2006 BMW 325I Complaints

IN MAY 2006, I LEASED A NEW 2006 BMW 325I WITH THE SPORT PACKAGE FROM DON JACOBS BMW IN LEXINGTON, KY. THIS PACKAGE IS COMPRISED OF 17" TIRES THAT ARE BRIDGESTONE POTENZA RFT. MY CAR CURRENTLY HAS 11,990 MILES ON IT, THE TIRES ARE WORN OUT, EXTREMELY LOUD AND WILL NOT GO IN THE SNOW. ALSO, BMW INFORMED ME THAT MY CAR HAS A STABILITY CONTROL SENSOR THAT IS NOT FUNCTIONING PROPERLY AND WILL CAUSE THE CAR TO OVERCORRECT ITSELF AND POSSIBLY CAUSE THE CAR TO SWERVE WITHOUT WARNING. HOWEVER, THE BMW DEALER SENT ME HOME (120 MILES) IN THIS VEHICLE THE SAME DAY THEY DIAGNOSED IT. I AM CONCERNED THAT MY CAR IS NOT SAFE. NOT ONLY ARE THE BRIDGESTONE POTENZA TIRES ON MY CAR EXTREMELY WORN WITH LITTLE MILEAGE ON THEM, THE STABILITY/STEERING SENSOR HAS GONE BAD. I AM AFRAID THAT MY CAR WILL STEER ITSELF INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC WHILE I AM DRIVING IT. TOTAL FAILURES INCLUDE 4 TIRES AND ONE STABILITY SENSOR.*JB

REGARDING HIS DEFECTIVE 2006 BMW 325I CUSTOMER IS SEEKING FULL REIMBURSEMENT, REPLACEMENT OF THE CAR OR UPGRADE**CC THE SUNROOF AND DOOR LOCKS MALFUNCTIONED, THE BRAKE PADS WERE FAULTY. WHILE DRIVING, THE CONSUMER NOTICED THE HOOD WAS VIBRATING. THE CONSUMER MANAGED TO PULL OVER AND DISCOVERED THE HOOD WASN'T LEVELED. THE DRIVER SIDE DIDN'T SEEM TO FULLY ADHERE TO THE BODY OF THE CAR. *JB

THIS COMPLAINT REFERS TO THE ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT TIRES (BRIDGESTONE EL-42, 205/55-16 RUN FLAT) SUPPLIED ON THE 2006 BMW 325I WITH 6-SPEED MANUAL TRANSMISSION. AFTER ONLY 13,000 MILES ON A BRAND NEW CAR, I HAVE FOUND THIS TIRE TO BE ENTIRELY UNSAFE AND UNSUITABLE TO THIS VEHICLE. I BELIEVE THAT BOTH BMW AND BRIDGESTONE SHOULD BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR REPLACING THIS TIRE ON ALL EXISTING VEHICLE. THIS TIRE EXHIBITS UNSAFE CHARACTERISTICS IN WET WEATHER, WITH NOTICEABLE DRIFT AND HYDROPLANING IN ANY AMOUNT OF STANDING WATER, EVEN AS LITTLE AS 1/16 INCH. IN HEAVY RAINS, EVEN WITH NO STANDING WATER PRESENT, THE TIRE SEEMS INCAPABLE OF DISPERSING WATER AS QUICKLY AS IT FALLS, AGAIN LEADING TO VEHICLE INSTABILITY. FROM A RIDE QUALITY POINT OF VIEW THE TIRE IS ALSO UNSATISFACTORY IN THAT IT FLAT SPOTS EVERY MORNING, ESPECIALLY IN COOL WEATHER BUT EVEN IN WARMER WEATHER AS WELL, LEADING TO VIBRATIONS IN THE INITIAL MILES OF ANY DRIVE. IT IS ALSO ESPECIALLY HARSH OVER ROADWAY EXPANSION JOINTS, AND IS SO LOUD ON CONCRETE PAVEMENTS THAT IT POSES A SAFETY HAZARD DUE TO DRIVER FATIGUE INDUCED BY THE CONTINUOUS NOISE. I ALSO UNDERSTAND THAT THERE MAY BE AN ISSUE REGARDING THE RATING AS AN "ALL SEASON TIRE" WITH MANY OWNERS REPORTING THAT THIS TIRE IS VIRTUALLY USELESS IN ANY KIND OF SNOW CONDITIONS. *JB

