2006 BMW 3 SERIES Complaints

ON THE DAY OF DECEMBER 11, 2013 I BEGAN TO ENCOUNTER MY PASSENGER AIRBAG SENSOR GO OFF AND ON INTERMITTENTLY. AS I WRITE THIS TODAY THE SENSOR IS ALWAYS ON. I NOW DRIVE WITH QUESTIONABLE PASSENGER SAFETY ON THE DAILY. *TR

THE FRONT PASSENGER AIRBAG WARNING SHOWED UP. TOOK TO THE SHOP THEY CHARGED ME $1200 TO REPLACE THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT SENSOR MAT. I SEE THAT THERE IS A RECALL ISSUED BY BMW TO FIX THIS IN 2006 3 SERIES. I WANT TO GET MY REFUND FOR THE REPAIRS WHICH I HAVE ALREADY GOT DONE. *TR

WHEN STARTING FROM IDLE TO RUNNING STATE AT A STOP LIGHT THE WHOLE CAR STARTED SHAKING. TOOK THE SHOP AND THEY SAY IT A FAULTY COIL/SPARK PLUG. COSTS ME $600-$1000. LOOKS LIKE THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM IN BMW 325I 2006. THEY SHOULD FIX THIS. *TR

WHITE SMOKE COMING THOUGH AC DUCTS. WHEN TAKEN TO SHOP THEY SAID IT WAS COOLANT LEAK IN HEATER CORE. REPLACEMENT WOULD COST ME $3000-$4000. *TR

REAR DOOR LOCK ACTUATOR WOULD NOT ALLOW REAR DOOR TO OPEN. HAD FIXED AND THEN DRIVERS DOOR ACTUATOR FAILED AND WOULD NOT OPEN. COULD NOT GET OUT OF VEHICLE. *TR

AFTER APPROXIMATELY 20-30 MINUTES OF DRIVING IN THE RAIN WITH THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS ON, THE WIPERS SHUT OFF AND QUIT WORKING WITHOUT WARNING. IT TAKES ABOUT 5-10 MINUTES OF TIME BEFORE THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS BEGIN TO WORK AGAIN. THIS IS CONCERNING DUE TO POOR VISIBILITY AND MAY LEAD TO AN ACCIDENT. *TR

VEHICLE ELECTRIC DOOR LOCKS (ACTUATORS) DO NOT OPERATE PROPERLY. UNABLE TO EXIT DRIVER'S DOOR FROM INSIDE OF VEHICLE BY PULLING HANDLE. IF THERE WAS A CRASH AND/OR FIRE, THERE WOULD BE NO WAY TO EXIT QUICKLY. COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS VEHICLE ACCORDING TO BMW FORUM IN THE INTERNET (BIMMERPOST). *TR

THE AIRBAG INDICATOR LIGHT HAS BEEN ACTIVATED TO WHAT I HAVE READ TO BE DUE TO A CRACK IN THE DETECTION MAT. I HAVE TAKEN MY CAR TO REPAIR SHOPS AND ALL HAVE CONFIRMED THE SAME ISSUE. IN THE CASE THAT THERE IS AN ACCIDENT, NONE OF THE AIRBAGS WILL BE DEPLOYED, OR AIRBAGS MAY BE DEPLOYED WITHOUT REASON. I HAVE GRAVE CONCERNS. I HAVE MADE TWO PHONE CALLS TO BMW WITH MY CONCERN FOR MY SAFETY AND THE SAFETY OF MY PASSENGERS. BMW STATES THAT CURRENTLY MY PARTICULAR VIN NUMBER IS NOT LISTED ON THE RECALLS, BUT MAY BE IN THE FUTURE. MY CAR HAS THE EXACT SAME ISSUES AS BEING REPORTED AS THE PREVIOUS TWO RECALLS, BUT SINCE IT WAS MANUFACTURED "JUST BEFORE THE INDICATED RECALL DATES" THAT I WILL NOT BE REIMBURSED. IF BMW CARES ABOUT THEIR CUSTOMERS' SAFETY, I WOULD NOT THINK WAITING BY THE MAILBOX FOR A LETTER THAT MAY OR MAY NOT ARRIVE TO INFORM ME OF ANOTHER LETTER IN MARCH, IS AT ALL SUFFICIENT. PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF I CAN DO ANYTHING ELSE TO EXPEDITE A SOLUTION FOR MY CONCERN. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

BROKEN CYLINDER HEAD BOLTS AT THE FRONT TIMING COVER. SYMPTOM WAS OIL LEAK AT TIMING COVER. UPON INSPECTION, THE HEADS OF 4 BOLTS HAD SHEARED OFF AND 3 BOLT HEADS HAD DROPPED THROUGH THE TIMING CHAIN HOUSING AND ENDED UP IN THE OIL PAN. *TR FIRST, HEAD BOLTS SHOULD NOT FAIL. SECOND, THE SHEARED BOLT HEADS PASS THROUGH THE TIMING CHAIN HOUSING AND COULD INTERFERE WITH THE TIMING CHAIN AND CAUSE IMMEDIATE ENGINE FAILURE.

MY CAR STARTED HAVING A MASSIVE OIL LEAK AT AROUND 79,000 MILES. THE MOTOR SEALS STARTED TO FAIL ONCE THE CAR HAD ABOUT 70,000 MILES ON IT. THE GENERAL CONSENSUS IS THAT THE MOTOR SEALS ARE VERY COMMON TO PREMATURELY FAIL. THE BOLTS THAT HOLD THE MOTOR TOGETHER STARTED TO BREAK AT AROUND 80,000 MILES. *TR