BMW, Nissan recall vehicles for faulty fuel pumps

Nissan and BMW are recalling a combined 165,000 vehicles to replace faulty fuel pumps that could cause engine stalling or no-starts. The recall includes nearly 19,000 2014 model year Rogues sold in Canada; BMW doesn’t know the number of Canadian-market vehicles affected, but is recalling 70,500 cars sold as 2014 and 2015 models worldwide, including more than 18,000 in the U.S.

The symptoms are common, and so is the cause: Nissan’s Rogue and BMW 2-, 3- and 4 Series models use the same Bosch-built pump, which was manufactured with improperly-applied nickel plating that could detach and get stuck in the pump’s moving parts, causing it to stop working.

Nissan was first to identify the defect after a Nissan dealer filed a warranty claim for a no-start condition on a 2014 Rogue in March, 2014, and then noticed a sharp increase in similar claims in the following months. BMW noted a ramp-up in fuel pump failures in its vehicles in July, 2014; both automakers launched voluntary recall campaigns in March of 2015.

BMW in particular is no stranger to fuel pump problems. Cars using its recent turbocharged engines are known for troubles with a high-pressure fuel pump designed to feed the motors’ direct fuel injection system.

Recall notices for all the affected vehicles should go out to owners in late April or early May.