2008 BMW 528I

I PURCHASED A USED 2008 BMW 528I MID-JANUARY OF 2017. IT WAS WELL MAINTAINED, A SINGLE OWNER VEHICLE WITH JUST OVER 60K MILES. IT HAS A CLEAN CARFAX AND A WELL DOCUMENTED HISTORY OF REGULAR MAINTENANCE AT A BMW DEALERSHIP IN ORLANDO, FL. AFTER HAVING THE VEHICLE FOR JUST OVER 3 WEEKS, THE PASSENGER SIDE DAY TIME RUNNING LAMP WENT OUT. I RECEIVED A "MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LAMP" (MIL) ON THE DASH SO I INVESTIGATED. BEING AT HOME AND THE VEHICLE IN THE GARAGE, I REMOVED THE COVER TO THE ASSOCIATED BULB, I NOTICED BARE WIRING THAT WAS ASSOCIATED WITH THE PLUG-IN CONNECTOR (THERE ARE TWO WIRES). I THOUGHT THIS UNUSUAL AND STRANGE. I SUBSEQUENTLY REPLACED THE BULB BUT THAT DID NOT REPAIR THE FAULT. SINCE THE INSULATION ON THE FAULTY WIRING WAS IN CONTACT WITH EACH OTHER, IT WAS PROVIDING A GROUND AND SHORTING OUT THE BULB. THIS COULD REPRESENT A POTENTIAL FOR CAUSING A FIRE AND HAZARDOUS SITUATION. FURTHER RESEARCH VIA THE INTERNET (FORUMS), I WAS ASTOUNDED AT THE AMOUNT OF CONSUMERS WHO HAVE EXPRESSED CONCERN TO BMW ABOUT THIS PROBLEM. HELLA IS THE MANUFACTURER OF THE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY FOR BMW. I AM UNSURE AT THIS TIME IF BMW HAS EXPRESSED CONCERN TO HELLA OF THE POTENTIAL LIABILITY ASSOCIATED WITH THEIR SUBSTANDARD WIRING IN THE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY. IT APPEARS OVER A 5-8 YEAR PERIOD OF USE THAT THE INSULATION IS BEING SUBJECTED TO HIGH TEMPERATURES THAT CAUSE BRITTLENESS, FRACTURES AND FINALLY DEGRADE TO WHERE THE WIRING BECOMES EXPOSED. BMW IS AWARE OF THIS ISSUE BUT DOES NOT APPEAR CONCERNED OR MOTIVATED TO RESOLVE THIS PROBLEM. I AM SURE THAT THERE CONCERNS REVOLVE AROUND PROFIT MARGINS, BUT I FEEL WHERE SAFETY IS OF CONCERN, MONEY SHOULD NOT BE THE REASON FOR NOT CORRECTING A PROBLEM. I RESPECTFULLY REQUEST THAT INVESTIGATION BE CONDUCTED IN ORDER TO DISCERN THE POTENTIAL IMPACT TO CONSUMERS SHOULD THIS PROBLEM NOT BE CORRECTED BY THE MANUFACTURER.

I WAS DRIVING MY CAR AND SUDDENLY THE RESTRAINT SYSTEM MALFUNCTION LIGHT TURNED ON AND THE SEATBELT LIGHT TURNED ON. I DID NOT HIT A BUMP OR ANYTHING. THERE WAS NO PASSENGER CURRENTLY SITTING ON THE PASSENGER SEAT WHEN THE LIGHT CAME ON. I HAVE TRIED SITTING DOWN ON THE PASSENGER SEAT AND PUT ON MY SEAT BELT TO SEE IF IT WILL GO AWAY BUT NO LUCK. ALSO, THE SEAT BELT LIGHT WILL NOT GO AWAY EVEN IF I BUCKLE THE DRIVERS SEAT AND PASSENGER SEAT BELT. *TR

2008 BMW 528I AUTOMATIC SEDAN WITH 104K MILES... HEAD LIGHT WIRING HARNESS (DRIVER SIDE AND PASSENGER SIDE) INSULATION IS DEGRADING RESULTING IN BULBS MALFUNCTIONING/BURNING OUT REGULARLY/SHORTING OUT/BLOWN FUSES, AND POSSIBLY AN ELECTRICAL FIRE. AN EMPLOYEES AT ONE BMW DEALERSHIP, SAID BMW IS AWARE OF THE ISSUE AND REFUSES TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE' UNTIL THEY ARE FORCED TO BY THE GOVERNMENT OR A LAWSUIT.

I HAVE A 2008 528I AND I GOT AN ERROR MESSAGE SAYING THE PASSENGER RESTRAINT SYSTEM, OR AIR BAG HAD AN ERROR REGARDLESS OF A PASSENGER PRESENT OR NOT ANY TIME THAT CAR IS TURNED ON. I RESEARCHED IT AND IT SEEMS THAT THIS PROBLEM IS QUITE COMMON ON BMWS AND I FEEL AS ITS AN ISSUE WITH THE PRODUCTION OF THE CAR AND THE REPAIR SHOULD NOT BE AT THE OWNER'S EXPENSE. *TR

THE VEHICLE IS MADE WITH INFERIOR WIRE COATING THAT CAN AND I'M SURE HAS RESULTED IN FIRES. NOT TO MENTION THE FEATURES OF THE LIGHTS CAN AND WILL STOP WORKING UNEXPECTEDLY. THIS ALSO CAUSES SHORTS IN THE WIRING OF THE SWITCH IN THE DASH I BELIEVE AND POSSIBLE BATTERY DRAIN LEAVING PEOPLE STRANDED OR EVEN HAVING CAR DIE WHILE IN MOTION. BMW HAD MY CAR FOR 3 WEEKS TRYING TO FIGURE OUT ALL THEIR OTHER FAULTY ISSUES - THEY FINALLY HAD THEIR HEAD FOREMAN TAKE THE CAR HOME WITH HIM AND GO OVER IT WITH A FINE TOOTH COMB. HE FIXED MOST OF THE ISSUES. THEY HAD SENT ME HOME WITH MY CAR 3 OR 4 TIMES TELLING ME MY ISSUES WERE RESOLVED ONLY FOR THE CAR TO STALL, SMELL LIKE BURNING RUBBER OR JUST NOT START. THEY WERE ALSO AWARE OF THE FAULTY WIRING BUT DID NOT LIST IT AS AN ITEM OF EMINENT CONCERN - HOWEVER AFTER TAKING CAR TO ANOTHER MECHANIC FOR A BLOWN BULB A MONTH LATER THEY EXPRESSED TO ME THE EXTREME FIRE HAZARD THE VEHICLE WIRING POSED AND THAT BECAUSE OF THE NATURE (OR PROBLEMATIC DESIGN RATHER) OF BMW THEY WERE NOT AT LIBERTY TO DELVE INTO SUCH MATTERS. BMW IS THE UTMOST MORALLY REPREHENSIBLE AUTO MAKER I HAVE EVER ENCOUNTERED FROM START TO FINISH. MY LIGHTS WENT OUT WHILE DRIVING AND I WAS ALMOST HIT BY A DRIVER IN A LARGE ESCALADE AROUND DUSK A WEEK AGO. WHAT'S WORSE IS WHEN I TOOK VEHICLE TO BMW I WAS ALSO HAVING THEM FIX THE TAIL LIGHT RECALL THAT IS PRONE TO CAUSE FIRES. I HAVE NEVER MET MORE INCOMPETENT PEOPLE. YOU DO NOT GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR.