# Performance Pkg Problems Widespread?



## NASA43 (Jul 19, 2003)

Hi all, I'm just about to order a 330i with the Performance Pkg but I'm getting real concerned with all the problems I read on the forums regarding the coil pack failures and the rough idle. Is this really a widespread problem or are are just a small percentage of owners having these problems? Also, from what I have read, the coil pack problem is not isolated to the ZHP but it seems like the idle problem is. I know the argument about people don't post just to say their car runs great, but this will be my first BMW (and my first manual trans in 12 years) and I don't want a car that can't even idle without dying. I'm not looking for guarantees, just a good feeling that that all ZHPs don't have the same problems. Also, I can't remember reading anyone post that their stalling problem was actually fixed. Any words of wisdom from current owners would be greatly appreciated!


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## Andy (Jul 16, 2003)

Welcome to Bimmerfest!!

I have had three issues with my 2003 330i ZHP to date...

1. One of the ignition coils went bad. The dealer replaced the coil and everything is fine now.

2. I had an issue with my battery, it would not hold a charge. The dealer replaced the battery and everything is fine now.

3. I have only noticed the rough idle (or stalling) only once and it was during an autocross event last year. It was most likely caused by hard driving and excessive heat. It went away after the event and has not happened since.

Despite what I would call three very minor issues, I would not hesitate to purchase the 330i Performance Package again.

Good luck with your decision. :thumbup: 

Andy


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## Frobozz (Oct 10, 2003)

I have only had my car since October but I have had no problems at all. Remember...problems you will hear about, no problems you won't. People usually don't take the time to write about not having a problem. I think it kind of skews forums and such online.


Oh yeah I have had 3 problems 
I seem to be driving too fast around corners 
I seem to be finding excuses to drive places 
I spend entirely too much time cleaning wheels


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## Scrith (Sep 16, 2003)

Same report as Frobozz on the 2004 ZHP (silver grey, xenon, black leather) I've had since mid-November...no problems other than driving much faster than i did in my previous car (2001 X5 4.4 sport, which was very nice also, though my wife now drives it).


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## NASA43 (Jul 19, 2003)

Frobozz said:


> I have only had my car since October but I have had no problems at all. Remember...problems you will hear about, no problems you won't. People usually don't take the time to write about not having a problem. I think it kind of skews forums and such online.
> 
> Oh yeah I have had 3 problems
> I seem to be driving too fast around corners
> ...


Now, that's the kind of problems I'm looking forward to!


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## Rich_Jenkins (Jul 12, 2003)

Frobozz said:


> I have only had my car since October but I have had no problems at all. Remember...problems you will hear about, no problems you won't. People usually don't take the time to write about not having a problem. I think it kind of skews forums and such online.
> 
> Oh yeah I have had 3 problems
> I seem to be driving too fast around corners
> ...


:hi: Frobozz - I sympathise with you.

Unfortunately, I, have had two serious problems with mine:

1) Was driving to Kennedy Space Center Saturday for a day out. I was on the Beeline moving along with traffic. I was mildly slowed down by a recalcitrant Minivan, so I goosed it along "just a wee bit" to, you know, get past. When I looked down I was doing well over a hu WHOOPS! sorry; meant to say a bit faster than I expected.
2) Was accelerating out of a side road into a busy 6 lane highway recently. I depressed the right hand pedal more than usual and I heard the most God-awful noise from the front of the car (had not heard this before). I moved the waggle lever thing back and forth a couple times; then my mirror started giving me problems because all the cars seemed to get really tiny...j/k. 

But seriously, I've noticed the fluffy idle a bit. Mine has only quit once. Owned it since Sep 03, 3200 miles.

I have a rattle on clutch take up or release that I am going to have the dealership take a look at soon.

Otherwise no problems...


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## MysticBlue (Jun 20, 2003)

Ditto Frobozz and Scrith. (Sounds like a couple of characters from the Lord of the Rings). 6000 miles and the only problem (If you would even call it that) is my alarm doesn't always chirp when I arm it. They have a fix for it the next time I take it to the dealer, which I expect won't be 'till 15,000 miles. If that's the only issue I end up having, I will be quite satisfied. IMO, it's the best looking, best performing sedan you can by for less than 50k.


