P0087 on BMW

BMW notified dealers that certain model-year 2008-2010 535i vehicles with the N54 twin-turbo engine could experience high-pressure fuel-pump failure. BMW listed long starting times, a Service Engine Soon light, reduced engine performance and an Engine Malfunction message; the notice did not include later F10 535i, 540i or M550i models.

NHTSA campaign 16V-746 (October 2016) covers 2012 640i and 650i coupes and convertibles (plus 2007-2012 5 Series, X5 and X6). The low-pressure in-tank fuel pump's electrical connector pins were improperly crimped; the resulting resistance heats and melts the connector, so the pump can stop (stall, no-start) or the melted connector can allow fuel to leak. About 136,000 vehicles were included.

The N63 V8 engine uses high-pressure direct injection fuel pumps (HPFP) that commonly fail between 60,000-100,000 miles. The HPFP is driven by the engine camshaft and operates at extremely high pressures (2,900+ PSI). Internal wear and seal failures cause fuel pressure loss, leading to rough running, misfires, and no-start conditions. The N63 has two HPFPs (one per cylinder bank) that often fail together. Failed pumps can contaminate the fuel system with metal particles, requiring fuel system flush.

The M240i runs a two-pump fuel system - an in-tank low-pressure pump feeding a cam-driven high-pressure pump on the B58's head. As the HPFP's internal valve and cam follower wear, the pump can still idle and cruise normally but cannot maintain commanded rail pressure during hard acceleration. The DME sees the pressure deviation, cuts boost, and drops the car into limp mode with a Drivetrain Malfunction message - typically at exactly the moment the driver asks for full throttle. The tell that separates HPFP wear from an ignition or injector fault is that the fault appears under load and clears itself on restart, and that fuel-pressure live data diverges from the commanded value while codes alone look ambiguous. Tuned cars surface this earlier because a Stage 1 map asks for more fuel volume than a marginal pump can deliver, which is how it first showed up on M240i and M340i owners running higher-output maps.

The B58 engine's high-pressure fuel pump can fail, though at lower rates than the older N54 engine. When the HPFP fails, fuel pressure drops below the minimum required for proper direct injection, causing long cranking, rough idle, misfires, and in severe cases, the engine stalling and entering limp mode. Failures are more common in cold weather when fuel demands are higher, and can be exacerbated by ethanol-blended fuels.

The S63/N63 V8 family used in the F12/F13 M6 is subject to high-pressure fuel pump (HPFP) and direct-injector problems. A failing HPFP causes long cranking and hard starting (worst when cold), rough running and misfires from insufficient rail pressure. Separately, the direct injectors can develop internal leaks, dumping excess fuel and causing cold-start rough running, misfires and a Service Engine light. BMW issued a service bulletin for N63/S63 engines in F12/F13 addressing rough cold-start running with illuminated service lights traced to internal high-pressure injector failure; injectors must be matched to the correct index per bank.