2006 BMW X5

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 BMW X5. THE CONTACT STATED THE OCCUPANCY DETECTION MAT WHICH WAS LOCATED IN THE PASSENGER OR DRIVER SEAT THAT INFORMS THE COMPUTER THAT A PERSON WAS IN THE SEAT FAILED. THE FAILURE RENDERED THE AIR BAGS INOPERABLE AND ALSO CAUSED THE SEAT BELT LIGHTS TO ILLUMINATE AS IF A PERSON WAS SITTING IN THE SEAT WHEN IT WAS UNOCCUPIED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER ON MORE THAN ONE OCCASION AND THEY PERFORMED A DIAGNOSTIC TEST BUT THE COMPUTER DISPLAYED NO CODES; THEREFORE, THEY COULD NOT REPAIR THE FAILURE OR DUPLICATE IT. THE MANUFACTURER ADVISED HIM TO TAKE THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALER BUT THEY WOULD NOT HONOR THE REQUEST. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 38,000 THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 67,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 BMW X5. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS A FAULTY AIR BAG SEAT SENSOR SWITCH ON THE PASSENGER SIDE THAT CONTINUOUSLY FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO REPAIRED THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED BUT PROVIDED NO FURTHER ASSISTANCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT FURTHER REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 72,000.

HEATED SEATS WERE GETTING HOTTER THE PAST COUPLE OF USES...UNTIL TODAY WHEN I WARMED UP THE CAR (APPROXIMATELY 3 MINUTES). I WAS PUTTING MY DAUGHTER IN HER SAFETY SEAT IN THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE. WHEN I OPENED THE DOOR, THE CABIN OF THE VEHICLE WAS FILLED WITH THICK WHITE SMOKE. I REMOVED MY DAUGHTER AND PROCEED TO ASCERTAIN WHERE THE SMOKE WAS COMING FROM. THERE WAS A SWIRLING FUNNEL OF SMOKE COMING FROM THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE. I OPENED THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR AND OBSERVED THE DRIVER SEAT LEATHER BURNING (FIZZLING AMBER FIRE). I LOOKED OVER TO THE SEAT WARMER LIGHT AND IT WAS ON. I TURNED IT OFF AND HAD TO PUT OUT THE FIRE BY BATTING MY HANDS AGAINST THE FIRE WHILE HOLDING MY DAUGHTER IN THE OTHER. THE FIRE LEFT MY HANDS CHARRED AND THE ENTIRE INTERIOR OF THE CAR SMELLING LIKE SMOKE. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 BMW X5. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG SYSTEM WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED AND THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL REPAIR FACILITY. THE MECHANIC ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT AIR BAG OCCUPANT DETECTION MAT WAS DEFECTIVE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED BUT PROVIDED NO ASSISTANCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 90,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 90,091.

THE ENGINE LIGHT WENT ON AND STAYED ON THEREFORE MADE AN APPOINTMENT WITH THE DEALER. I DID NOT NOTICE ANY CHANGES ON THE CAR EXCEPT THE FUEL CONSUMPTION WHERE IT CONSUMED MORE THAN USUAL. WHEN I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER, THEY TOLD ME THAT THE OIL VAPOR SEPARATOR NEEDS TO BE REPLACED, THAT I WAS LUCKY THAT THE CAR DID NOT DIE ON ME. THEY ARE CHARGING 1400 TO FIX THE PROBLEM. AS I RESEARCHED ON THE INTERNET, THIS PART HAS BEEN FAILING FOR PEOPLE THAT DO NOT DRIVE THEIR CAR FAR ENOUGH. THE CONDENSATION COAGULATES IN THE OIL PASSAGES. ONE OF THOSE PASSAGES IS THE TUBE FROM THE OIL SEPARATOR WHICH GOES BACK INTO THE OIL PAN. OVER TIME, THE REPEATED DRIVING ON SHORT TRIPS CAUSES THE COAGULATED OIL AND CONDENSATION TO BUILD UP INSIDE THE PASSAGE WHICH RUNS FROM THE OIL SEPARATOR TO THE OIL PAN. WHEN ENOUGH CONDENSATION GATHERS IN THE OIL SEPARATOR AFTER THE ENGINE IS SHUT OFF IN TEMPERATURES BELOW FREEZING - HYDROLOCK MAY BE CAUSED BY OIL INGESTION. DUE TO THIS, THE SUV CAN JUST STOP ANYWHERE, I AM ONE OF THE LUCKY ONES THAT MADE IT TO THE DEALERSHIP THAT DID NOT HAVE TO COMPROMISE MY SAFETY. I CALLED BMW AND THEY SAID, THE CAR IS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY AND IT IS NOT CONSIDERED A DEFECT. *LN