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## ff (Dec 19, 2001)

Some very, very minor problems with mine:

-In the warm weather, engine stalls at every stoplight. Also displays quirky/uneven acceleration in the lower 1/2 of the RPM band. Much less noticeable in winter and with non-oxygenated gas. Dealer has no clu what the problem is, so it goes unfixed.
-The clutch has failed prematurely at just 18K miles. Dealer is replacing it under warranty.
-A small handful of other minor issues

It's a good thing the car is so much fun to drive.


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## Raikkonen (Jan 20, 2004)

This is my first time on this site but I thought I would chime in. I have had a 330i zhp for the past 3 months. I have had zero problems(and it's very cold in Ohio now to boot). The only odd thing that I can feel from time to time is if I pull up to a light and instead of putting it in nuetral I hold the clutch. The idle changes a bit... not that I think it will stall because the RPM's don't seem to move but you can get this odd feeling from the car for a split second. It's hard to explain and I would not classify it as a problem. The car is great fun and if you're like me and you think sedans make life easier this is the most fun you can have in one(shy of an M5).


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## NASA43 (Jul 19, 2003)

ff said:


> Some very, very minor problems with mine:
> 
> -In the warm weather, engine stalls at every stoplight. Also displays quirky/uneven acceleration in the lower 1/2 of the RPM band. Much less noticeable in winter and with non-oxygenated gas. Dealer has no clu what the problem is, so it goes unfixed.
> -The clutch has failed prematurely at just 18K miles. Dealer is replacing it under warranty.
> ...


Seriously, it stalls at every stoplight? Have you had it looked at?


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## GeoMystic (Aug 21, 2002)

Im bringing my car in on wed for the following:

Rough Idle
Stalling at idle or while moving(has happened MANY times already)
Battery drained completely overnight. 
Audio fading problem
Passenger mirror does not always tilt while in reverse.

If I had to do it again, I'd probably get the same car. It is by far the most enjoyable car I have ever owned! I hope to have these issues resolved so I can enjoy it for many more years. Every car will have it's troubles. Even with these troubles, I still have no regrets! 
Enjoy your 330i especially with the Performance Package. :drive:


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## OneR2TeeS (Apr 29, 2003)

Some Nice Pictures George. I have to also say that I've brought my car into the dealer many times for the rough idle. I did experience the mirror problem also, but somehow it went away. I've been bringing my car into one of the biggest Dinan Cert dealers around and they cannot find the problem. Last response was "Driver Error." Boy did that make me feel great about myself. Maybe I should have told them it happens in Neutral!!! Hope they find a fix soon. Overall, I love the car. Just hope these bugs get fixed.


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## King Jason (Jan 13, 2004)

My dad's 7 series had a rough idle...He took it into the dealer and they couldn't find the problem so they replaced his entire engine!

Maybe they treat 7 series customers a little different then us 3 series guys, but who knows...


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## Raikkonen (Jan 20, 2004)

I forgot one other thing.... My front speakers rattle and it drives me nuts...


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## ff (Dec 19, 2001)

NASA43 said:


> Seriously, it stalls at every stoplight? Have you had it looked at?


4 Times in the past 9 months. No resolution.


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## Andy (Jul 16, 2003)

Raikkonen said:


> ...and it's very cold in Ohio now to boot.


 :hi:

Hello, fellow Ohioian!! I have yet to see another ZHP on the roads here in Columbus.

Welcome to Bimmerfest,
Andy


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## qwiktiger (Jan 20, 2004)

I've had my '04 ZHP since early December - no problems so far - but only 550 miles! Hope my luck continues...


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## Raikkonen (Jan 20, 2004)

hey Andy.... I live in Dublin(about 1 mile from MAG). However, I bought my car from Kelly BMW. Do you ever meet up with fellow Bimmer driver's?


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## Andy (Jul 16, 2003)

Raikkonen said:


> hey Andy.... I live in Dublin(about 1 mile from MAG). However, I bought my car from Kelly BMW. Do you ever meet up with fellow Bimmer driver's?


