We found the following complaints for BMW 535XI (2008)
Read complaints for BMW 535XI (2008)
The car has an passenger restraint error that does not go away. The car fuel gage does not work either
I had the passenger restraint malfunction error show up on my vehicle's dash in 2013. At that time, the dealership replaced some module in the driver's side headrest. Not sure why would they have a replace a module in "driver side" when the error is in "passenger side." but i didn't argue and let them replace it and paid $400 for the privilege.now again in april 2015, same error is happening. First the dealer(bmw of cleveland, solon, oh) couldn't find the problem for 2 days. But when i told them about the history of the vehicle, they say that now the whole driver's side headrest needs to be replaced and the cost is a whopping $700. The car shows problem in passenger side, and dealer says driver side headrest needs to be replaced. This is preposterous! looks like the dealer is trying to scam me on this.is there any recall on this?
87,000 miles warning light passenger air bag not engaged and may cause damage. Quoted $1800 bmw certified mechanic to replace, fix. Looking for recall as many others experienced the same. Was told that you can't tell whether the airbag will inflate or not. Against the law to disconnect the light. Unable to diagnose without taking the seat apart.
Restraint system malfunction lights on dash and warning on the nav screen goes on whenever someone sits in the passenger seat.
At c. 89,000 miles - warning:"driver side air bags malfunction".bmw dealer, rockville, md, wants $660 to tell me if it's a real problem with the bag, and/or its housing and/or only a faulty sensor sending an incorrect message (!!)following that suspicious drill they can then fix it - a couple hundred dollars if it's only a sensor, much more $ if it's something else.car moving or not, the warning remains on.
The contact owns a 2008 bmw 535xi. The contact stated that the air bag warning indicator remained illuminated, which was a safety concern. The vehicle had not been diagnosed by an independent mechanic or a dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 120,000.
April 2013, bmw dealer #1 (seller)was told by selling dealer that restraint system malfunction light just came on hours before delivery.. Was told to bring car to a dealer in my state and they will fix it, no charge since car is still under manufacturer extended warranty; may 23, 2013 bmw dealer #2 (service)restraint system malfunction ligh is on.. Dealer #2 advised that bst cable was sliced, hence warranty does not cover the repair, which was $1,000.00.june 12, 2013 bmw dealer #3 (service)went to dealer #3 for second opinion, surprised with totally different diagnosisand fixed for $117.00.. Below is the actual dealer findings and fixed;, , , , 93398 sporadic fault ran, short test, connected charger 12.31v, , , , faults active head restrain firing circuit, fault occurence 1, fault, , , , currently not present inspected connections and lines, checked , , , , measured resistance as seen by modual, within spec. Cleared, , , , fault memoryseptember 2014 bmw dealer #3 (service)restraint system malfunction ligh is on is back.!!took it back to dealer #3.. This time diagnosis was that the bst cable is corroded due to water in the rear vent in the battery area.. Bst cable needs to be replaced and cost $919.98.summary:april 2013 dealer #1 states, restraint system dealer fix, no charge.may 2015, dealer #2 states bst cable got sliced, $1,000.00 repairjune 2013 dealer #3 states head restraint firing circuit, fixed it for $117.00sept 2014 dealer #3 now states bst cable got corroded, $919.98 to repairwhy are their findings of the problem are so inconsistent??
The passenger seat occupancy mat failure light indicator is on.brought back to the bmw dealer, service technician stated that it is a recurring problem for bmw.but service would cost $2,300 to fix.i asked if it is a recurring problem, then it is a defect.bmw should fix the problem free of charge as i see in other recent recall announcements like last month for the bmw x3.
I received a warning message "restraint system malfunction!" for no reason and it says "pass, restraint system - fault in passenger-restraint system affecting airbag, belt tensioner or belt-force limiter" etc.
Passenger restraint malfunction light is on is there a recall.
The contact owns a 2008 bmw 535xi. The contact stated that the air bag indicator illuminated. An unknown dealer and the manufacturer stated that the vehicle was not included in a recall. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact called the manufacturer and was hung up on. The failure mileage was 180,000.
Vehicle is station wagon variant of 535. The station wagon has a poor design where the panoramic sunroof (standard equipment) is gutter prone to clogging, and water which enters the passenger compartment accumulates in an electronics well under the cargo floor unknown to the driver. This water corrodes connections to a number of electronic modules and damages the modules themselves when submerged. There are many affected functions which can be disrupted, but critically sensors which affect whether the passenger seat is occupied. An incorrect determination of passenger side seat occupancy could either cause the airbag to deploy with an underweight passenger or cause the airbag not to deploy when a passenger is present. My vehicle recently had these modules submerged and it appears to not be an uncommon problem - particularly for the station wagon variant.
The insulation of the wiring inside the headlight assembly is crumbling and poses a fire hazard as the wires have lost their insulation and can get in contact with each other.
Known safety concern due to broken wiring in e61 wagon hatch wiring. See this thread:https://5series.net/forums/e61-touring-discussion-4/tailgate-wiring-harness-replacement-72751/
Insulation on wiring inside headlight assembly has fallen off exposing bare wires. This was discovered when replacing bulbs. Discussion boards on web have many owners reporting similar problems.bmw does not
I purchased a 2008 bmw 5 series wagon 9/1/2015 oncalifornia had its first rain storm causing catastrophic failure of the entire electrical system of the bmw resulting in a complete loss 12/16/115.the drain lines are a well documented and a bmw service bulletin was issued to dealerships. While driving on the highway, i experienced widespread system failure, tire warnings, transmission failure warnings and the suspension failed and the car dropped about 6 inches.the bmw dealership gave us $24,188.17 repair estimate for all the electrical components and wiring which is more than the value of the car
Consumer writes in regards unresolved fire safety issues with a 2008 bmw 535xi *tgwthe consumer stated on feb 14, 2012, the battery was replaced. However, six days later, a spark of fire and ball of smoke occurred as the consumer was driving. The dealer informed the consumer the alternator was faulty and needed to be replaced. An inspection also revealed an oil leak. The consumer stated the vehicle burst into flames and exploded, totaling the vehicle.the entire front hood and engine compartment were melted and destroyed, as well as the front driver and passenger areas were affected by the fire. The consumer and his passenger suffered minor injuries. The consumer stated he had taken the vehicle to the dealer in december 2013, and january 2014 after complaining about electrical problems. He complained of low coolant, the trunk randomly opening, the key not starting the vehicle right away, and the clock suddenly showing a the wrong time. Both times, the dealer stated there was nothing wrong. Updated 03/10/14
Warning lights came on while driving the car. Windshield wipers started going on (without being turned on). Brake and tail lights failed intermittently.gauges all went to zero intermittently while driving. Sunroof wouldn't close. Drove to dealer. Diagnosed as electrical system components submerged in rear of car due to blocked sunroof drain. The same issue was repaired a year prior. This time to liability assumed by manufacturer or dealer because of "outside force" (rain). $9,500 repair estimate. Appears to be a common problem/ flaw with the model. Dealer did not appear to do a check of the drainage system while car was in for routine service a month before the incident. No loss of steering or engine while driving.
My car caught fire while parked and not running.
