2004 BMW 530I

SATURDAY OCTOBER 3, 2009 AT APPROXIMATELY 9:30AM I TURNED ON MY DRIVER SIDE HEATED SEAT. AFTER APPROX. 2-3 MINUTES I SMELLED SOMETHING BURNING AND THEN SAW SMOKE COMING UP FROM AROUND MY STEERING WHEEL. I PULLED OVER AND GOT OUT AND FOUND MY SEAT HAD A HOLE BURNED THROUGH IT ON THE LOWER LEFT HAND SIDE (DOOR SIDE). THE HOLE WAS RED FROM HEAT SO I LOOKED AT THE BACK OF MY SHIRT AND IT HAD A HOLE BURNED IN IT, I THEN LOOKED AT MY PANTS AND FOUND A HOLE HAD STARTED BURNING THRU THE HIP POCKET. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND THEY SAID THEY WERE NOT AWARE OF ANY PROBLEMS LIKE THE ONE I JUST EXPERIENCED. I ALSO NOTICED ON THE INTERNET ON A LAW FIRMS WEB PAGE THAT THIS HAS HAPPENED BEFORE TO MY MODEL CAR, 2004 BMW 530I. I PLAN TO CALL BMW OF NORTH AMERICA TOMORROW (10-5-09) TO FILE A COMPLAINT. I CAN SEND A PICTURE OF THE CAR SEAT AND MY CLOTHES IF YOU WANT. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 BMW 530I. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, THE WHEELS FAILED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER AND THEY SPECULATED THAT THE CONTACT MUST HAVE STRUCK SOMETHING IN THE ROAD TO CAUSE THE WHEELS TO FAIL. HE IS IN THE PROCESS OF HAVING THE VEHICLE REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 49,000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 BMW 530I. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HIS BMW PASSENGER SENSOR MAT ACTIVATES ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL TO ALERT HIM THAT THE AIR BAGS WILL NOT DEPLOY ON THE PASSENGER SIDE IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 08V384000 (AIR BAGS:FRONTAL), ALTHOUGH THE FAILURES WERE IDENTICAL. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 BMW 530I. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH ON NORMAL ROAD CONDITIONS, THE PASSENGER SIDE FRONTAL AIR BAG WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE INDICATOR REMAINED LIT UNTIL THE ENGINE WAS TURNED OFF. THERE WAS AN OCCUPANT SEATED IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT AT THE TIME. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING AND THEY STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS DUE TO THE FRONT SEAT OCCUPANCY SENSOR. THE VIN WAS EXCLUDED FROM NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 08V384000 (AIR BAGS, FRONTAL), ALTHOUGH THE FAILURES WERE IDENTICAL. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT ACCEPTED BY THE SYSTEM. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 26,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 41,000.

THERE IS CURRENTLY A RECALL ON MY 2004 BMW 530I REGARDING THE SEAT WARMERS BURNING THE LEATHER AND DRIVER. HOWEVER, THE RECALL COVERS THE BACKREST AND NOT THE SEAT BOTTOM. AFTER TALKING TO BMW NORTH AMERICA, THEY SAID THE SEAT BOTTOM WAS NOT COVERED. CAN YOU MAKE THEM INCLUDE THE SEAT BOTTOM IN THE RECALL? THE SEAT WARMERS ARE BURNING THROUGH THE SEATS IN BOTH PLACES, AND IS HOT ENOUGH TO BURN THE DRIVER IN BOTH PLACES. *TR

DRIVING NORTH ON I-77 IN S.C. - TRAVELING ALONG WITH THE TRAFFIC FLOW - LEFT HAND LANE - SUDDENLY ALERT LIGHTS CAME ON THAT ABS WAS NOT OPERATING, BATTERY ALERT (HAD BATTERY INSTALLED AT DEALERSHIP) ETC.- ENGINE QUIT - DASH BOARD WENT BLANK - WAS ABLE TO GET TO THE CURB LANE (NO TURN INDICATORS) CAME TO STOP - TRIED TO RESTART -NO LUCK -WAIT MAYBE 10 MINUTES IT RESTARTED -DROVE HOME -APPROX ANOTHER 200 MILES -DEALER COULD NOT FIND ANY PROBLEM - IT COULD HAVE BEEN A DANGEROUS SITUATION IF SOMEONE PANICKED. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 BMW 530I. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE AIR BAG WARNING INDICATOR WOULD CONSTANTLY ILLUMINATE ON THE INSTRUMENT CONTROL PANEL, WHICH INDICATED THAT THE FRONT PASSENGER AIR BAG WAS INOPERATIVE. HE CALLED THE DEALER IN REFERENCE TO NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 08V384000 (AIR BAGS:FRONTAL) AND WAS INFORMED THAT THEY WERE WAITING FOR A RESPONSE FROM THE MANUFACTURER. THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER AND WAS INFORMED THAT THEY WERE IN THE PROCESS OF CREATING A VIN RANGE AND WILL THEN SEND OUT RECALL NOTICES. THE VEHICLE COULD BE REPAIRED AT THE COST OF $3,000, AFTER WHICH THE CONTACT COULD INQUIRE ABOUT REIMBURSEMENT. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 67,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 72,000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 BMW 530I. ON THREE SEPARATE OCCASIONS, THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS MOVED BACK AND FORTH, THE HEADLIGHTS FLASHED ON AND OFF, THE ODOMETER DIAL MOVED FROM SIDE TO SIDE, AND THE ALARM SOUNDED. ALL OF THE FAILURES OCCURRED AUTOMATICALLY. THE INSTRUMENT PANEL READ, "VEHICLE MALFUNCTION, SEE DEALER IMMEDIATELY". THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER TWICE. THE FIRST TIME THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE FAILURE; HOWEVER, THE SECOND TIME THEY STATED THAT THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AT THE COST OF $2,000. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 89,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 BMW 530I. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG INDICATOR SYSTEM IS DEACTIVATED AND REMAINS ILLUMINATED. THEREFORE, THE AIR BAGS WOULD NOT DEPLOY. THE SENSOR UNDERNEATH THE PASSENGER SEAT HAS CRACKS IN IT AND NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. THE REPAIR WOULD COST BETWEEN $1,300-$1,600. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 08V384000 (AIR BAGS:FRONTAL). THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,000.