BMW 325I HAS AN ACCELERATION DELAY PROBLEM. WHEN THE DRIVER DEMANDS A SUDDEN INCREASE IN ACCELERATION, THE CAR HESITATES ANYWHERE FROM 1.5 TO 3 SECONDS. THIS IS A DANGEROUS CONDITION WHEN SOMEONE IS MAKING A LEFT TURN IN TRAFFIC, OR GETTING ONTO A HIGHWAY, OR PASSING ON A 2 LANE COUNTRY ROAD, ETC. OTHER CARS TRAVELING AT 60 MPH ARE MOVING AT 88 FT/SEC. THE AMOUNT OF LEEWAY THIS CAR NEEDS IS MUCH TOO EXCESSIVE. THE CAR HAS BEEN BACK TO THE DEALER TWICE WITH THE SAME DIAGNOSIS - "PROBLEM NOT VERIFIED". FRIENDS WHO HAVE DRIVEN MY CAR THINK IT IS A DANGEROUS CONDITION. BAD ACCELERATION IS JUST AS BAD AS POOR BRAKING. *JB

CLIMATE CONTROL SYSTEM, CAR INTERIOR, DELIVERS 110 DEG F AIR TO FLOOR VENTS WHEN IN AUTOMATIC MODE. THE REQUESTED TEMPERATURE IS 70F AND THE ACTUAL TEMPERATURE IS 79F. THIS IS A CONSTANT DEFECT, NOT A ONE TIME OCCURRENCE. BMW ADVISES THE SYSTEM WORKS AS DESIGNED. 2006 BMW 325XI, CAR MILEAGE - 850 MI. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE WAS BROADSIDED WHILE PARKED AND THE HORN DID NOT WORK TO WARN THE OTHER DRIVER. THE ENGINE WAS NOT ON PRIOR TO THE INCIDENT. NO INJURIES WERE SUSTAINED AND A POLICE REPORT WAS TAKEN. THE DEALER WAS CONTACTED AND CONFIRMED THAT IT WAS NORMAL FOR THE HORN NOT TO WORK IF THE ENGINE WAS NOT ON. THE VEHICLE WAS CURRENTLY AT ANOTHER DEALER FOR REPAIRS. UPDATED 12/15/06. *JB

CONTINUOUS UNRELIABILITY IN THE BRIDGESTONE POTENZA RE050A RUN FLAT TIRES. I'VE HAD BOTH REAR TIRES FAIL EARLY AND NOW MY FRONT ONES ARE ALSO EXPIRING LONG BEFORE THEY SHOULD. I HAVE CUPPING ISSUES AS WELL AND THE BMW DEALERSHIP IS UNWILLING TO ASSIST WITH THE KNOWN PROBLEM. ON TOP OF THAT THE TIRES HAVE BEEN ON EMERGENCY BACK ORDER AND ARE IMPOSSIBLE TO GET IN THE EVENT OF A PROBLEM LIKE I'VE SUFFERED TWICE. *NM

PURCHASED NEW 2006 BMW 325XI ON 9/27/2006 AND AUTO HAD ENGINE FAILURE ON 10/2/2006. FOUND TO HAVE DEFECT IN THE SPARK PLUG WHICH BURNED OUT THE COIL AND DAMAGED THE VALVE. I AM SEEKING ADVICE ON REJECTING THE VEHICLE. IT IS AT THE DEALER. *NM