I have three faults, 1- trunk opens randomly, 2 - rdc unit in trunk flooded because trunk opened, 3 - battery discharges. I noticed a few times after returning to my car, the trunk opened on its own. I always lock my car and when i walk away, i make sure that the trunk is closed. When i return to my car, the trunk is randomly opened. One day, when it was raining, this occurred and drenched my entire trunk. I dried the trunk out and started driving then i noticed the tpms started failing. After checking all the tpms antennas on my car, i found out that there was a unit in the trunk. This unit was in the base of the trunk with no ventilation. My rdc unit was submerged in water along with my bluetooth system. The rdc unit failed and i notice the bluetooth system has been going in and out now. My battery also shows high discharge and i hear random beeping when i am driving. This is a huge design flaw on so many levels. I have paid money to fix the rdc unit, but it is hard to replicate the trunk randomly opening and the beeping sound happens randomly when i am driving.
Wiring and rear diversity antenna can become wet under rear hatch fairing.this has caused the comfort access to work with reduced range and or not work at all.wiring harness on both right and left side have severed cables from opening and closing rear window portion of hatch.
The wire harness connector to the right rear lights burned and melted out for no reason. The fuse did not protect the wires connector from burning.all the rear rights are non operational.
The vehicle overheated due to water pump failure. The vehicle was towed to a bmw dealership and the water pump and thermostat were replaced.some bmw 5-series water pumps have been recalled.
I discovered multiple severed wires in the tailgate/rear window wiring harnesses. Through research online i have found this is a common problem with this vehicle over several model years - search for bmw e61 tailgate wiring problems. The failures are caused by a poor design where the wires entering the hinge guides (4) for the glass and tailgate are repeatedly flexed at a sharp angle until the insulation, then the copper wire breaks.safety issues - possible electrical short circuit leading to fires (highest load is for rear defroster); lighting failures (rear high brake light, license plate lamps and others); reduced visibility due to loss of wiper/washer/defroster; rear glass latch opening while underway, possibly resulting in loss of cargo or ingress of exhaust fumes.this is not an easily repaired problem. It would be beyond the capabilities of all but a skilled mechanic with proper tools. I discovered it when the rear wiper and rear window defroster stopped working. As i investigated i found the broken wires, along with several others with broken insulation, some with broken copper strands."
The contact owns a 2008 bmw 535xi. While driving approximately 60 mph, the vehicle overheating warning indicator illuminated. The vehicle stalled without warning. The contact pulled over and the vehicle was restarted. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the electric water pump failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 135,000.
The ground connection to the right rear light assembly failed.this resulted in the right rear lights and turn signal not operating.the connector to the wiring harness was melted and the tab on the lamp socket housing (where the connector plugs in) was damaged.
The rear right tail light stopped functioning correctly, and the brake light, the running light, the reverse light, and the blinker stopped working. This created many potential accidents as oncoming drivers could not properly see me reversing or turning right. There is an active recall for the issue and bmw is replacing the rear tail lights for vin's that the government has identified as having the issue. My vehicle has the issue. Bmw refused to replaced the tail light that has permanent loss of functionality. I was forced to pay out of pocket funds for the item that has a recall and bmw north america has refused to assist in this matter. I spoke to [xxx] at bmw north america, he is a customer relations supervisor, and his contact information is in the bmw case file with id last 7 digits of my vin. He indicated that bmw will not do anything unless the government forces them to by providing the vin number to them as an effected vehicle.information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6).
The rear rail light warning started flashing intermittently and then rear tail light permanently failed.inspection of rear tail light showed melting of plastic around ground wire connection to lighting assembly and damage to both light assembly and the wiring. Quick internet search revealed that this was a very common problem in bmws due to inadequate capacity of ground wiring.
This is the 3rd complaint on the same vehicle i have placed.this vehicle has been in and out of the shop for the last 8 months and they have finally discovered that the rear of the vehicle, where the computer components are located, has been receiving water leakage from faulty plugs via the sunroof drainage system leading to the rear of the vehicle.thus causing major malfunctions such as fuel injectors, starters, batteries, sensors, and indicators that major transmission malfunctions have occurred when what is really wrong is that all the computer components are drowning in water, corroded and rusted.this is faulty from the bmw factory and they know the problem exists and they refuse to recall this model vehicle.this problem can be found via the internet from many consumers experiencing the same problem.i have placed a complaint with bmw and they have done nothing.in one instance i experienced the cruise control accelerate on its own and would not disengage when the brake pedal was pressed.the steering wheel on/off button was the only way to stop the acceleration.this vehicle is a danger to drive and is unreliable!!
The wiring harnesses in the tailgate have been both severed and otherwise damaged by the normal operation of the tailgate and liftglass. The hinges and wiring trays have sharp edges and the wire insulation material seems to be of a pvc material. It appears that this material is vulnerable to failure with only regular operation of the vehicle, however, the sharp edges of the harness tray in the tailgate hinges act as shears that have severed the wires.this presents several safety issues including the potential of fires from electrical shorts, malfunctioning and damage of control modules due to electrical shorts, inoperable rear-defogger system, inoperable keyfob remotes for entry and locking, loss of radio system including weather band for safety updates, etc.this appears to be not only a common problem, but every vehicle in this designation has either suffered from these problems or is susceptible.as noted in several blogsites where owners and repair specialists have commented, this is an obvious design defect that should be addressed by both nhtsa and the manufacturer.clearly a recall and manufacturer-paid repair should be implemented.
The contact owns a 2008 bmw 535xi. The contact stated while driving various speeds, the brake pedal was engaged and the exterior brake warning indicator displayed on the instrument panel indicating the passenger's side brake light was inoperable. On a separate occasion both the left turn signal and passenger's side exterior brake light failed to operate when the brake pedal was engaged and a warning message displayed at the same time. The vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer where the electrical contact assembly was replaced. The manufacturer was not notified of the problem. The approximate failuremileage was 56,000.
E61 wagon, rear hatch: i discovered failures of multiple wires in the tailgate/rear window wiring harnesses. Through research online i have found this is a common problem with this vehicle over several model years - search for bmw e61 tailgate wiring problems. The failures are caused by a poor design where the wires entering the hinge guides (4) for the glass and tailgate are repeatedly flexed at a sharp angle until the insulation, then the copper wire breaks.safety issues - possible electrical short circuit leading to fires (highest load is for rear defroster); lighting failures (rear high brake light, license plate lamps and others); reduced visibility due to loss of wiper/washer/defroster; rear glass latch opening while underway, possibly resulting in loss of cargo or ingress of exhaust fumes.this is not an easily repaired problem. It would be beyond the capabilities of all but a skilled mechanic with proper tools. I discovered it when the remote lock/unlock using the key fobs failed. As i investigated i found the broken wire, along with several others with broken insulation, some with broken copper strands.
I discovered failures of multiple wires in the tailgate/rear window wiring harnesses. Through research online i have found this is a common problem with this vehicle over several model years - search for bmw e61 tailgate wiring problems. The failures are caused by a poor design where the wires entering the hinge guides (4) for the glass and tailgate are repeatedly flexed at a sharp angle until the insulation, then the copper wire breaks.safety issues - possible electrical short circuit leading to fires (highest load is for rear defroster); lighting failures (rear high brake light, license plate lamps and others); reduced visibility due to loss of wiper/washer/defroster; rear glass latch opening while underway, possibly resulting in loss of cargo or ingress of exhaust fumes.this is not an easily repaired problem. It would be beyond the capabilities of all but a skilled mechanic with proper tools. I discovered it when the remote lock/unlock using the key fobs failed. As i investigated i found the broken wire, along with several others with broken insulation, some with broken copper strands.