THE VEHICLES SEAT OCCUPANCY SENSOR IS MALFUNCTIONING FOR NO PARTICULAR REASON WHICH WILL PREVENT FOR PASSENGER AIRBAG TO DEPLOY WHEN IT IS SUPPOSE TO IN THE EVENT OF AN ACCIDENT, MY VEHICLE IS NOT THAT OLD AND HAS NOT BEEN ABUSED BUT YET THIS ISSUE OCCURRED SINCE ABOUT LESS THAN A YEAR AGO, WHEN SOMEONE SITS IN THE PASSENGER SEAT THE WARNING LIGHT COMES ON THAT INDICATES THAT THE AIR BAG IS OFF AND THE AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT COMES ON AS WELL. I HAVE TRIED TO GET THE MANUFACTURER TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY WITH NO LUCK, THEY WANT OVER A $1000 PLUS TO REPLACE THE SENSOR, MY ISSUE REMAINS UNRESOLVED; I RAN A CHECK FOR THIS ISSUE ONLINE AND FOUND THAT ALMOST EVERY BMW OWNER EXPERIENCES THE SAME ISSUE AND ALMOST EVERY BMW IN DIFFERENT RANGE OF RECENT YEARS AND DIFFERENT MODELS HAS THE SAME PROBLEM AND THIS IS A MASS-PRODUCED MANUFACTURER DEFECT THAT HAS GONE UNNOTICED. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE, IF I HAD BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT MY PASSENGER AIRBAG WOULD NOT DEPLOY, THIS ISSUE STILL REMAINS UNRESOLVED AS OF THIS DATE. THIS PROBLEM BEGAN ABOUT A YEAR AGO WHEN MY VEHICLE WAS ONLY ABOUT 3 YEARS OLD AND 45000 MILES AND HAS BEEN GETTING WORST WITH TIME, BEFORE IT WAS OCCASIONAL BUT NOW IT IS ALL THE TIME, THE REPAIR WOULD CONSIST OF TAKING THE ENTIRE PASSENGER SEAT OUT AND APART AND REPLACE THE SENSOR-PAD THAT IS CONNECTED TO THE VEHICLES SAFETY SYSTEM COMPUTER PLACED INSIDE THE SEAT PADS, THIS IS NOT AN EASY TASK OR A REPAIR THAT IS ACCESSIBLE. MOST DEFINITELY THERE SHOULD BE A SAFETY RECALL ON THIS ITEM. MOST PEOPLE DON'T KNOW THAT THEY CAN FILE A COMPLAINT AND REQUEST RECALLS ON THEIR VEHICLE ISSUES AND THAT IS WHY YOU MAY NOT SEE MANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS ISSUE. *TR

I HAVE A 2006 BMW X5 WITH APPROXIMATELY 60,000 MILES. WHILE SITTING IN THE DRIVERS SEAT, I TURNED ON THE HEATED SEAT. MINUTES LATER, I FELT A BURNING ON MY LEFT LEG HALFWAY BETWEEN MY KNEE AND HIP AND BEGAN TO SMELL SMOKE. I PULLED OVER AND EXITED THE VEHICLE IMMEDIATELY. WHEN I LOOKED AT THE SEAT, THE LEATHER WAS VISIBLY BURNT AND WAS EXTREMELY HOT TO THE TOUCH. HAD I STAYED IN THE VEHICLE ANY LONGER, I WOULD HAVE BEEN BURNED BY THE SEAT AND INJURED. WE ARE CURRENTLY TEACHING MY DAUGHTER TO DRIVE, THIS COULD HAVE BEEN A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE IF SHE HAD BEEN BEHIND THE WHEEL, DISTRACTING HER FROM DRIVING AND INJURING HER LEG POSSIBLY CAUSING AN ACCIDENT. THE BURNING NOW HAPPENS EVERY TIME I TURN ON THE HEATED SEAT. AFTER LOOKING ON THE INTERNET ABOUT THIS ISSUE, MANY PEOPLE HAVE BEEN HAVING THIS PROBLEM AND THERE IS CURRENTLY NO RECALL FOR THIS VEHICLE. THE LOCAL BMW DEALER QUOTED ME A PRICE OF AROUND $700 TO FIX THE HEATING ELEMENT. I HAVE NOT FIXED THE PROBLEM YET AND DO HAVE THE OLD MALFUNCTIONING PART. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND KEEP UP THE GREAT WORK! *TR UPDATED 12/20/10 *BF RECEIVED INVOICES. UPDATED 12/21/10