2006 BMW 325I Complaints

THERE IS A CLEAR MANUFACTURER DEFECT CONCERNING THE ALUMINUM BOLTS ASSOCIATED WITH THE VALVE COVER GASKET ON THE BMW 2006 325I'S. THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION HAS RECEIVED SEVERAL COMPLAINTS REGARDING THIS MANUFACTURER DEFECT. THE ALUMINUM BOLTS HAVE BEEN REDESIGNED SINCE DISCOVERING THE MANUFACTURER DEFECT. BMWNA HAVE HAD NUMEROUS SERVICE ISSUES RELATED TO THESE DEFECTIVE ALUMINUM BOLTS. THEY HAVE ALL OPENLY ADMITTED THAT THE BOLTS IN QUESTION WERE DEFECTIVE IN NATURE AND PRODUCTION, AND THAT THE BOLTS HAVE BEEN REDESIGNED TO AVOID FUTURE FAILURES. SOME OF THESE COMPLAINTS INCLUDED, AND RESULTED IN, VEHICLES LEAKING OIL IN THE ENGINE AREA CAUSING FIRES IN THE VEHICLE. THE DEFECTIVE BOLTS POSE A SERIOUS POTENTIAL RISK TO THE SAFETY OF THE OWNERS OF THESE VEHICLES, AS WELL AS TO OTHER DRIVERS WHO SHARE THE ROADWAY WITH THEM. IT IS MY STRONG BELIEF THAT THIS TYPE OF PUBLIC SAFETY RISK CANNOT GO ON ANY FURTHER WITHOUT PROPER INTERVENTION FROM THE GOVERNMENTAL AGENCIES WE EMPLOY AS TAXPAYERS. I RESPECTFULLY REQUEST THAT BMW NORTH AMERICA ISSUE A VOLUNTARY RECALL OF THE BMW 2006 325I'S AFFECTED BY THIS MANUFACTURER DEFECT. I AM NOT PRIVY TO WHAT CONSTITUTES A VEHICLE'S DEFECTIVE COMPONENTS TO REACH A "RECALL STATUS". I HAVE DISCOVERED THAT BMW OF NORTH AMERICA IS KEENLY AWARE OF THE DEFECTIVE ALUMINUM BOLTS, AND HAS ISSUED INTERNAL MEMOS TO THEIR STAFF CALLED "TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETINS" (TSB) TO FOREWARN DEALERSHIPS OF THIS MANUFACTURER DEFECT, AND THE STEPS TO REMEDY THE ISSUE. I HAVE REQUESTED THIS INFORMATION FROM BMW OF NORTH AMERICA, AS WELL AS SEVERAL DEALERSHIPS; AND I WAS REFUSED. I HAVE DILIGENTLY MAINTAINED MY VEHICLE AS PRESCRIBED BY THE SERVICE MANUALS, AS WELL AS THE ON BOARD COMPUTER IN THE VEHICLE. MY CONTENTION IS EXTREMELY CLEAR; THE ALUMINUM BOLTS ARE A MANUFACTURER DEFECT! FIX THEM ALL AT NO COST TO THE CONSUMER. *TR

DOORS WILL NOT UNLOCK FROM REMOTE KEY OR UNLOCK BUTTON INSIDE CAR OR FROM DOORS HANDLE INSIDE OR OUTSIDE CAR AND WILL TRAP PASSENGERS INSIDE. ONLY DRIVER SIDE DOOR OPENS WITH DOOR KEY. DOORS CAN NOT BE LOCKED FROM REMOTE KEY EXCEPT DRIVER SIDE DOOR. TOTALLY UNSAFE TO DRIVE FOR CHANCE GETTING TRAPPED INSIDE CAR. NO MANUAL DOOR OPEN FEATURE EXISTS. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 BMW 325I. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 08V384000 (AIR BAGS) HOWEVER, HIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL CAMPAIGN. THE CONTACT ALSO MENTIONED THAT THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED INTERMITTENTLY AND OVER TIME, THE WARNING LIGHT REMAINED ILLUMINATED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 105,000.