For over the past year, the (small) engine light has been repeatedly & constantly going on/off. I've had sensors, spark plugs, tubes & everything under the sun replaced and have taken (or towed in most cases) the car to many different auto repair shops for multiple quotes & repairs.the latest problem is the small engine light came on & the car was stuck in park and would not engage in drive or reverse. It wouldn't shift. After turning the car off and then on again, the engine light was completely gone & the car was fine to drive/reverse. After driving the car a few blocks, the engine malfunction/reduce speed light came on, the power was drastically reduced & i almost got hit by a dump truck.in 2008, i bought my bmw brand new because i wanted no car issues because i am not a mechanic. Every since i bought this car i have had nothing but repeated & different issues that no mechanic can identify. And it all started with the high-pressure fuel pump which was replaced three times (hpfp). After the third hpfp was replaced, and the car was in the shop literally for three months straight, i got a lawyer involved and bmw corp apologized & said i could have a choice of:1/ getting a different car that they picked out (a 535i not the xi i bought because of snow and ice conditions)2/ they cut me a check for a few thousand and told me to shut up and i could never speak of what happened or be part of future lawsuits or class actions.i've never felt safe driving my 2008 bmw (116k miles on it over 12.5 years)every bmw owner that bought a bmw between the range of years knows exactly what i am talking about re: the constant and never-ending issues that all start with the hpfp & escalate from there. Repair shops can't fix the issues & bmw covers up.nhtsa hasn't done anything about this massive bmw issue affecting the vast majority of owners. Just google it!
I purchased my certified pre-owned 2008 bmw 535xi sports wagon from concord bmw on 09.01.2015 with 81,759 miles on it. On december 15, 2015 i was traveling at freeway speed when the rear air springs fully collapsed. I brought the vehicle to concord bmw's service departmentthat very same day to determine what caused the failure. On december 17, 2015 i received an email repair estimate from bmw concord service advisor joey tiongson for $24,188.17 (i purchased the used vehicle for $17,400.00).the diagnosis was that clogged sunroof drains allowed water to travel down the framework of the vehicle and flood all the electronic modules. Timing of this incident is such that mid-december 2015 produced the first rainfall in our area due to california drought. My car was not exposed to any significant water prior to these first rains. I believe that this is a manufacture defect and that this vehicle was sold to me with this pre-existing condition of which i was never advised. My research after this incident indicates that other bmw owners have had similar problems but not to this magnitude. Bmw has also issued service bulletins advising dealerships of this problem.
Wednesday july 25th, 2018, as i was getting ready to leave work, i started my car which was parked in my company's underground garage and the interior became engulfed with smoke. I turned the car off and got out to check the engine. There was no smoke coming from the under the hood of the car. I got back into the car and started it again and more smoke entered into the car. I turned the car off and went back to my office to call aaa. Approximately 20-30 minutes later i went back to the car and immediately smelled smoke in the garage. As i approached the car it was completely filled with smoke but i could tell that the both the back and front window shields and the sunroof were scorched. My key fob did not work so i had to open the car with the key. With the door open the thick smoke escaped and then i was able to see the damage to the car as a result of a fire. I have attached some pictures so you can see. I did some research and found that there have been some instances where this has happened to other bmw owners in the past and that this was a course of action to take in letting you know.
A cooler leaked in the trunk of my wagon and under the floor there lies exposed unprotected highly valuable electronics, which shorted out my car and created a serious safety issue with the electronically controlled shocks amongst other important sysytems, my dealer says he has seen "many of these" and clearly there are many people on the web that have had a similar problem, the next year according to bmw this extremely dumb design was changed.clearly the trunk should be a place to put items that may be wet [fishing tackle, scuba, snow boots, skiis, coolers, milk and groceries....] and one should not be penalized a $1700 dollar bill everytime something spills. My dealer replaced the malfunctioning electronics then covered the electronics in plastic but this is clearly a jury-rigged fix. Please help!
The vehicle overheated due to water pump failure. The vehicle was towed to a bmw dealership and the water pump and thermostat were replaced.some bmw 5-series water pumps have been recalled.
The contact owns a 2008 bmw 535xi. While driving 50 mph, the vehicle lost power and overheated. In addition "please shut engine off due to overheating " was displayed across the message board. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the fuel pump needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure recurred. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 60,000.
The car was shuddering due to misfiring fuel injectors and had erratic engine operation.note:bmw is aware of this problem and issued a voluntary recall in december 2010.bmw noted in the recall that this repair is to be covered under warranty regardless of time or mileage on the vehicle.in my experience, bmw is not honoring the voluntary recall notice.
I own a 2008 bmw 535xi. Only months after the bumper-to-bumper factory warranty expired, the water pump failed.a car is rendered inoperable without this critical component.because of this failure, i was left stranded on the side of a major highway, with my wife and kids in the car, unable to drive the car to the nearest exist.the water pump failed immediately and completely with little-to-no warning.i was extremely surprised and disappointed that the original bmw water pump could not even last for 50,000 miles.how could this be?what type of bmw quality checks was this critical component subjected to?i have also heard that this failure is not uncommon for my model vehicle.it's a known issue.wow!most other vehicles have water pumps lasting over 100,000 miles and well beyond.given the critically of this potential premature component failure, why hasn't bmw issued a recall?after being left stranded on the side of the highway and out more than $1,200 for the repair (plus towing), i am left with a much lower opinion of bmw quality and safety.
The contact owns a 2008 bmw 535xi. While driving approximately 60 mph, the vehicle overheating warning indicator illuminated. The vehicle stalled without warning. The contact pulled over and the vehicle was restarted. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the electric water pump failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 135,000.
The contact owns a 2008 bmw 535xi. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the engine misfired the vehicle was taken to the local dealer bmw of columbia located at (1900 i70 dr. Sw, columbia mo) who diagnosed that the engine cylinder number 4 misfire was due to defective fuel injectors. The fuel injectors were replaced and the failure was remedied. The manufacturer was also notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 93,450.
I started my car and upon starting it began rattling and shaking violently. I took a video of the message that appeared on the dash saying. Engine malfunction reduced power.
The contact owns a 2008 bmw 535xi. The contact stated that while driving 30 mph, the vehicle stalled as the check engine warning light illuminated.the contact mentioned that the temperature gauge displayed that the vehicle was overheating and the engine failed indicator illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the water pump needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The vin was unavailable. The approximate failure mileage was 100,400.
The contact owns a 2008 bmw 535xi. The contact stated that while driving at unknown speeds, the engine high temperature warning message appeared and the vehicle lost acceleration power. The vehicle was towed to a dealer and the contact was informed that the auxiliary water pump had failed. The contact was also informed that the vehicle was not included in nhtsa campaign number: 11v521000 (engine and engine cooling). The failure and current mileages were 50,056.
