2006 BMW 325XI Complaints

NO ACCIDENT EVER OCCURRED, BUT THE VEHICLE DEVELOPED A PASSENGER AIRBAG PROBLEM. I EVENTUALLY HAD IT FIXED FOR ABOUT $1100 -- THE SENSOR IN THE PASSENGER SEAT HAD TO BE REPLACED, OR ELSE THE PASSENGER AIRBAG WOULD NOT DEPLOY IN AN ACCIDENT. OTHER 3-SERIES IN THAT YEAR RECEIVED FREE REPLACEMENTS OF THE DEFECT, BUT WHEN THEY RAN MY VIN, THEY SAID MY CAR DIDN'T QUALIFY. SEEING AS IT APPARENTLY HAS THE SAME PROBLEM AS THESE OTHER CARS, I'M NOT SURE WHAT THE DISTINCTION IS, AS IT IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 BMW 325XI. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE PASSENGER AIR BAG SEAT MAT SENSOR WAS DEFECTIVE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE OCCUPANT AIR SENSOR WAS DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND OFFERED TO PAY FOR THE DEFECTIVE PART. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 45,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 70,000. UPDATED 03/20/13*LJ UPDATED 04/12/2013 *JS

THIS VEHICLE, ALONG WITH HUNDREDS, MAYBE THOUSANDS, OF OTHERS ARE AFFLICTED WITH A KNOWN DEFECT BMW IS WELL AWARE OF (AND HAS SUBSEQUENTLY MADE ENGINEERING CHANGES AFTER 2006) INVOLVING THE STEERING WHEEL LOCK IN E90 AND E91 CHASSIS. AN AMBER OR RED STEERING WHEEL LOCK INDICATOR WILL LIGHT FOR NO APPARENT REASON NOR WARNING RENDERING THE VEHICLE NON-DRIVABLE (NOR TOWABLE) AND NON-STARTABLE. BMW SAYS THE ONLY SOLUTION IS A COMPLETE CHANGE OF THE STEERING COLUMN. A VERY EXPENSIVE REPAIR. THE OWNERS BLOG SHOWS HUNDREDS OF OTHER DISSATISFIED OWNERS WITH SIMILAR PROBLEMS. I THINK YOU SHOULD HAVE A RECALL OF THESE BMW'S BECAUSE OF THE OBVIOUS DEFECT IN ITS ENGINEERING. AND, FURTHERMORE, SINCE BMW CHANGED THE WHOLE STEERING LOCK SYSTEM IN THEIR LATER MODELS, THEY TOO KNEW OF ITS FAULTS. PROVING THEIR GUILT. *TR

MY STEERING WHEEL LOCK INDICATOR WAS WARNING ME THAT IT WAS LOCKED (AMBER LIGHT) ULTIMATELY THE INDICATOR TURNED RED WHEN TRYING TO START THE CAR AND STRANDED ME. *TR

AIRBAG LIGHT STAYS ON, THERE ARE MANY THAT HAVE THE SAME ISSUE AND BMW HAS AN ACTIVE SAFETY CAMPAIGN 08V-384 BUT OWNERS ARE BEING TOLD THAT THE VIN IS NOT EFFECTIVE, THUS IT IS NOT COVERED. YET, WHEN YOU ASK THE DEALERSHIP WHAT VIN IS COVERED, THEY DO NOT KNOW. CONTACTED BMW CORPORATE OFFICE AND WAS TOLD THEY ARE NOT ABLE TO SEARCH ANY OTHER BMW EXCEPT THE VIN THAT I CAN PROVIDE. WOULD IT BE POSSIBLE TO OBTAIN ALL THE VIN THAT ARE EFFECTED UNDER RECALL 08V-384? I JUST HOPE NO ONE GETS SERIOUSLY INJURED IN AN ACCIDENT JUST BECAUSE THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. I BOUGHT THIS CAR FOR IT'S SAFETY STANDARDS AND NOW WILL HAVE COMPROMISE OR SPEND $1400 TO HAVE IT REPAIRED. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 BMW 325XI. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE PARKED THE CONTACT NOTICED THE AIR BAG LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE MECHANIC STATED THE SEAT SENSOR MAT WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED. THERE WAS A RECALL UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 08V384000 (AIR BAGS:FRONTAL) THAT MAY BE RELATED TO THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 104,000.

PASSENGER AIRBAGS SENSORS COME ON AND OFF, SEAT BELT LIGHT ON WITH PASSENGER IN CAR. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 BMW 325XI. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE WAS UNABLE TO OPEN ANY OF THE VEHICLE DOORS, OTHER THAN THE DRIVER SIDE, BY USING THE KEY FOB OR MANUALLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO DIAGNOSED THAT ONE OF THE LOCK MECHANISMS WAS DEFECTIVE AND THE SENSOR WAS NOT STRONG ENOUGH AS A RESULT BOTH THE LOCK MECHANISM AND SENSOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE WHO DID NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 76,000. UPDATED 06/06/12 *BF THE CONSUMER STATED THE SAME FAILURE OCCURRED TO THE FUEL DOOR, RENDERING HIM UNABLE TO FUEL THE CAR. UPDATED 06/07/12 *JS

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 BMW 325XI. THE CONTACT STARTED THE IGNITION AND NOTICED THAT BOTH THE AIR BAG AND SEAT BELT WARNING INDICATORS WERE ILLUMINATED. THE FAILURE WOULD ALSO OCCUR WHEN DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS. THE WARNING LIGHTS REMAINED ILLUMINATED UNTIL THE ENGINE WAS TURNED OFF. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSIS AND THEY DETECTED THE MALFUNCTION WAS CONTRIBUTED TO THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT SENSOR MAT. THERE WAS A RECALL RELATED TO THE DEFECT UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 08V384000 (AIR BAGS: FRONTAL). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND THEY INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DEFECT. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,000.

THE PASSENGER SEAT OCCUPANCY DETECTION MODULE IS FAULTY IN OUR CAR. IT WAS OFFICIALLY DIAGNOSED BY A BMW DEALER ON 20 FEB 2012. WE ARE BEING TOLD THAT OUR CAR'S PRODUCTION TIME FALLS 1 MONTH OUT OF THE PREVIOUS RECALL ON THESE SAME PARTS (NHTSA ACTION NUMBER EA080001). BMW IS REFUSING TO FIX IT. *TR