I live over on the northeast side of town (near Kelly BMW). There's a few Bimmerfesters here that live in the Columbus area... I've never met up with any, but that sounds like fun.

:drink: :beerchug:

Just so I don't hijack this thread anymore then I already have, feel free to PM me if you want to meet up sometime.

Ever think about taking that ZHP of yours out on the autocross course? :eeps: :thumbup:


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## kiteboy (Sep 14, 2003)

I've had the exact same issues as Geo Mystic. Only difference is that my stubborn passenger mirror seems to have fixed itself... Also, I have a strange "shuddering" issue that I described here: http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/showthread.php?t=50591 It's currently at the dealer for this.

Like everyone else though - I love the car and am satisfied with the purchase. My SA and service in general has been great. The idle and mirror issues weren't fixed, but were acknowledged as widespread problems and was told by SA that BMWNA was aware and was working on it...

Another reference point is a friend with an 03 ZHP. He has NO issue except the dead battery, which was an HVAC problem fixed under recall notice.

I would definately recommend the purchase and would make it again myself.

Josh


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## kyyuan (Jul 14, 2002)

kiteboy said:


> I've had the exact same issues as Geo Mystic. Only difference is that my stubborn passenger mirror seems to have fixed itself... Also, I have a strange "shuddering" issue that I described here: http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/showthread.php?t=50591 It's currently at the dealer for this.
> 
> Like everyone else though - I love the car and am satisfied with the purchase. My SA and service in general has been great. The idle and mirror issues weren't fixed, but were acknowledged as widespread problems and was told by SA that BMWNA was aware and was working on it...
> 
> ...


I have an October built '04...after 1450 miles, no issues thus far (knock on wood).

Josh...welcome to the fest. good luck on getting your car fixed. It looks like there are at least 4 ZHPs in the Dallas area.


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## Sierra_Nevada (Jan 21, 2004)

I have just under 10,000 miles. My car has died once and idles rough every once in a while. I saw on another site people who took their cars in to correct the problem. BMW changed some of the programming and idle speed in the car. I'm pretty sure it fixed the proble. Ok I found it.. took a while. 
http://forum.e46fanatics.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=124775&highlight=idling


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## dusterbuster (Jan 29, 2003)

'03 zhp with about 3200 miles, no problems...

rough idle experienced once while in europe over the summer during ED, but hasn't happened since. :dunno:


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## mtbscott (Jul 16, 2003)

I've had mine since July and already have 16K miles. Aside from a couple of minor electrical gremlins that were fixed by pullling and reinstalling the appropriate fuses, I've had no problems. The car has a few "quirks" that I think are inherent with the design, not really fixable problems. One note, the car has gotten progressively faster. It's noticeably stronger across the rev range than it was just out of break-in period.


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## philippek (Jul 31, 2003)

10,500 miles.

Added one quart of oil.

One trip to service to look at my passenger mirror tilt-down feature. Still doesn't work reliably.

An unspeakable amount of joy experienced in the last 7 months. Doctors may need to surgically remove the smile from my face.


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## leswong1 (Dec 21, 2003)

*ZHP road noise*

I get alot of road noise coming from the rear of car. Does anyone else have this problem?
Otherwise the car is great.


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## ccha (Dec 30, 2002)

NASA43 said:


> even idle without dying. I'm not looking for guarantees, just a good feeling that that all ZHPs don't have the same problems. Also, I can't remember reading anyone post that their stalling problem was actually fixed. Any words of wisdom from current owners would be greatly appreciated!


2003 ZHP. May 2003 delivery. 5000+ miles. The only problem that I've had is with the side mirrors. They stopped working so that I wasn't able to adjust them. Took it back to the dealer and it was fixed. However, I think it is busted again. The right side mirror does not turn down any more when I am backing up. :dunno:

All in all, the car is great. I let a friend of mine drive it (amateur racer who used to race a M1) and he loved it.


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## mbr129 (Aug 23, 2002)

After 9200 miles, I had an ignition coil go bad (It was -10F that morning). Dealer replaced it right away. (Actually they replaced them all - not sure why. But the labor was 0.38 hours, so even if this were to happen after the warranty is over, it wont be big money and I could probably do it myself).