While driving the 2008 bmw 535xi, there was a loud sound from the engine. A message appeared "car overheated" and the car stopped in the middle of the road. The water pump failed with absolutely no warning. The acceleration would not work at all and the car was essentially inoperable. It was a very difficult situation with vehicles approaching me from behind especially with no shoulder space available to pull the car over. I managed to turn ont he hazard lights and barely managed to escape this situation without an incident. The vehicle was towed to a dealer and i was informed that the auxiliary water pump had failed and will have to replace it, the cost of which would be at least $1,200. When i looked up on the internet regarding this issue, i have seen many individuals complaining about the water pump in less than as little as 30,000 miles. I also stumbled onto a nhtsa recall campaign (no. 11v-521: "electric auxiliary water pump") on certain 2008 bmw 5-series. I was shocked to know that my vehicle was not included in this campaign number. What type of quality checks are these pumps subjected to? i have heard of many such instances with this year, make and model. Most other vehicles have water pumps lasting over 100,000 miles and well beyond. Why hasn't bmw issued a recall?
For over the past year, the (small) engine light has been repeatedly & constantly going on/off. I've had sensors, spark plugs, tubes & everything under the sun replaced and have taken (or towed in most cases) the car to many different auto repair shops for multiple quotes & repairs.the latest problem is the small engine light came on & the car was stuck in park and would not engage in drive or reverse. It wouldn't shift. After turning the car off and then on again, the engine light was completely gone & the car was fine to drive/reverse. After driving the car a few blocks, the engine malfunction/reduce speed light came on, the power was drastically reduced & i almost got hit by a dump truck.in 2008, i bought my bmw brand new because i wanted no car issues because i am not a mechanic. Every since i bought this car i have had nothing but repeated & different issues that no mechanic can identify. And it all started with the high-pressure fuel pump which was replaced three times (hpfp). After the third hpfp was replaced, and the car was in the shop literally for three months straight, i got a lawyer involved and bmw corp apologized & said i could have a choice of:1/ getting a different car that they picked out (a 535i not the xi i bought because of snow and ice conditions)2/ they cut me a check for a few thousand and told me to shut up and i could never speak of what happened or be part of future lawsuits or class actions.i've never felt safe driving my 2008 bmw (116k miles on it over 12.5 years)every bmw owner that bought a bmw between the range of years knows exactly what i am talking about re: the constant and never-ending issues that all start with the hpfp & escalate from there. Repair shops can't fix the issues & bmw covers up.nhtsa hasn't done anything about this massive bmw issue affecting the vast majority of owners. Just google it!
On january 5, 2014 driving on the highway approx. 55 mph the vehicle's displayed engine and transmission malfunction dropped my rate of speed to approximately 20 mph (safety mode) almost sustained a rear end collision i then pulled over onto the shoulder i turned the car off waited 10 minutes and turned it on without any issues. I took the car to bmw of tenafly, nj they inspected the vehicle made some adjustments and said the car was good to drive on the way home traveling approx. 45 mph the car again displayed engine and transmission malfunction dropped my rate of speed to approximately 20 mph (safety mode) i pulled over i turned the car off waited 10 minutes and turned it on the malfunction continued the next day i brought the vehicle back to bmw of tenafly, njthey changed the control module and some other component in the engine. On june 10, 2014 driving on i95 traveling approximately 65 mph the car onboard display showed a transmission malfunctionand dropped my rate of speed to approximately 20 mph (safety mode), i pulled over onto the shoulder i turned the car off waited 10 minutes and turned it on without any issues. Traffic conditions were light, but could potentially be a serious issue (accident or fatality) during normal traffic conditions. On june 9, 2014i filed a report with bmw usa and i have scheduled an appointment with the service department bmw of tenafly, nj.
Cold start in the morning for drive to work, car suffered slow start and rough idle.then check engine light illuminated and reduced power notification on idrive with high coolant fan rpm.shut down car for 30 minutes, restarted with no issue indicated in idrive but yellow check engine light illuminated on dash.drove to dealer for scheduled appointment on safety recall for tail lamp assembly (13v-407).while at 40 mph and approximately 1/4 mile from dealer, engine surged then reduced power notification and check engine on idrive.radiator fan went to high rpm and car slowed to approximately 20 mph rapidly almost causing an accident on a two lane road.vehicle made it to the dealer without incident.dealer indicates it is failure of high pressure fuel pump.this is the second replacement of the pump.last one occurred within 27 months and 16k miles.
Car over heated and i called a mechanic and he told me the electric water pumps go out on them at around 100,000 miles. He told me how to trouble shoot the issue and it is the pump. Wonder if there is a recall for this...
A cooler leaked in the trunk of my wagon and under the floor there lies exposed unprotected highly valuable electronics, which shorted out my car and created a serious safety issue with the electronically controlled shocks amongst other important sysytems, my dealer says he has seen "many of these" and clearly there are many people on the web that have had a similar problem, the next year according to bmw this extremely dumb design was changed.clearly the trunk should be a place to put items that may be wet [fishing tackle, scuba, snow boots, skiis, coolers, milk and groceries....] and one should not be penalized a $1700 dollar bill everytime something spills. My dealer replaced the malfunctioning electronics then covered the electronics in plastic but this is clearly a jury-rigged fix. Please help!
Fuel injectors were replaced on this vehicle in 05/2011 due to a faulty design under a recall through bmw.the same injectors have subsequently failed again less than 3 years since they were replaced. This resulted in a loss of power while operating the vehicle putting me at risk. Bmw fails to take responsibility saying warranty on parts has expired on parts that have been previously recalled with known issues.
The contact owns a 2008 bmw 535xi. The contact stated that while driving 30 mph, the vehicle stalled as the check engine warning light illuminated.the contact mentioned that the temperature gauge displayed that the vehicle was overheating and the engine failed indicator illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the water pump needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The vin was unavailable. The approximate failure mileage was 100,400.
Consumer writes in regards unresolved fire safety issues with a 2008 bmw 535xi *tgwthe consumer stated on feb 14, 2012, the battery was replaced. However, six days later, a spark of fire and ball of smoke occurred as the consumer was driving. The dealer informed the consumer the alternator was faulty and needed to be replaced. An inspection also revealed an oil leak. The consumer stated the vehicle burst into flames and exploded, totaling the vehicle.the entire front hood and engine compartment were melted and destroyed, as well as the front driver and passenger areas were affected by the fire. The consumer and his passenger suffered minor injuries. The consumer stated he had taken the vehicle to the dealer in december 2013, and january 2014 after complaining about electrical problems. He complained of low coolant, the trunk randomly opening, the key not starting the vehicle right away, and the clock suddenly showing a the wrong time. Both times, the dealer stated there was nothing wrong. Updated 03/10/14
I was driving my fantastic (expensive) 535xi and all of a sudden when i would implement any pressure on the throttle i experienced a jerking/stuttering sensation.
I was changing a flat tire and the jack just failed on me last night and almost but my arm off. This is the first time the jack was being used. It was a flat road and it wasn't windy. The car was on a stable surface with no stones or anything else. The car almost landed on my hands and bent the rotor back plate !!!!i then noted that the jack was very unstable and maybe a little bent. I got help from a truck who stopped by.i checked with the dealer today to see if they can replace it under warranty (3 yrs old basically) but they just said no.
Right rear hatchback running light shuts off when hatch shuts or is fully open, but comes on when in between fully open and completely closed.
