2007 BMW 328XI

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 BMW 328XI. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED IN THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE AIR BAG SENSOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 112,000. UPDATED 8/28/14*CN UPDATED 09/16/2014 *JS

I AM AN OWNER OF A 2007 BMW 328XI. TWO MONTHS AGO, I BROUGHT MY CAR TO A BMW DEALERSHIP FOR CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ISSUE. THEY TOLD ME THAT CYLINDER 6 WAS THE PROBLEM. SO THEY FIXED CYLINDER 6 AND REPLACED ALL SPARK PLUGS. ON 24-APR-2014, MY WIFE DROVE THE CAR TO WORK AND CAME HOME. THAT EVENING SHE TOOK THE KIDS TO AN EVENT AT THEIR SCHOOL AND PARKED THE CAR. AFTER THE EVENT, SHE TRIED BACKING THE CAR AND THE CAR WON'T GO INTO REVERSE. SO, I DROPPED THE CAR OFF TO THE DEALER SHIP AND AFTER THEY COMPLETED THEIR DAGNOSTIC TEST, THEY TOLD ME THAT I HAVE TRANSMISSION PROBLEM WHICH WILL COST $6000 TO FIX. *JS

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 BMW 328XI. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE FRONT PASSENGERS SIDE FLOOR MAT SENSOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS SCHEDULED TO BE REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 13V564000 (AIR BAGS) BUT THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE EXHIBITED THE SAME FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 78000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 BMW 328XI. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED AND UNOCCUPIED, IT UNEXPECTEDLY IGNITED INTO FLAMES. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE AND DISCONNECTED THE BATTERY. THE FIRE ORIGINATED IN BETWEEN THE FRONT WINDSHIELD AND UPPER HOOD AREA NEAR THE AIR BAG HOUSING. THE FIRE WAS DEEMED AS ELECTRICAL. THE VEHICLE WAS COMPLETELY DESTROYED AND TOWED TO A SAVAGE FACILITY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE DEFECT. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 133,000.

THE AUTOMATIC DOOR LOCKING FUNCTION IN MY CAR HAS GONE OUT TWICE IN THE LAST 8 MONTHS. THE BUTTONS INSIDE THE CAR AND ON THE KEY FOB DID NOT OPEN OR LOCK THE DOORS. THE SAFETY ISSUE IS THAT WHEN THIS OCCURRED, THERE WAS NO WAY TO OPEN ANY OF THE DOORS FROM THE INSIDE OF THE CAR. THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR IS THE ONLY ONE THAT HAS A PHYSICAL KEY SLOT. THE CAR CAN ONLY BE UNLOCKED FROM THE OUTSIDE WHEN THE AUTOMATIC DOOR LOCKS FAIL. A PERSON CANNOT OPEN THE DOORS USING ANY OF THE HANDLES, INCLUDING THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR HANDLE WHEN THE LOCKS FAIL. THERE IS NO WAY TO EXIT THE CAR FROM THE INSIDE WHEN THIS FAILS. I HAD TO PULL A BACK SEAT PASSENGER OUT THE WINDOW TO REMOVE HIM FROM THE CAR WHEN THE AUTOMATIC LOCKS FAILED THE SECOND TIME. BOTH TIMES I WAS ABLE TO FIX THE PROBLEM BY REPLACING FIRST ONE, THEN TWO FUSES IN THE BOX. BMW SERVICE DEPARTMENTS DO NOT CONSIDER THIS AN EMERGENCY, SO I HAD TO DO THE REPAIRS MYSELF. I DID NOT FEEL SAFE AT ALL BEING UNABLE TO OPEN ANY OF THE DOORS, AND HAVING TO DRIVE WITH THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR UNLOCKED. IT IS NOT EASY TO REPLACE A FUSE WHEN THE BOX IS IN THE BACK OF THE GLOVE BOX ON THE FAR SIDE WHEN IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO OPEN THE PASSENGER DOOR. BMW SAID THERE MAY BE SOMETHING IN THE CAR THAT IS CAUSING THIS TO FAIL FOR ME AND HAS QUOTED ALMOST $200 FOR AN ASSESSMENT. THIS ISSUE IS A MAJOR SAFETY PROBLEM. ONE CAN EASILY BE STUCK IN THE CAR AS MY PASSENGER WAS WITH NO WAY TO GET OUT BESIDES THE WINDOW. THIS CAR IS NOT LARGE ENOUGH TO EASILY JUMP OVER CONSOLES OR SEATS. I CALLED BMW AND SAID THIS HAS TO BE A SAFETY RECALL SINCE YOU CANNOT EXIT THE CAR WHEN THE SYSTEM FAILS. THERE WAS NO PROMISE TO MAKE ANY CHANGES TO THE CARS OR TO ASSIST ME IN ANY WAY. *TR

