2000 BMW X5

TL*- WHILE DRIVING THE 2000 BMW X5 AT 40 MPH THE TRANSMISSION DISENGAGED, CAUSING THE RPMS TO RISE RATHER THAN DROPPING BACK INTO GEAR. THE DISENGAGING AND DROPPING BACK INTO GEAR HAPPENED ABOUT 4-8 TIMES WITHIN 10-15 MINUTES. THE CONTACT TOOK VEHICLE TO A EUROPEAN VEHICLE REPAIR FACILITY, AND THEY STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION WAS COMPLETELY BURNED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE IS NO WAY TO CHECK OR CHANGE THE TRANSMISSION FLUID OTHER THEN REMOVING THE TRANSMISSION FROM THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT HAS DONE SOME RESEARCH ONLINE ,AND THAT THIS TRANSMISSION PROBLEM SEEMS TO OCCUR AROUND 80,000 MILES. HIS VEHICLE'S FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 82,000 MILES.*AK

DT: THE CONTACT STATED THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS COMPLETELY AND RANDOMLY FAILED TO WORK. THE WINDSHIELD WIPER QUIT FOUR TIMES IN TWO YEARS. THE FIRST TIME THIS HAPPENED THE BMW DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE MOTOR. IT QUIT AGAIN ABOUT SIX MONTHS LATER. SINCE THEN THE DEALER HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM; MOSTLY BECAUSE OCCURRED RANDOMLY.*AK UPDATED 12/27/05. *JB

1.WINDSHIELD WIPERS SUDDENLY STOPPED WORKING AT HIGHWAY SPEED DURING HEAVY RAIN AND TRAFFIC PUTTING ME IN A DANGEROUS SITUATION (PROBLEM WAS NOT CAUSED BY A FUSE). 2. WINDSHIELD SEEMS TO CONTINOUSLY DEGRADE (MINI-CRATERS LIKE IT WOULD DESINTEGRATE ITSELF) ... NOT CAUSED BY STONE OR OTHER ROAD RELATED OBJECTS. DEALER CLAIMS THAT STONES ARE CAUSING IT, WHICH IS NOT TRUE, THEY ARE TOO MANY OF THEM AND TOO SMALL.*AK

THE WAY THE FRONT DRIVE SHAFT WAS DESIGNED CAUSED PREMATURE WEAR . *PH THE VEHICLE DID NOT MOVE WHEN IN GEAR AND A WHINING NOISE WAS HEARD IN THE TRANSMISSION AREA. *SCC. THE CONSUMER BELIEVED THERE WAS A SERIOUS DESIGN FLAW WITH THE DRIVESHAFT. THE DRIVESHAFT HAD A COUPLING ON ONE END AND A SPLINE ON THE OTHER END, THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED BY SEVERAL ENGINEERS THAT IT REQUIRED TWO FLEXIBLE COUPLINGS TWO UNIVERSAL JOINTS OR A COMBINATION OF THE TWO TO HANDLE THE MISALIGNMENT THAT THE SAHFT WOULD ENCOUNTER. *JB

THE HEADLIGHTS FOUND ON THESE EXPESNIVE VEHICLES ARE TOO BRIGHT AND PRODUCE EXCESSIVE GLARE ESPECIALLY WHEN COMBINED WITH THE HEADAUX (FOG/DRIVING) LIGHTS THAT THESE DRIVERS INSIST ON RUNNING AT THE SAME TIME. IF YOU DECIDE TO CONTINUE TO ALLOW THESE LIGHTS AT LEAST LIMIT THE BULBS TO LOW BEAM LIGHTS WITHOUT ANY AUX LIGHTS ALLOWED ON THE VEHICLE.*AK

BOTH FRONT TIRES SUSTAINED EXCESSIVE OUTER EDGE TREAD WEAR. ALL OUTER TREAD OF EACH IS NEARLY GONE AT 17.5K MILES! WORN ONLY AT FAR OUTER EDGE (APPROX 1/2" TO 1") OF TREAD. REST OF TREAD ON BOTH TIRES IS VERY GOOD TO EXCELLENT FOR 17.5K MILES. INFLATION KEPT AT BMW'S RECOMMENDATION OF 32 COLD PSI. NON-AGGRESSIVE DRIVING. NO INDICATIONS OF OTHER SEVERE WEAR, USE, IMPACT, OR ABUSE TO THESE TIRES OR TO THE REARS. ALL ARE ORIGINAL TIRES. REAR TIRES ARE SAME BUT LARGER SIZE: 285/45R19. REAR TIRES IN EXCELLENT CONDITION FOR 17.5K MILES. FRONT TIRES SHOW CLASSIC SIGNS OF EXCESSIVE POSITIVE CAMBER. COULD BE FROM BAD ORIGINAL FACTORY ALIGNMENT, OR BAD FRONT SUSPENSION COMPONENTS LIKE SAGGING SPRINGS, WORN BALL JOINTS, OR WORN CONTROL ARM BUSHINGS. CAR ONLY SERVICED AT RUSNAK. NEVER IN ACCIDENT NOR ANY FRONT END DMGS. SVC. HISTORY SHOWS CAR NEVER ALIGNED. DEALER'S SERVICE ADVISOR VERBALLY ASSERTS "THIS WEAR IS NORMAL FOR BMWS" YET IS UNABLE TO SUBSTANTIATE WITH ANY OTHER VEHICLES ON HIS LOT. I'VE OWNED 2 OTHER BMWS FOR OVER 11 YRS. AND NEITHER HAS EVER HAD THIS PROBLEM. HE REFUSES TO INSPECT ALIGNMENT AND/OR SUSPENSION AND REFUSES TO ACCEPT ANY INDEPENDENT TESTS/REPORTS FROM ANY ALIGNMENT SPECIALTY SHOP. I SEEK DEALER PROPERLY DIAGNOSING AND CORRECTING DEFECT IN SUSPENSION/ALIGNMENT/TIRES. I'M WILLING TO PAY FOR USED 17.5K MILEAGE ALREADY ON TIRES. CONVERSATION THREADS VIA INTERNET ON BIMMER.ORG X5 BOARD AT ROADFLY.COM SHOW OTHERS HAVING X5 SUSPENSION/TIRE PBLMS. REAR CARGO INTERIOR LIGHTS CAN'T BE SWITCHED OFF AS STATED: PG 87 OF OWNER MANUAL. A/C RUNS WARM AT IDLE AND DURING ACCELL. REAR A/C NOISY AND DOESN'T BLOW HARD. DEALER DENIES ANYTHING WRONG WITH ALL THESE ITEMS.*AK (DOT NUMBER: DJL459 TIRESIZE: 255/50R19)