The rear right tail light stopped functioning correctly, and the brake light, the running light, the reverse light, and the blinker stopped working. This created many potential accidents as oncoming drivers could not properly see me reversing or turning right. There is an active recall for the issue and bmw is replacing the rear tail lights for vin's that the government has identified as having the issue. My vehicle has the issue. Bmw refused to replaced the tail light that has permanent loss of functionality. I was forced to pay out of pocket funds for the item that has a recall and bmw north america has refused to assist in this matter. I spoke to [xxx] at bmw north america, he is a customer relations supervisor, and his contact information is in the bmw case file with id last 7 digits of my vin. He indicated that bmw will not do anything unless the government forces them to by providing the vin number to them as an effected vehicle.information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6).
The insulation of the wiring inside the headlight assembly is crumbling and poses a fire hazard as the wires have lost their insulation and can get in contact with each other.
The rear rail light warning started flashing intermittently and then rear tail light permanently failed.inspection of rear tail light showed melting of plastic around ground wire connection to lighting assembly and damage to both light assembly and the wiring. Quick internet search revealed that this was a very common problem in bmws due to inadequate capacity of ground wiring.
E61 wagon, rear hatch: i discovered failures of multiple wires in the tailgate/rear window wiring harnesses. Through research online i have found this is a common problem with this vehicle over several model years - search for bmw e61 tailgate wiring problems. The failures are caused by a poor design where the wires entering the hinge guides (4) for the glass and tailgate are repeatedly flexed at a sharp angle until the insulation, then the copper wire breaks.safety issues - possible electrical short circuit leading to fires (highest load is for rear defroster); lighting failures (rear high brake light, license plate lamps and others); reduced visibility due to loss of wiper/washer/defroster; rear glass latch opening while underway, possibly resulting in loss of cargo or ingress of exhaust fumes.this is not an easily repaired problem. It would be beyond the capabilities of all but a skilled mechanic with proper tools. I discovered it when the remote lock/unlock using the key fobs failed. As i investigated i found the broken wire, along with several others with broken insulation, some with broken copper strands.
The wire harness connector to the right rear lights burned and melted out for no reason. The fuse did not protect the wires connector from burning.all the rear rights are non operational.
The ground connection to the right rear light assembly failed.this resulted in the right rear lights and turn signal not operating.the connector to the wiring harness was melted and the tab on the lamp socket housing (where the connector plugs in) was damaged.
Known safety concern due to broken wiring in e61 wagon hatch wiring. See this thread:https://5series.net/forums/e61-touring-discussion-4/tailgate-wiring-harness-replacement-72751/
The contact owns a 2008 bmw 535xi. The contact stated while driving various speeds, the brake pedal was engaged and the exterior brake warning indicator displayed on the instrument panel indicating the passenger's side brake light was inoperable. On a separate occasion both the left turn signal and passenger's side exterior brake light failed to operate when the brake pedal was engaged and a warning message displayed at the same time. The vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer where the electrical contact assembly was replaced. The manufacturer was not notified of the problem. The approximate failuremileage was 56,000.
Fuel injectors were replaced on this vehicle in 05/2011 due to a faulty design under a recall through bmw.the same injectors have subsequently failed again less than 3 years since they were replaced. This resulted in a loss of power while operating the vehicle putting me at risk. Bmw fails to take responsibility saying warranty on parts has expired on parts that have been previously recalled with known issues.
Cold start in the morning for drive to work, car suffered slow start and rough idle.then check engine light illuminated and reduced power notification on idrive with high coolant fan rpm.shut down car for 30 minutes, restarted with no issue indicated in idrive but yellow check engine light illuminated on dash.drove to dealer for scheduled appointment on safety recall for tail lamp assembly (13v-407).while at 40 mph and approximately 1/4 mile from dealer, engine surged then reduced power notification and check engine on idrive.radiator fan went to high rpm and car slowed to approximately 20 mph rapidly almost causing an accident on a two lane road.vehicle made it to the dealer without incident.dealer indicates it is failure of high pressure fuel pump.this is the second replacement of the pump.last one occurred within 27 months and 16k miles.
My bmw is a 2008 bmw 535xi that was manufactured on 02/2008. I have had an issue with cylinder 4 misfiring so i changed all 6 spark plugs and cylinder 4 ignition coil only to have cylinder misfiring still. I took it to a mechanic and they checked and stated that i had a bad ignition coil because my spark plug and ignition coil smelled like fuel. My friend is a tech at a local bmw dealership and told me not to repair it yet because bmw has issued a recall for my vehicle which is a e61 sports wagon. I will provide the document that shows that my vehicle is under the affected vehicles. When at idle my car shakes. This has been going on for about a year i just never had the money to fix it and didn't know what the issues were until now. I don't know the exact date so i will put today's date.
The car was shuddering due to misfiring fuel injectors and had erratic engine operation.note:bmw is aware of this problem and issued a voluntary recall in december 2010.bmw noted in the recall that this repair is to be covered under warranty regardless of time or mileage on the vehicle.in my experience, bmw is not honoring the voluntary recall notice.
On thursday march 30th i dropped the car off with brinsfield auto in greensboro, nc because my check engine light came on. On april 6th i picked it up with completed repairs of a cleaned #5 fuel injector that was diagnosed as running rich but after being cleaned was running correctly and check engine light was no longer an indicator.on april 8th i was driving in gastonia, nc and the car began smoking and shuddering to the point it was not drivable. I pulled into a car dealership that was closed because it was after hours and parked the car. My son and i got out of the car and noticed a very clear odor of gas. There was a couple driving through the dealership lot who stopped and also noticed the odor and agreed it was indeed fuel and i should not drive the car. It was towed back to brinsfield auto where it was discovered that the #5 fuel injector was locked in the open position and shooting straight fuel through the engine and out the exhaust pipe. This could have cause a fire had i not noticed.
The contact owns a 2008 bmw 535xi. The contact stated that the vehicle vibrated upon start up. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the two fuel injectors needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and stated that the vin was not included in the new design fuel injectors manufacturer's recall. The failure mileage was 145,000.
The contact owns a 2008 bmw 535xi. While driving 50 mph, the vehicle lost power and overheated. In addition "please shut engine off due to overheating " was displayed across the message board. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the fuel pump needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure recurred. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 60,000.
Mechanical inspection revealed a crack in intake manifold.this defect manifests itself with difficulty starting the engine during cold starts,hesitation when applying the gas pedal for rapid acceleration on highway roads. There is also a rough idle
Vehicle stalls, hesitates when driving. Message on the dash says that the fuel pump is failing, but can be driven with decreased performance and to bring the vehicle to bmw.brought the car to bmw service and they told me that there was a recall on the fuel pump but my car is not covered because i have 159k miles one the said vehicle.upon further investigation with the service advisor, (carlos - norwalk bmw), who is polite and helpful, we found that the car had already been serviced for three same problem at least 3 times. First is in 2009 when they replaced the high pressure fuel pump. After folloa year 2010, the same problem occurred. The dealership again replaced the same fuel pump. Then on 2013, having the same problem again, the dealership replaced the injectors but the problem is still occurring. The problem had been ongoing and this time, they will not fix the issue because the vehicle is over the 120k miles. I believe that bmw is responsible for the problem that the vehicle was never properly fix in the first place.at least 3 times of having the same problem (that was documented by bmw), and still not resolved!it is a good car, but can be dangerous and could cause an accident. I will not let my wife drive it anymore until i feel it is safe. Problem is intermittent. At low speed, idling, and at highway speeds which can be really scary. I hope they will take responsibility and actually find and fix the issue.