Perfect otherwise.


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## otacon (Jun 11, 2003)

I've owned my car since June, and I think on average, I've been into service almost every month. That's usually because when I bring it in, I get a "cannot reproduce" on the service order. However, the most *serious* ones I've had are:

- Fuel gauge sensor gone bad (said I had more gas than I did), tho I hear it's not isolated to ZHP
- Went in this weekend cuz the battery light came on, I suspect it's the not holding a charge thing. The dealer found a bulletin for it tho, and said that reprogramming the DME will fix it.
- Ignition coils went on me (another bulletin).
- THE MIRRORS!!! These damn mirrors are really pissing me off!! They keep on locking up, but never wil lit do it when it's brought into the dealer!!  Stupid new system.

Maybe some other minor issues here and there, but nothing worth remembering.

I will say that I never did experience the rough idle problem, and my engine stalled once, and I suspect that's due to the ignition coil going bad cuz it's not even come close to that since.

Anyhow, I love the car, I think u will too. Even if u have some issues with the car, I suspect it'd be overlooked cuz u just love it!! :thumbup:


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## speden (Oct 3, 2003)

*Mirror problem*

This may be common knowledge and I'm way off base, but....

Reading this thread, I decided to do a little experiment, and found the following:

The passenger side mirror only tilts down when the mirror adjustment selector (passenger/driver) on the driver's door is set to the driver mirror position. If I moved the selector to the passenger's side (as if to adjust the passenger's side mirror), the passenger's mirror will not tilt down.

Again, this may not be what people are experiencing. But if it is, is this by design? Or is it a flaw?

Sean


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## otacon (Jun 11, 2003)

speden said:


> This may be common knowledge and I'm way off base, but....
> 
> Reading this thread, I decided to do a little experiment, and found the following:
> 
> ...


Hehehe.. well, my issuses with the mirror, by far is:

It tilts down fine, just doesn't wanna come back up.

Or, the mirrors stop working completely, both left + right. The joystick doesn't move either mirror.


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## kiteboy (Sep 14, 2003)

Sean,

That's by design. It's explained somewhere in the manual...

Some ZHP's have intermittent mirror problems related to software (not going down, not coming up, freezing, etc.). I'm still trying to figure out how it could be isolated to my ZHP package, but my SA is a stud so I trust him. It must be part of the software loop that causes idle problems. I've been writing code too long today so already envision that it looks ike this...

Define RandomNumber
If RandomeNumber=500
LowerIdleRPM
DisableMirror
InduceIgnitionCoilStress
Sleep 10
Else
CarryOn

Best Regards,

Josh


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## mark_m (Aug 2, 2003)

I bought my 330i w/ZHP in August, and I have only experienced the IHKA discharge problem. I was in for two service visits to solve this problem. First visit, they evaluated the car after the battery light had lit up on a short trip back from lunch. Not two days later, they had the car again, because the battery wouldn't hold a charge. (This was well before the recall notice went out, but props to the 'fest, b/c I read about it here.) The light control module was reprogrammed, and I have had zero problems since. 

I haven't experienced any of the other problems described in any other posts, 330 or w/ZHP. (knock on wood.) I enjoy driving the car very very much on my commute, and also on long trips, never fails to produce a huge grin.


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## LouT (Jun 11, 2003)

NASA43 said:


> Any words of wisdom from current owners would be greatly appreciated!


Got my ZHP 3 months ago and have 3000 miles. No problems, idles smoothly and goes damn fast. Slow traffic is a problem and I had to buy a radar detector (Valentine, of course) to stay on the good side. Oh, the gas mileage is down aobut 3 mpg compared to the '02 325i I had previously. Damn throttle, anyway!
:thumbup:


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## NASA43 (Jul 19, 2003)

*Thanks for all the replies*

Thanks for all the excellent replies. I decided yesterday to take the plunge and order my first BMW. The specs are 330i, Performance Pkg, Jet Black, Black Leather, Black Cube, Moonroof, Xenons, and Heated Seats. My production week is week 8 which the SA believes will be the week of Feb 23rd. So I guess I'm looking at late March/early April delivery. I'm pretty damn excited!


