2006 BMW 530I

The contact owned 2006 BMW 530I. The contact received unknown recall notifications and requested to be removed from the recall distribution list because he no longer owns the vehicle. The dealer and the manufacturer were contacted. The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The VIN was unavailable.

THE IDRIVE NAVIGATION SCREEN GOES OUT AND KEEPS FLASHING. AT NIGHT IT'S A BIG DISTRACTION - AS IF A FLASHLIGHT HITS YOUR PERIPHERAL VISION INTERMITTENTLY. THERE ARE MANY WHO HAVE FACED THIS ISSUE OR ARE FACING THE SAME PROBLEM. THIS IS A MANUFACTURING DEFECT IN MY VIEW. I THINK IT'S ABOUT TIME THAT WE, AMERICANS HAVE A SHARP BITE AS FAR AS FOREIGN CAR MAKERS CREATE EXPENSIVE REPAIRS DUE TO ITS OWN FAILURES. THE MAIN ISSUE IS THAT IDRIVE CONTROL - AC - RADIO - NAVIGATION AND VERY IMPORTANTLY HEAT AND WARNING MESSAGES. WITHOUT IT WORKING YOU CAN'T KNOW WHAT'S WRONG UP TO A GREATER EXTENT. MOST OF THE CARS IMPORTANT ASPECTS ARE CONTROLLED BY THIS COMPUTER BASED SYSTEM.

THE MICRO POWER MODULE IN THE TRUNK BURNED UP, CRASHING THE SCREEN/AUDIO/SERVICE SCREEN. THE CAR IS DRIVABLE BUT I CANNOT ACCESS ANY FEATURES FROM THE DASH COMPUTER SCREEN, NONE OF IT WORKS. THERE IS A DISTINCT PLASTIC BURNED SMELL IN THE TRUNK. I HAVE SINCE LEARNED THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM...WHEN I CALLED MY BMW CERTIFIED MECHANIC, I BARELY EXPLAINED MY ISSUE AND HIS RESPONSE WAS "LET ME GUESS, YOU HAVE AN '05 OR '06 BMW 5 SERIES, CORRECT? THE MICROPROCESSORS IN THE TRUNK ARE BURNING UP...THEY'VE SINCE MOVED THEM FROM UNDER THE TIRE". MY CAR COULD HAVE BURNED DOWN. CLEARLY BMW KNOWS THEY HAVE A PROBLEM AS THEY HAVE SINCE MOVED THE PROCESSOR. I SHOULDN'T HAVE TO PAY FOR THIS COSTLY REPAIR.