I started my car and upon starting it began rattling and shaking violently. I took a video of the message that appeared on the dash saying. Engine malfunction reduced power.
While driving on the highway and local streets the car suddenly loses power and cuts off giving a fuel pump malfunction.i had the high pressure fuel pump replaced and the problem still exists. This has put my whole family in danger because it has happened on the highway at speeds in excess of 50 mph. The car just suddenly shut down.
I recently purchased a 2008 bmw 535xi and have had it for about a week or so. It has spent more time in the shop than on the road due to fuel injectors causing misfires and now the high pressure fuel pump has gone out. I recently found out also that this is a common issue with bmw and they are pretending that the fuel pump malfunction in 3 & 5 series isn't their fault. I checked the carfax on the vehicle before buying it and it was serviced regularly at a bmw dealership. After further research i also have found out that the dealership totally ignored the recalls and screwed over the first owner. Bmw needs to take full responsibility for selling cars with known defective parts. I have to drop $3800 to fix the problems that the fuel pump has caused. The car won't even start now.
I was exiting the the freeway and when i was on a banked onramp the engine stopped running while vehicle was in motion.i lost power steering and the ability to release the brake.i nearly lost control of the vehicle as the unexpected loss in power steering caused me to loose grip on the wheel.the engine was in neutral when the engine stalled.upon restarting the engine (which struggled to start) the "service engine soon telltale" illuminated and the vehicle entered "reduce engine power mode".after scanning the dtc(p3090) i learned the vehicle's high pressure fuel pump failed.i noticed bmw has a recall on the issue.unfortunately their recall only covers the fuel pump to 120,000 miles and my vehicle has roughly 9,500 miles above the covered threshold.based on my experience and reading online i feel the pump has some sort of design flaw that bmw has failed to properly address.i wish bmw would hold up to their integrity and continue to replace the fuel pump for the life of the vehicle.
The contact owns a 2008 bmw 535xi. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the engine misfired the vehicle was taken to the local dealer bmw of columbia located at (1900 i70 dr. Sw, columbia mo) who diagnosed that the engine cylinder number 4 misfire was due to defective fuel injectors. The fuel injectors were replaced and the failure was remedied. The manufacturer was also notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 93,450.
The car has an passenger restraint error that does not go away. The car fuel gage does not work either
For over the past year, the (small) engine light has been repeatedly & constantly going on/off. I've had sensors, spark plugs, tubes & everything under the sun replaced and have taken (or towed in most cases) the car to many different auto repair shops for multiple quotes & repairs.the latest problem is the small engine light came on & the car was stuck in park and would not engage in drive or reverse. It wouldn't shift. After turning the car off and then on again, the engine light was completely gone & the car was fine to drive/reverse. After driving the car a few blocks, the engine malfunction/reduce speed light came on, the power was drastically reduced & i almost got hit by a dump truck.in 2008, i bought my bmw brand new because i wanted no car issues because i am not a mechanic. Every since i bought this car i have had nothing but repeated & different issues that no mechanic can identify. And it all started with the high-pressure fuel pump which was replaced three times (hpfp). After the third hpfp was replaced, and the car was in the shop literally for three months straight, i got a lawyer involved and bmw corp apologized & said i could have a choice of:1/ getting a different car that they picked out (a 535i not the xi i bought because of snow and ice conditions)2/ they cut me a check for a few thousand and told me to shut up and i could never speak of what happened or be part of future lawsuits or class actions.i've never felt safe driving my 2008 bmw (116k miles on it over 12.5 years)every bmw owner that bought a bmw between the range of years knows exactly what i am talking about re: the constant and never-ending issues that all start with the hpfp & escalate from there. Repair shops can't fix the issues & bmw covers up.nhtsa hasn't done anything about this massive bmw issue affecting the vast majority of owners. Just google it!
I purchased a 2008 bmw 5 series wagon 9/1/2015 oncalifornia had its first rain storm causing catastrophic failure of the entire electrical system of the bmw resulting in a complete loss 12/16/115.the drain lines are a well documented and a bmw service bulletin was issued to dealerships. While driving on the highway, i experienced widespread system failure, tire warnings, transmission failure warnings and the suspension failed and the car dropped about 6 inches.the bmw dealership gave us $24,188.17 repair estimate for all the electrical components and wiring which is more than the value of the car
On january 5, 2014 driving on the highway approx. 55 mph the vehicle's displayed engine and transmission malfunction dropped my rate of speed to approximately 20 mph (safety mode) almost sustained a rear end collision i then pulled over onto the shoulder i turned the car off waited 10 minutes and turned it on without any issues. I took the car to bmw of tenafly, nj they inspected the vehicle made some adjustments and said the car was good to drive on the way home traveling approx. 45 mph the car again displayed engine and transmission malfunction dropped my rate of speed to approximately 20 mph (safety mode) i pulled over i turned the car off waited 10 minutes and turned it on the malfunction continued the next day i brought the vehicle back to bmw of tenafly, njthey changed the control module and some other component in the engine. On june 10, 2014 driving on i95 traveling approximately 65 mph the car onboard display showed a transmission malfunctionand dropped my rate of speed to approximately 20 mph (safety mode), i pulled over onto the shoulder i turned the car off waited 10 minutes and turned it on without any issues. Traffic conditions were light, but could potentially be a serious issue (accident or fatality) during normal traffic conditions. On june 9, 2014i filed a report with bmw usa and i have scheduled an appointment with the service department bmw of tenafly, nj.
The car has been replaced a pump sensors 40 days ago because of the engine malfunction ,and two weeks ago while started in cold weather, it was shaking and the engine light on. The dealer checked and said that it is the injector problem and recommend to chang all 6 injectors. But the injectors have been changed at the mileage of 27,000 in 2010.
I was driving my fantastic (expensive) 535xi and all of a sudden when i would implement any pressure on the throttle i experienced a jerking/stuttering sensation.
The drive shaft for my bmw 535xi broke while driving straight on the highway without any warming. This caused considerable damage to the underneath components of the car. Such as ripping the data cable and burst the transmission and all the transmission fluid licked out instantly. My vehicle stalled in the middle of traffic with on coming cars. I have uploaded a picture of the broken drive shaft while the car was being towed . I have the documents but i am unable to upload them at this time.in addition the pressure hose for the power pump burst and it is unfair that i have to replace all 3 power hosts because it is a bmw recommendation.
Cold start in the morning for drive to work, car suffered slow start and rough idle.then check engine light illuminated and reduced power notification on idrive with high coolant fan rpm.shut down car for 30 minutes, restarted with no issue indicated in idrive but yellow check engine light illuminated on dash.drove to dealer for scheduled appointment on safety recall for tail lamp assembly (13v-407).while at 40 mph and approximately 1/4 mile from dealer, engine surged then reduced power notification and check engine on idrive.radiator fan went to high rpm and car slowed to approximately 20 mph rapidly almost causing an accident on a two lane road.vehicle made it to the dealer without incident.dealer indicates it is failure of high pressure fuel pump.this is the second replacement of the pump.last one occurred within 27 months and 16k miles.
