BMW Coolant Pump Class Action Settlement Should Be Approved, Drivers Say

UPDATE: As of December 2020, the BMW Coolant Pump Class Action Settlement is now open. Click here to file a claim.

BMW drivers have reached a proposed class action settlement with the automobile manufacturer, which would end their claims that some BMW vehicles possessed defective engine coolant pumps, but the manufacturer misrepresented them as functional. Now, they are asking a New Jersey federal judge to grant preliminary approval to the settlement.

The settlement would cover a range of vehicles made between 2007 and 2019. Models allegedly affected by the defect include the 135i, 335i, 525i, 640i, 740, X1, X3, X4, X5, X6, Z4 vehicles, though the affected model years vary for each vehicle. About 563,227 Class vehicles were reportedly sold across the United States and in Puerto Rico.

Per the terms of the proposed settlement, Class Members would be eligible for up to $1,000 in reimbursement for repairs done on the supposed defect that were completed in the last seven years and within 84,000 miles on the vehicle. The settlement stipulates that repairs performed at both an authorized BMW repair center or an independent repair center would be eligible for reimbursement.

Additionally, the settlement would offer a warranty extension benefit to Class Members. If the settlement is approved, the limited warranty for the electric coolant pump will be extended to seven years and 84,000 miles. Currently, the limited warranty for the coolant pump is four years and 50,000 miles.

However, for one year after the settlement deal is approved – if it is approved – Class Members will be able to receive a replacement coolant pump no matter the age of the vehicle, or its mileage.

Class attorneys have asked for up to $900,000 to cover their fees and costs. If the settlement is approved, named plaintiffs will receive $1,000 for their role in the BMW coolant pump class action lawsuit.

The terms of the settlement were reached after BMW and the drivers negotiated for over year. This negotiation was reportedly ordered by the court.

Initially, the drivers filed their claims in December 2017. They asserted that the electric coolant pumps in some BMW engines had a tendency to fail prematurely, which damaged the engines.

The drivers said that, when an electric coolant pump fails, coolant entirely ceases to circulate through the engine.

This absence of fluid then can cause the engine to overheat, which can, in turn, cause serious damage to the engine.

Unlike in an electric coolant pump, when a mechanical coolant pump fails, some coolant still circulates through the engine, posing less of an extreme danger to the engine.

The BMW coolant pump defect class action lawsuit explains that, when an engine’s coolant pump is not working properly, the engine will not operate well.

This can cause the vehicle to stall, to not accelerate properly, or to not maintain its speed. The drivers claim that, when a vehicle’s sensors determine that the engine is overheating, the vehicle is placed in “limp mode,” in which the vehicles “dramatically reduces the ability of the engine to generate power.”

More severely, when the BMW engine fails, the plaintiffs argue that the engine can suddenly self-destruct.

Both instances reportedly can impair the safety of the driver and others and can result in a crash, the BMW engine class action maintains.

The drivers say that this alleged defect caused them financial injury, because they had to incur the cost of replacing the coolant pump. The proposed settlement explains that installing a new coolant pump and thermostat module after coolant pump failure costs between $1,100 and $1,700.

Allegedly, had the drivers known that their vehicle possessed the BMW coolant pump engine defect, they would not have purchased the vehicles or would not have paid as much for them as they did.

The BMW coolant pump class action lawsuit aimed to establish a nationwide Class of consumers who had purchased affected vehicles, as well as Classes of affected consumers in three states — Massachusetts, Florida, and Illinois.

The drivers in the BMW engine coolant problem class action lawsuit point to the complaints submitted by many consumers, which are similar to the issues that they experienced with the alleged BMW coolant pump problem.

Have you experienced a problem like the BMW engine coolant pump defect? Share your experiences in the comments below.

Top Class Actions will post updates to this class action settlement as they become available. For the latest updates, keep checking TopClassActions.com or sign up for our free newsletter. You can also receive notifications when this article is updated by using your free Top Class Actions account and clicking the “Follow Article” button at the top of the post.

The BMW drivers are represented by Gary S. Graifman and Jay I. Brody of Kantrowitz Goldhamer & Graifman PC, and by Thomas P. Sobran of Thomas P. Sobran PC.

The BMW Coolant Pump Defect Class Action Lawsuit is Shelton Oliver, et al. v. BMW Of North America LLC, Case No. 2:17-cv-12979, in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey.

Read About More Class Action Lawsuits & Class Action Settlements:

Dietz and Watson Cheese Class Action Says Gouda Isn’t ‘Smoked’

Is TCI Transportation Violating Wage and Hour Laws?

Class Action Rebates | August 2020

Why Do Car Dealerships Use Ringless Voicemail?