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## Raikkonen (Jan 20, 2004)

The radio!!!!!!!!! No one else gets a rattle in the front speakers whent hey turn up their stereo? Mine sounds horrible loud but great soft or mid volume.


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## Rich_Jenkins (Jul 12, 2003)

NASA43 said:


> Thanks for all the excellent replies. I decided yesterday to take the plunge and order my first BMW. The specs are 330i, Performance Pkg, Jet Black, Black Leather, Black Cube, Moonroof, Xenons, and Heated Seats. My production week is week 8 which the SA believes will be the week of Feb 23rd. So I guess I'm looking at late March/early April delivery. I'm pretty damn excited!


Woot! :thumbup: Note for when car arrives: Must...have...pictures... j/k


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## ff (Dec 19, 2001)

Raikkonen said:


> The radio!!!!!!!!! No one else gets a rattle in the front speakers whent hey turn up their stereo? Mine sounds horrible loud but great soft or mid volume.


I do, but only when the song has a lot of bass and volume is turned up. Since I'm not the type that has to have the stereo blasting to hear the music, it's not really an issue for me.


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## GimpyMcFarlan (Aug 13, 2002)

Raikkonen said:


> hey Andy.... I live in Dublin(about 1 mile from MAG). However, I bought my car from Kelly BMW. Do you ever meet up with fellow Bimmer driver's?


Hi Raikkonen :hi: I'm in Gahanna. You, Andy and myself should plan to meet at the local BMW CCA meeting somtime.


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## Andy (Jul 16, 2003)

GimpyMcFarlan said:


> Hi Raikkonen :hi: I'm in Gahanna. You, Andy and myself should plan to meet at the local BMW CCA meeting somtime.


Yep, I agree!!

:beerchug:


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## otacon (Jun 11, 2003)

leswong1 said:


> I just recieved my clear side markers and fronts. Where can I order the Silver Visions for them?


I believe I bought them from www.powerbulbs.com. It comes 2x pairs + a pair of blue visions when I ordered it. And I think I had it on sale too, but shouldn't be too bad.

They're awesome!


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## andy_thomas (Oct 7, 2002)

mbr129 said:


> Wasn't sure whether to post this here or start a new thread...
> 
> Since it got absurdly cold in mid January here in Boston, my car now has an anooying metallic ratle comming from the pasenger door. It almost seems like a section of the door latch linkage is rattling (towards the B-pillar end). It's not constant, but it's there enough.


Pasenger belt buckle?



> Anyone experience somthing similar?


I thought I had a rear shock mount out (at 5k miles), until I found a missing screwdriver kit wedged under the mat in the boot.


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## RChoudry (Jan 13, 2002)

just a thought, but could the engine temp sensor be acting up with the throttle issue? The car behaving as though it is cold and raising RPM's?


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## eluder (Mar 4, 2003)

I just posted this in another thread on the same topic. Here it is. Hopefully this will assist the dealer in locating a problem. I'll certainly fill you folks in.



> Well. I've been having the idling/stalling problem for a while. It happened last week and I looked over and noticed I have my Sony F717 with me. I caught about 2 minutes of the idle dipping on video. I've got 15K services in 1500 miles, so i'll be taking that video with me to show him. Withing the course of about 2 minutes, it dips 4 or 5 times. Same thing happens no matter the time of year or fule brand.


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## mtarchal (Aug 21, 2004)

I have a 2004 ZHP and I have noticed when it is cold and accelarating (4000+) especially in second gear, it seems like the car hesitates and picks up then hesitates and picks up. 

Anyone have this problem or know where I can go to read about ?

thanks -


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## woody underwood (Feb 9, 2004)

Evanzhp said:


> Good job on ordering your 330! I did not like how mine shifted when I first got it, but it has improved to where I am satisfied with it now. Second problem is that I had a bad cell in my battery and had to have it replaced.
> 
> These cars are a blast to drive in the real world and are safe, have good resale, and good mileage. They are not an Acura in build quality and not as dependable. After visiting the factory it appears BMW may not have the most fautless build quality but they do go to great lengths at the factory to find any issues before delivery and correct them. They dyno each car and have people all over them before they leave.
> 
> ...