The car has an passenger restraint error that does not go away. The car fuel gage does not work either
I had the passenger restraint malfunction error show up on my vehicle's dash in 2013. At that time, the dealership replaced some module in the driver's side headrest. Not sure why would they have a replace a module in "driver side" when the error is in "passenger side." but i didn't argue and let them replace it and paid $400 for the privilege.now again in april 2015, same error is happening. First the dealer(bmw of cleveland, solon, oh) couldn't find the problem for 2 days. But when i told them about the history of the vehicle, they say that now the whole driver's side headrest needs to be replaced and the cost is a whopping $700. The car shows problem in passenger side, and dealer says driver side headrest needs to be replaced. This is preposterous! looks like the dealer is trying to scam me on this.is there any recall on this?
April 2013, bmw dealer #1 (seller)was told by selling dealer that restraint system malfunction light just came on hours before delivery.. Was told to bring car to a dealer in my state and they will fix it, no charge since car is still under manufacturer extended warranty; may 23, 2013 bmw dealer #2 (service)restraint system malfunction ligh is on.. Dealer #2 advised that bst cable was sliced, hence warranty does not cover the repair, which was $1,000.00.june 12, 2013 bmw dealer #3 (service)went to dealer #3 for second opinion, surprised with totally different diagnosisand fixed for $117.00.. Below is the actual dealer findings and fixed;, , , , 93398 sporadic fault ran, short test, connected charger 12.31v, , , , faults active head restrain firing circuit, fault occurence 1, fault, , , , currently not present inspected connections and lines, checked , , , , measured resistance as seen by modual, within spec. Cleared, , , , fault memoryseptember 2014 bmw dealer #3 (service)restraint system malfunction ligh is on is back.!!took it back to dealer #3.. This time diagnosis was that the bst cable is corroded due to water in the rear vent in the battery area.. Bst cable needs to be replaced and cost $919.98.summary:april 2013 dealer #1 states, restraint system dealer fix, no charge.may 2015, dealer #2 states bst cable got sliced, $1,000.00 repairjune 2013 dealer #3 states head restraint firing circuit, fixed it for $117.00sept 2014 dealer #3 now states bst cable got corroded, $919.98 to repairwhy are their findings of the problem are so inconsistent??
87,000 miles warning light passenger air bag not engaged and may cause damage. Quoted $1800 bmw certified mechanic to replace, fix. Looking for recall as many others experienced the same. Was told that you can't tell whether the airbag will inflate or not. Against the law to disconnect the light. Unable to diagnose without taking the seat apart.
I received a warning message "restraint system malfunction!" for no reason and it says "pass, restraint system - fault in passenger-restraint system affecting airbag, belt tensioner or belt-force limiter" etc.
The passenger seat occupancy mat failure light indicator is on.brought back to the bmw dealer, service technician stated that it is a recurring problem for bmw.but service would cost $2,300 to fix.i asked if it is a recurring problem, then it is a defect.bmw should fix the problem free of charge as i see in other recent recall announcements like last month for the bmw x3.
I received a warning message "restraint system malfunction!" for no reason and it says "pass, restraint system - fault in passenger-restraint system affecting airbag, belt tensioner or belt-force limiter" etc.
The passenger seat occupancy mat failure light indicator is on.brought back to the bmw dealer, service technician stated that it is a recurring problem for bmw.but service would cost $2,300 to fix.i asked if it is a recurring problem, then it is a defect.bmw should fix the problem free of charge as i see in other recent recall announcements like last month for the bmw x3.
I had the passenger restraint malfunction error show up on my vehicle's dash in 2013. At that time, the dealership replaced some module in the driver's side headrest. Not sure why would they have a replace a module in "driver side" when the error is in "passenger side." but i didn't argue and let them replace it and paid $400 for the privilege.now again in april 2015, same error is happening. First the dealer(bmw of cleveland, solon, oh) couldn't find the problem for 2 days. But when i told them about the history of the vehicle, they say that now the whole driver's side headrest needs to be replaced and the cost is a whopping $700. The car shows problem in passenger side, and dealer says driver side headrest needs to be replaced. This is preposterous! looks like the dealer is trying to scam me on this.is there any recall on this?
87,000 miles warning light passenger air bag not engaged and may cause damage. Quoted $1800 bmw certified mechanic to replace, fix. Looking for recall as many others experienced the same. Was told that you can't tell whether the airbag will inflate or not. Against the law to disconnect the light. Unable to diagnose without taking the seat apart.
Wednesday july 25th, 2018, as i was getting ready to leave work, i started my car which was parked in my company's underground garage and the interior became engulfed with smoke. I turned the car off and got out to check the engine. There was no smoke coming from the under the hood of the car. I got back into the car and started it again and more smoke entered into the car. I turned the car off and went back to my office to call aaa. Approximately 20-30 minutes later i went back to the car and immediately smelled smoke in the garage. As i approached the car it was completely filled with smoke but i could tell that the both the back and front window shields and the sunroof were scorched. My key fob did not work so i had to open the car with the key. With the door open the thick smoke escaped and then i was able to see the damage to the car as a result of a fire. I have attached some pictures so you can see. I did some research and found that there have been some instances where this has happened to other bmw owners in the past and that this was a course of action to take in letting you know.
The rear right tail light stopped functioning correctly, and the brake light, the running light, the reverse light, and the blinker stopped working. This created many potential accidents as oncoming drivers could not properly see me reversing or turning right. There is an active recall for the issue and bmw is replacing the rear tail lights for vin's that the government has identified as having the issue. My vehicle has the issue. Bmw refused to replaced the tail light that has permanent loss of functionality. I was forced to pay out of pocket funds for the item that has a recall and bmw north america has refused to assist in this matter. I spoke to [xxx] at bmw north america, he is a customer relations supervisor, and his contact information is in the bmw case file with id last 7 digits of my vin. He indicated that bmw will not do anything unless the government forces them to by providing the vin number to them as an effected vehicle.information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6).
I was exiting the the freeway and when i was on a banked onramp the engine stopped running while vehicle was in motion.i lost power steering and the ability to release the brake.i nearly lost control of the vehicle as the unexpected loss in power steering caused me to loose grip on the wheel.the engine was in neutral when the engine stalled.upon restarting the engine (which struggled to start) the "service engine soon telltale" illuminated and the vehicle entered "reduce engine power mode".after scanning the dtc(p3090) i learned the vehicle's high pressure fuel pump failed.i noticed bmw has a recall on the issue.unfortunately their recall only covers the fuel pump to 120,000 miles and my vehicle has roughly 9,500 miles above the covered threshold.based on my experience and reading online i feel the pump has some sort of design flaw that bmw has failed to properly address.i wish bmw would hold up to their integrity and continue to replace the fuel pump for the life of the vehicle.
I was exiting the the freeway and when i was on a banked onramp the engine stopped running while vehicle was in motion.i lost power steering and the ability to release the brake.i nearly lost control of the vehicle as the unexpected loss in power steering caused me to loose grip on the wheel.the engine was in neutral when the engine stalled.upon restarting the engine (which struggled to start) the "service engine soon telltale" illuminated and the vehicle entered "reduce engine power mode".after scanning the dtc(p3090) i learned the vehicle's high pressure fuel pump failed.i noticed bmw has a recall on the issue.unfortunately their recall only covers the fuel pump to 120,000 miles and my vehicle has roughly 9,500 miles above the covered threshold.based on my experience and reading online i feel the pump has some sort of design flaw that bmw has failed to properly address.i wish bmw would hold up to their integrity and continue to replace the fuel pump for the life of the vehicle.