HISTORICAL SUMMARY OF NOISE AND VIBRATION CAUSED BY IRREGULAR (UNEVEN) TIRE WEAR (FEATHERING) ON 2006 330I BMW WITH BRIDGESTONE TURANZA EL 42 225/45/17 RUN FLAT TIRES: EUROPEAN DELIVERY 9-12-2005, ARRANGED BY DEALER. AT ABOUT 16,000 MILES, BEGAN TO NOTICE FRONT TIRE NOISE (ROAR) AND VIBRATION AT 15-30 MPH, ESPECIALLY UPON BRAKING. THE NOISE BECAME PROGRESSIVELY WORSE AND COULD FEEL VIBRATIONS IN DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S FLOOR PANS. THE NOISE CONTINUED TO INCREASE AND THE VIBRATION BEGAN TO SOUND LIKE WORN FRONT WHEEL BEARINGS. I TOOK TO DEALER AT 18,500 MILES AROUND 7/ 31/2006. VEHICLE TEST DRIVEN AT 18,775 MILES. SA ADVISED THAT THE FRONT TIRES HAD UNEVEN WEAR WHICH CAUSED THE NOISE AND VIBRATIONS, AND TIRES NOT COVERED BY NEITHER BMW NOR BRIDGESTONE. NO OTHER ADVICE OR REMEDY WAS GIVEN. WROTE TO PRESIDENT BMWNA, ON 8/04/2006 REQUESTING BMW PERFORM WHEEL ALIGNMENT (TO CORRECT THE FACTORY DEFECTIVE ALIGNMENT) AND TO REPLACE THE FRONT TIRES. CUSTOMER RELATIONS REP INSTRUCTED ME TO TAKE CAR TO DEALER FOR ALIGNMENT CHECK. ON 8/14/2006, ALIGNMENT CHECK PERFORMED BY DEALER, AND DETERMINED THAT THREE WHEELS ALIGNMENT WERE OUT OF FACTORY SPECIFICATION RANGE. CHARGED $225 FOR THIS ALIGNMENT. SERVICE MANAGER ADVISED THAT THEY WOULD NOT REPLACE THE UNEVENLY WORN AND NOISY TIRES. ON 8/16/2006, MESSAGE FROM CUSTOMER RELATIONS THAT BMW WOULD PAY FOR THE ALIGNMENT. HAD TIRES INSPECTED BY THE LOCAL BRIDGESTONE TIRE DEALER, AND MANAGER ADVISED THAT VEHICLE WAS MISS-ALIGNED CAUSING ALL FOUR TIRES TO EXHIBIT IRREGULAR WEAR (FEATHERING) CAUSING THE EXCESSIVE NOISE AND VIBRATION. HE SAID THE DEALER SHOULD REPLACE ALL FOUR TIRES. ON 08/29/2006 WROTE 2ND REQUEST TO PRESIDENT OF BMWNA FOR REPLACEMENT OF ALL FOUR TIRES AND FOR REIMBURSEMENT OF $225. 09/18/2006 RECEIVED LETTER FROM CR REP PROMISING REIMBURSEMENT FOR ALIGNMENT, BUT DENYING REQUEST FOR REPLACEMENT TIRES ON THE BASIS THAT VEHICLE WAS ALIGNED TO SPECIFICATIONS AT THE FACTORY PRIOR TO DELIVERY. *NM

2006 BMW 325I, APPROX. 2400 MILES. RETURNING TO OFFICE FROM LUNCH, SLOWED TO APPROACH SPEED BUMPS THAT ALIGN PARKING STALL THAT I WAS GOING TO PULL INTO. AS I WAS TURNING INTO THE STALL (APPROX. 5-10 MPH), I STARTED TO APPLY THE BRAKE AND THE PEDAL WAS SOFT (NORMALLY VERY STIFF). I DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL TO THE FLOOR AND THE CAR DID NOT STOP. IT FELT LIKE IT INCREASED IN SPEED SLIGHTLY BEFORE CRASHING INTO THE WALL AND A 4" STEEL DOWNSPOUT. AIRBAG DEPLOYED AND I RECEIVED MINOR INJURIES. TESTED BRAKES AFTERWARDS AND THEY FELT NORMAL. APPROX. $13,000.00 DAMAGE. *JB