valve, cracked a piston or damaged a connecting rod and/or crankshaft.

Yes happens more with water ingestion, so maybe a better expert can discuss the fuel scenario.

It could well have been an intermittent injector issue....just maybe.

Again good luck.

 

very good tip. the oil will give you the answer. have it analyzed.

 

First get your car back.

I would sue the dealership. You brougt it to them, the professionals, to find out what was wrong. If there was a bad injector, they missed it after having the car for a bunch of days. It was their negligence that caused the motor to hyrolock with fuel (their diagnosis, which I hope you have in writing). So, it is their fault, not MB fault.

But I wouldn't be surprised if they got water in it while washing the car and that is what hyrolocked the motor. If the injectors was pouring in raw fuel, the car would not have been running anywhere close to normal. Remember, it was running good for 80 miles according to them, and things went south right after they gave it a bath.

Call your insurance company, They might cover you and then go after the dealership. It is easier if the insurance company does it, if you have to do it, expect a long hard fight.

Google "dallas dealership messed up my E60 M5" of similar and read the 2 year saga. Dealership could have settled for way less than the judgment, but they were just stubborn. Cost them some money and cost BMW NA a good customer for a very long time, as well as losing sales from 1000's and 1000's of people reading the story.

Good luck.

Regards,
Jerry

 

BMW is still in business and selling cars. So it didn't hurt them too bad.