THE DOOR LOCKING MECHANISM FAILED, MAKING ALL OF THE PASSENGER DOORS UNUSABLE, EVEN FROM THE INSIDE. IF THERE ARE PEOPLE IN THE VEHICLE, THEY CANNOT GET OUT EXCEPT THROUGH THE DRIVER'S DOOR, REPRESENTING A MAJOR SAFETY HAZARD. IN THE CASE OF FIRE OR OTHER EMERGENCY, PASSENGERS IN MY CAR WOULD HAVE BEEN TRAPPED, UNABLE TO ESCAPE THE VEHICLE BECAUSE THERE IS NO MECHANICAL LOCK RELEASE ON THE INSIDE OF THE CAR. BMW HAS RELEASED A SERVICE BULLETIN TO REPLACE FUSE 57 WITH A 20 AMP FUSE INSTEAD OF A 15 AMP FUSE, BUT THIS DOES NOT FIX THE BASIC PROBLEM OF HAVING NO ESCAPE FROM THE INSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. EVEN AFTER REPLACING THE FUSE WITH A 20A, IT BLEW AGAIN AND WOULD HAVE TRAPPED PASSENGERS AGAIN. I FEEL VERY UNSAFE TRANSPORTING MY FAMILY IN THIS VEHICLE KNOWING THAT THIS SAFETY HAZARD HAS PERSISTED SO LONG WITHOUT A RECALL. *TR

THE CAR HAS A SERIOUS OIL LEAK AT THE HEAD GASKET. THIS HAS BEEN A VERY WELL MAINTAINED CAR, WITH ALL SERVICES BEING COMPLETED IN A TIMELY MANNER, AND JUST REGULAR COMMUTING IN MILD TRAFFIC AND MILD WEATHER. THE OIL LEAK IS OCCURRING DUE TO A MANUFACTURING DEFECT -- THERE IS NO SERVICEABLE PORTION DUE TO WHICH THIS LEAK COULD HAVE HAPPENED. AS THE CAR KEEPS LEAKING OIL, IT IS CREATING A POTENTIAL FIRE HAZARD. *TR

I HAD JUST EXITED OFF OF THE FREEWAY AND WAS MAKING A LEFT TURN AT A LIGHT WHEN THE STEERING "LOCKED UP". I COULDN'T GET THE CAR TO STEER AND THE "SERVICE ENGINE SOON" LIGHT CAME ON. LUCKILY, THE CAR "COAST" TO THE SIDE OF THIS NON-BUSY ROAD. I TURNED THE CAR OFF AND RESTARTED AND EVERYTHING WAS BACK TO NORMAL. I WAS ALSO ABLE TO DRIVE BACK HOME WITHOUT ANY ISSUES A COUPLE OF HOURS LATER. HOWEVER, THIS INCIDENT HAS ME AND MY FAMILY FREAKED OUT AS WE FREQUENTLY TRAVEL WITH OUR CHILDREN. I CANNOT IMAGINE THE CONSEQUENCES IF THIS LOCK UP WERE TO HAPPEN ON A FREEWAY AT SPEEDS IN EXCESS OF 60MPH. I HAVE SEEN SEVERAL FOLKS COMPLAIN OF THIS ISSUE AND AM AFRAID IT MAY RESURFACE ANYTIME WITHOUT WARNING. I'LL HAVE MY CAR TAKEN TO A SERVICE SHOP NEAR MY HOME AND HAVE THEM DIAGNOSE, BUT HAVING READ SO MANY COMPLAINTS IT APPEARS TO BE ALONG SIMILAR LINES OF THE STEERING COLUMN ISSUE. HAS BMW OWNED UP TO THIS AND ARE THEY ISSUING A RECALL? *TR