I WAS PARKING AND TURNED OFF THE CAR AND WAS NOT ABLE TO OPEN THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR. USUALLY I JUST NEED TO PULL THE HANDLE TWICE AND IT OPENS BUT THIS TIME IT WOULD NOT OPEN. I TRIED THE ELECTRIC REMOTE TO UNLOCK THE DOORS AND IT DID NOT AFFECT THE LOCKS. I TRIED THE PASSENGER DOOR AND IT DID NOT OPEN EITHER. I HAD TO EXIT THE CAR FROM THE BACK DOORS. I DETERMINED A FUSE WAS BLOWN AND REPLACED THE 15A FUSE WITH A 20A FUSE AS RECOMMENDED BY THE BMW FORUM AND IT NOW WORKS FINE. THE CONCERN IS IF I HAD TO EXIT THE CAR FROM THE FRONT DOORS, I WOULD HAVE BEEN TRAPPED. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 BMW 325I. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE PASSENGER'S SIDE SEAT SENSOR MAT WAS DEFECTIVE AND AS A RESULT, THE AIR BAG WARNING LAMP ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE SENSOR MAT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 104,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 105,000.

THE REAR DOOR LOCK IS NOT WORKING - THE HANDLES DO NOT OPEN THE DOOR FROM THE INSIDE - THE LOCK ACTUATOR IS FAULTY AND NEEDS TO BE REPLACED AGAIN. SO FAR I HAVE HAD THE FRONT DOOR LOCK ACTUATORS AND THE REAR DRIVER SIDE ACTUATORS REPLACED. BMW WILL NOT FIX THE ACTUATORS EVEN THOUGH THE PART HAS BEEN CHANGED OUT BEFORE, IS A KNOWN ISSUE, AND THE ACTUATORS HAVE BEEN SUPERSEDED TWO TIMES BY BMW. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 BMW 325I. THE CONTACT STATED THAT ALL OF THE DOORS IN THE VEHICLE WERE LOCKED AND COULD NOT BE OPENED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE ELECTRIC LOCK SWITCH WAS DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 97,000.

BATTERY WAS LOW AND WOULDN'T START JUMP STARTED THE CAR AND RECEIVED A MESSAGE THAT THE SEAT BELT RESTRAINT TENSIONER IS BAD. HAS A SEAT BELT WITH AIRBAG SYMBOL ON THE DASH...PLUS THE VEHICLE STARTED SHOWING A SYMBOL WITH A STEERING WHEEL WITH ARROWS THEN THE CAR WON'T START UNTIL I SHAKE THE STEERING WHEEL SEVERAL TIMES...WAS STRANDED FOR HOURS THEN FINALLY IT STARTED. BMW HAS VERY LOW QUALITY AND PROBLEMS. THIS IS BECOMING VERY UNSAFE AND NOT SURE IF I WANT MY FAMILY IN THIS UNSAFE VEHICLE. *TR

PASSENGER AIR BAG AND SEAT BELT LIGHTS HAVE COME ON. KNOWN RECALL AFFECTING MODEL YEAR AND PRODUCTION DATE. WAS TOLD BY BMW THAT MY CAR DID NOT APPLY BUT COULD NOT TELL ME WHY. *TR

AFTER PUSHING THE START BUTTON I GET THIS MESSAGE (NOT AN ERROR, A MESSAGE): "ELECTRIC STEERING WHEEL LOCK MAY PREVENT ENGINE STARTING. MOVE THE STEERING WHEEL SO THAT ENGINE CAN BE STARTED." SO THE WHEEL LOCKS ITSELF ALL OF A SUDDEN I HAVE TO TOW THE CAR FOR NO REASON. NOW DEALER IS SUGGESTING TO CHANGING A PART AND SOME OTHER DEALER SAYS IT NEEDS TO BE REPROGRAMMED. UNBELIEVABLE. BMW DOESN'T EVEN KNOW THE REASON OF THIS ISSUE.. *TR