Huh? Not as good build quality as an Acura? Are you blind? (Take a micrometer with you and measure the thickness of the body panels for a starter) And which car would you rather be in if you had a wreck at 80 mph? (Moot point since most Acuras rarely see such high speeds)


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## BIMMER4LJ (Aug 4, 2004)

My ZHP has also had the constant problems with the mirrors. Just got it back from a seven day stay at the dealers. God I missed it. Hopefully they fixed it this time (they haven't the previous 4 times).

I am also having probs with the stereo. When I took it in, I told the advisor that I thought I had a blow speaker in the passenger door. They replaced it, but when I picked up the car it sounded worse that ever. It was actually HORRIBLE! It sounds terrible in all speakers. I was told that it was my disc (Metallica- And Justice For All) and that there was no problem when they played any of their disc in it. They also said that my disc did the same thing in other cars on the lot (I don't believe them). Has anyone else had problems with the HK system?


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## Double Vanos (Aug 20, 2003)

324miles 2 weeks old no problems since an issue i had with a valve upon delivery which was a manufacturing glitch. Anyways so far so good but i was told by my SA that they idle a little rougher than a normal 330 on cold mornings. Other than that is the best bimmer i've ever bought, it handles like its on rails and looks so beautiful. My best advice is buy a good radar and get ready to enjoy the closes thing to a 4-door M3! :thumbup:


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## kurichan (May 1, 2004)

DME recalibrated for idle fluctuation at about 900 miles (started much earlier than that though). The idle fluctuation seems to be gone. Instead, the car now shudders at idle like a Lada or a diesel tractor. 

Don't buy this car unless you are patient enough to deal with these issues. It's impossible to judge how many people have the problems, but it's certainly enough to suggest a statistically significant number.


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## 330soon2b (May 30, 2004)

I was in a similar situation. I sold an 04 TL because it had so many problems. I was worried about the idle issue with the ZHP, but I took a chance and bought the car anyway. I have about 4500 miles. The car has never stalled. I love this car. It is great looking in and out and a blast to drive. The only problem I had was an interior door panel that was damaged at the factory. It had an imperfection in the grain. The dealer replaced the panel. The only negative about the car is that it is a little lacking on low end power. With that said, this is by far the best car I have owned.


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## hugh1850 (Jun 20, 2003)

I had the idle issue early, but it seems to have cleared up (haven't had it fluctuate in months). No other problems, except speeding tickets, she's running fantastic. A little of 10K miles here. :thumbup:


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## artbrunson (Aug 8, 2004)

*no problems*

1200 miles and 0 problems. Perhaps there should be a thread on 03 versus 04 models to isolate some ot the problems?


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## NASA43 (Jul 19, 2003)

As the originator of this thread, I now have 3000 miles on my 330i w/ZHP and have had zero stalls. The only problem I had was the first few days the SES light kept coming on. I took it in and they diagnosed it as a faulty Air Intake Sensor. They had to order the part. Well, after I left the dealership, the SES light never came on again. They never called to tell me the part was in (I suspect somehow it didn't get ordered). It was probably just a loose connector that they tightened during the course of fault isolation. I have had nothing but pure joy since then. The car is a dream to drive and I am getting better every day at driving it like it is meant to be driven.


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## Rich_Jenkins (Jul 12, 2003)

NASA43 said:


> As the originator of this thread, I now have 3000 miles on my 330i w/ZHP and have had zero stalls. The only problem I had was the first few days the SES light kept coming on. I took it in and they diagnosed it as a faulty Air Intake Sensor. They had to order the part. Well, after I left the dealership, the SES light never came on again. They never called to tell me the part was in (I suspect somehow it didn't get ordered). It was probably just a loose connector that they tightened during the course of fault isolation. I have had nothing but pure joy since then. The car is a dream to drive and I am getting better every day at driving it like it is meant to be driven.


Woohoo!!! :thumbup:


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