2002 BMW 325XI Complaints

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 BMW 325XI. THE CONTACT STATED THAT ALL POWER WINDOWS FAILED. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE REAR PASSENGER WINDOW WOULD INDEPENDENTLY OPEN. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

BATTERY AND ALTERNATOR CHECKED GOOD WITH VARIOUS SERVICE PROVIDERS YET VEHICLE HAD A PERSISTENT BATTERY DRAIN WITCH WOULD ONLY APPEAR AFTER CAR WAS ON THE ROAD AND DRIVING. AFTER CAR STOPPED RUNNING DUE TO LOW BATTERY IT THEN WOULD NOT RESTART. NO WARNING LIGHTS WOULD COME ON UNTIL JUST A MINUTE OR TWO PRIOR TO ENGINE QUITTING. TOOK VEHICLE TO MONROVIA BMW IN MONROVIA CA AND WAS TOLD THAT ALTERNATOR WAS FAULTY. INSTALLED NEW (NOT REBUILT) SPECIFIED ALTERNATOR AND NEW BATTERY AND 5 MONTHS LATER SAME PROBLEM CAME BACK. FURTHER OWN PERSONAL INVESTIGATION FOUND THAT BMW IS AWARE OF A FAULTY ELECTRICAL SYSTEM DESIGN FLAW AND I WAS NEVER TOLD ABOUT FROM BMW TECH'S AT TIME OF INSPECTION AS TO THE POSSIBILITY OF A SYSTEM PROBLEM WHEN THE CLIMATE CONTROL "BLOWER MOTOR RESISTOR" OF "FINAL STAGE UNIT" (FSU) AND ITS INTERNAL RESISTOR FAILS. THIS PART HAS HUNDREDS OF WRITE UPS ONLINE FROM OTHER OWNERS AND HAS GONE BACK MANY YEARS. WHEN THE PART FAILS IT LEADS TO A WHOLE VARIETY OF ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS WITH THE AFFECTED VEHICLE. THIS COULD LEAD TO A FULL ENGINE SHUT DOWN AND LEAD TO A CRASH. MY VEHICLE HAS ALSO BEEN EXPERIENCING LOSS OF ENGINE COILS AND THESE ARE ALSO PART OF THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM THAT COULD BE BEING IMPACTED BY THIS FSU / RESISTOR PROBLEM. FIRE AND OR OTHER ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS ARE ALSO POSSIBLE. *TR

SERVICE ENGINE SOON LIGHT IS ON. DEALERSHIP TECHNICIAN CHECKED FAULT MEMORY AND FOUND CODE 190 O2S FAULT R/R LOWER SPLASH SHIELD R/R VALVE COVER AND INJECTORS. REPLACED SENSOR AND CLEARED FAULT. *TR

NOTICED THAT LEFT FRONT TURN SIGNAL IS OUT AT TIMES. DEALERSHIP TECHNICIAN FOUND THAT LEFT FRONT TURN SIGNAL BULB AND SOCKET ARE BURNT. FAULT 36 (TURN INDICATOR, FRONT LEFT, FAULTY) IS SET IN FAULT MEMORY. CHECKED LEFT FRONT TURN SIGNAL BULB AND SOCKET ARE BURNT. REPLACED FRONT TURN SIGNAL BULB AND SOCKET. *TR

A/C SYSTEM WHEN ENGAGED MADE A LOT OF NOISE. DEALERSHIP TECHNICIAN CHECKED AND FOUND NOISE COMING FROM A/C COMPRESSOR. REPLACED COMPRESSOR. *TR

NOTICED THAT WHEN DRIVING ON CURVY ROADS IT FEELS LIKE RIDING ON A ROUGH ROAD PATCH OR FEELS LIKE BRAKING. DEALERSHIP TECHNICIAN FOUND DEFECTIVE TORQUE CONVERTER AND FILTER. NO FAULT IN MEMORY. REMOVED AND EXCHANGED TORQUE CONVERTER. REMOVED TRANSMISSION OIL PAN AND REPLACED TRANSMISSION OIL FILTER AND OIL AND FLUSHED ALL TRANSMISSION COOLING LINES. *TR

I NOTICED A CRACKING SOUND COMING FROM THE RIGHT FRONT WHEEL WHEN MAKING A LEFT TURN. DEALERSHIP TECHNICIAN NOTICED NOISE ON RIGHT/FRONT SIDE. CHECKED THE FRONT END AND FOUND RIGHT/FRONT SWAY BAR MOUNT IS LOOSE. RETIGHTENED RIGHT/FRONT SWAY BAR ASSEMBLY AND CHECKED LEFT/FRONT SWAY BAR. RETIGHTENED. *TR

HEARD SQUEAKING NOISE WHEN DRIVING OVER BUMPS AND DRIVING SLOW, ALSO WHEN MAKING TURNS. DEALERSHIP TECHNICIAN CHECKED THE FRONT END AFTER ROAD TESTING THE VEHICLE. FOUND THAT BOTH DRIVE AXLES LOST ALL LUBRICANT; RIGHT/FRONT INNER AND OUTER C/V JOINT WAS CONTAMINATED. REMOVED BOTH FRONT STRUT HUB ASSEMBLY AND LOWER CONTROL ARMS FROM AXLES, REMOVED AND REPLACED BOTH FRONT COMPLETE AXLE ASSEMBLY. REINSTALLED FRONT END COMPONENTS WHICH WERE REMOVED. *TR

OIL LEVEL SENSOR KEEPS TRIPPING ALL THE TIME. DEALERSHIP TECHNICIAN CHECKED THE OIL LEVEL SENSOR TO BE FAULTY. FOUND FAULT 11 THERMAL OIL SENSOR. REPLACED SENSOR. *TR

NOTICED THAT THERE IS A LOUD SQUEAL NOISE FROM THE ENGINE. DEALERSHIP TECHNICIAN FOUND THAT WATER PUMP WAS LEAKING COOLANT ONTO ENGINE BELTS. BLEEDER SCREW WAS STRIPPED IN EXPANSION TANK. REPLACED THE WATER PUMPAND FILLED SYSTEM UPON BLEEDING THE SYSTEM FOUND THE BLEEDER SCREW STRIPPED OUT. REPLACED COOLANT EXPANSION TANK AND BLEEDER SCREW. *TR