The contact owns a 2008 bmw 535xi. The contact stated that after exiting the vehicle and touching the handle to lock the doors via the keyless entry feature, the contact failed to realize that the passenger had not exited the vehicle. The passenger was unable to unlock the doors and remained trapped in the vehicle with the windows up for approximately 15 minutes until the driver came back to unlock the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was explained that what the contact perceived as a failure was a security feature of the vehicle and was not considered a defect. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 100,000.
While driving at 55mph not close to the vehicle in front of me and with no oncoming traffic, and with the sunroof closed, there was a sudden "explosion" above my head.it was a very loud noise and my first thought was that the sunroof had been shot.before i had time to pull over, the shattered glass of the sunroof blew off the roof onto the road behind me.i did not see anything come off the vehicle in front of me, there was no oncoming traffic, and i was not going under a bridge of any kind. It was as if the sunroof spontaneously exploded.had the sunroof curtain not been closed, all that glass would have come into the car and caused significant injury.
I discovered multiple severed wires in the tailgate/rear window wiring harnesses. Through research online i have found this is a common problem with this vehicle over several model years - search for bmw e61 tailgate wiring problems. The failures are caused by a poor design where the wires entering the hinge guides (4) for the glass and tailgate are repeatedly flexed at a sharp angle until the insulation, then the copper wire breaks.safety issues - possible electrical short circuit leading to fires (highest load is for rear defroster); lighting failures (rear high brake light, license plate lamps and others); reduced visibility due to loss of wiper/washer/defroster; rear glass latch opening while underway, possibly resulting in loss of cargo or ingress of exhaust fumes.this is not an easily repaired problem. It would be beyond the capabilities of all but a skilled mechanic with proper tools. I discovered it when the rear wiper and rear window defroster stopped working. As i investigated i found the broken wires, along with several others with broken insulation, some with broken copper strands."
I purchased a 2008 bmw 5 series wagon 9/1/2015 oncalifornia had its first rain storm causing catastrophic failure of the entire electrical system of the bmw resulting in a complete loss 12/16/115.the drain lines are a well documented and a bmw service bulletin was issued to dealerships. While driving on the highway, i experienced widespread system failure, tire warnings, transmission failure warnings and the suspension failed and the car dropped about 6 inches.the bmw dealership gave us $24,188.17 repair estimate for all the electrical components and wiring which is more than the value of the car
At c. 89,000 miles - warning:"driver side air bags malfunction".bmw dealer, rockville, md, wants $660 to tell me if it's a real problem with the bag, and/or its housing and/or only a faulty sensor sending an incorrect message (!!)following that suspicious drill they can then fix it - a couple hundred dollars if it's only a sensor, much more $ if it's something else.car moving or not, the warning remains on.
Wednesday july 25th, 2018, as i was getting ready to leave work, i started my car which was parked in my company's underground garage and the interior became engulfed with smoke. I turned the car off and got out to check the engine. There was no smoke coming from the under the hood of the car. I got back into the car and started it again and more smoke entered into the car. I turned the car off and went back to my office to call aaa. Approximately 20-30 minutes later i went back to the car and immediately smelled smoke in the garage. As i approached the car it was completely filled with smoke but i could tell that the both the back and front window shields and the sunroof were scorched. My key fob did not work so i had to open the car with the key. With the door open the thick smoke escaped and then i was able to see the damage to the car as a result of a fire. I have attached some pictures so you can see. I did some research and found that there have been some instances where this has happened to other bmw owners in the past and that this was a course of action to take in letting you know.
While driving the 2008 bmw 535xi, there was a loud sound from the engine. A message appeared "car overheated" and the car stopped in the middle of the road. The water pump failed with absolutely no warning. The acceleration would not work at all and the car was essentially inoperable. It was a very difficult situation with vehicles approaching me from behind especially with no shoulder space available to pull the car over. I managed to turn ont he hazard lights and barely managed to escape this situation without an incident. The vehicle was towed to a dealer and i was informed that the auxiliary water pump had failed and will have to replace it, the cost of which would be at least $1,200. When i looked up on the internet regarding this issue, i have seen many individuals complaining about the water pump in less than as little as 30,000 miles. I also stumbled onto a nhtsa recall campaign (no. 11v-521: "electric auxiliary water pump") on certain 2008 bmw 5-series. I was shocked to know that my vehicle was not included in this campaign number. What type of quality checks are these pumps subjected to? i have heard of many such instances with this year, make and model. Most other vehicles have water pumps lasting over 100,000 miles and well beyond. Why hasn't bmw issued a recall?
I noticed that when i drive with the sunroof cover open, not the actual window, there is a loud whistling sound in the car. It sounds like an air gap or something. When i close the sunroof cover, it is not as loud, but you can still hear wind howling. I know there aren't any leaks because when it rains, there is no water coming into my car. I'm confused about what is going on.
I discovered multiple severed wires in the tailgate/rear window wiring harnesses. Through research online i have found this is a common problem with this vehicle over several model years - search for bmw e61 tailgate wiring problems. The failures are caused by a poor design where the wires entering the hinge guides (4) for the glass and tailgate are repeatedly flexed at a sharp angle until the insulation, then the copper wire breaks.safety issues - possible electrical short circuit leading to fires (highest load is for rear defroster); lighting failures (rear high brake light, license plate lamps and others); reduced visibility due to loss of wiper/washer/defroster; rear glass latch opening while underway, possibly resulting in loss of cargo or ingress of exhaust fumes.this is not an easily repaired problem. It would be beyond the capabilities of all but a skilled mechanic with proper tools. I discovered it when the rear wiper and rear window defroster stopped working. As i investigated i found the broken wires, along with several others with broken insulation, some with broken copper strands."
The wipers keep stopping, not functioning, i had replaced the motor three times now.
Known safety concern due to broken wiring in e61 wagon hatch wiring. See this thread:https://5series.net/forums/e61-touring-discussion-4/tailgate-wiring-harness-replacement-72751/
I was changing a flat tire and the jack just failed on me last night and almost but my arm off. This is the first time the jack was being used. It was a flat road and it wasn't windy. The car was on a stable surface with no stones or anything else. The car almost landed on my hands and bent the rotor back plate !!!!i then noted that the jack was very unstable and maybe a little bent. I got help from a truck who stopped by.i checked with the dealer today to see if they can replace it under warranty (3 yrs old basically) but they just said no.
I have three faults, 1- trunk opens randomly, 2 - rdc unit in trunk flooded because trunk opened, 3 - battery discharges. I noticed a few times after returning to my car, the trunk opened on its own. I always lock my car and when i walk away, i make sure that the trunk is closed. When i return to my car, the trunk is randomly opened. One day, when it was raining, this occurred and drenched my entire trunk. I dried the trunk out and started driving then i noticed the tpms started failing. After checking all the tpms antennas on my car, i found out that there was a unit in the trunk. This unit was in the base of the trunk with no ventilation. My rdc unit was submerged in water along with my bluetooth system. The rdc unit failed and i notice the bluetooth system has been going in and out now. My battery also shows high discharge and i hear random beeping when i am driving. This is a huge design flaw on so many levels. I have paid money to fix the rdc unit, but it is hard to replicate the trunk randomly opening and the beeping sound happens randomly when i am driving.
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