2007 BMW 328I Complaints

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 BMW 328I. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ACTUATOR FAILED ON ALL FOUR DOORS OF THE VEHICLE AND NONE OF THE DOORS WOULD OPEN FROM THE EXTERIOR OR INTERIOR. THE FAILURE ALSO PREVENTED THE DOOR TO THE FUEL TANK FROM BEING OPENED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE ACTUATORS WERE REPLACED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 68,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 74,000.

I PURCHASED A 2007 BMW 328I ON 8/6/2011, 59,642 MILES. SHORTLY AFTER THIS PURCHASE, I EXPERIENCED THIS VEHICLE OVERHEATING AND LOSING ALL POWER WHILE DRIVING TWICE IN ONE WEEK, OCTOBER 25 AND OCTOBER 27, 2011. AFTER APPROXIMATELY 5 MINUTES OF DRIVING, THE YELLOW WARNING SIGNAL ILLUMINATED AND TEN SECONDS LATER, THE RED WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THE VEHICLE IMMEDIATELY LOST POWER AND STALLED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROADWAY. I WAS TOLD TO PICK UP MY CAR AND COME BACK IF IT RAN HOT AND STALLED AGAIN (CUSTOMER TO MONITOR). I PICKED MY CAR UP ON WEDNESDAY EVENING AFTER WORK AND DROVE STRAIGHT HOME. ON THURSDAY MORNING THE YELLOW LIGHT FLASHED AND IMMEDIATELY TURNED RED AND SHUT OFF IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROADWAY AGAIN. I HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP AGAIN. THIS TIME, WHEN THE CAR WAS PLACE ON THE TOW TRUCK, COOLANT RAN FROM UNDER THE VEHICLE ONTO THE GROUND. THIS IS A VERY FRUSTRATING, UNEXPECTED, EXPENSIVE AND DANGEROUS PROBLEM WITH THIS VEHICLE. IF I HAD BEEN TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY AND THIS VEHICLE SHUT DOWN WITHIN 10 SECONDS, I WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO SAFELY NAVIGATE THIS VEHICLE TO THE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD. FORTUNATELY, I WAS NOT REAR ENDED ON EITHER INCIDENT. I UNDERSTAND THAT THE PURPOSE OF THE ENGINE SHUTTING DOWN IS TO PREVENT ENGINE DAMAGE, BUT THERE SEEMS TO BE NO ADVANCE WARNING, WHICH PUTS THE OCCUPANTS IN DANGER OR BEING REAR ENDED. I AM VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THIS SWIFT TOTAL SHUT DOWN OCCURRING WHILE ON THE HIGHWAY AND CAUSING A MAJOR ACCIDENT. ALTHOUGH THE WATER PUMP WAS NOT DEEMED AS THE ABSOLUTE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM, THE DEALERSHIP STARTED THEIR CORRECTIVE ACTION WITH REPLACING THE WATER PUMP AND THERMOSTAT. I RECENTLY DISCOVERED WHILE UNDER WARRANTY, THIS VEHICLE'S CYLINDER HEAD WAS REPLACED AND SLUDGE WAS IN THE ENGINE OIL (PRIOR TO MY PURCHASE). I CONTACTED BMWUSA AND WAS TOLD THAT COMPONENTS BREAK DOWN SOMETIMES. *TR

DOOR LOCK ACTUATOR FAILURE: FRONT DOOR LOCK ACTUATORS FAILED DISALLOWING EXIT FROM ALL DOORS EXCEPT THE DRIVER'S SIDE FRONT DOOR. PASSENGERS COULD ONLY EXIT THE VEHICLE BY CRAWLING OUT OF THE DRIVER'S SIDE FRONT DOOR. THE FRONT PASSENGER DOOR AND BOTH REAR DOORS COULD NOT BE OPENED BY USING THE INTERIOR OR EXTERIOR DOORHANDLES. FURTHERMORE, THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM DISALLOWED ANY UNLOCKING OF THESE THREE DOORS AS WELL. FORTUNATELY, THE CAR WAS NOT INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT DURING THIS DOOR LOCK ACTUATOR FAILURE. DURING THE TIME OF THIS INCIDENT, TWO PEOPLE WERE IN THE CAR. THE CONSEQUENCES OF NOT HAVING DOORS WHICH CAN OPEN FROM THE INSIDE OF THE CAR COULD PROVE DEADLY IN AN ACCIDENT. A LETTER WAS WRITTEN TO BMW OF NORTH AMERICA, LLC BY THE OWNER OF THIS CAR IN THIS REPORT AND THEIR RESPONSE ON OCTOBER 7TH, 2011 WAS, "WE HAVE NO RESPONSE." *TR

THE STEERING COLUMN LOCK FAILED WHICH REQUIRED BMW TO REPLACE THE UPPER STEERING COLUMN AT $1,252.92!!! *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 BMW 328I. THE CONTACT STATED THE KEY LOCK ACTUATOR FAILED; WHENEVER SHE UNLOCKED THE DOORS THE LATCH ON THE FRONT DRIVERS AND FRONT PASSENGERS SIDE FAILED TO LOCK. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO STATED SHE NEEDED ALL FOUR ACTUATORS TO FUNCTION IN ORDER FOR THE LOCKS TO WORK PROPERLY. THE CONTACT WAS ADVISED THAT THE REPAIR COST WAS $1200 AT HER EXPENSE; HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

THERE IS A DEFECT WITH THE ELECTRONIC STEERING WHEEL LOCK. THE WARNING LIGHT CAME ON, BUT THE CAR FUNCTIONED NORMALLY DESPITE THE OWNER'S MANUAL SAYING THE CAR WOULD NOT START. I THOUGHT IT WAS A DEFECTIVE LIGHT, UNTIL I TRIED TO START MY CAR ONE MORNING. THE ELECTRONIC STEERING WHEEL LOCK WOULD NOT DISENGAGE, AND I HAD TO GET THE CAR TOWED. IT APPEARS TO BE A COMPLEX PROBLEM AS BMW DEALER MECHANICS CAN ONLY TELL ME THAT THE STEERING COLUMN NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. THEY WILL NOT TELL ME WHY IT NEEDS TO BE REPLACED OR WHAT IS CAUSING THE PROBLEM. ESTIMATES FOR REPAIR HAVE BEEN BETWEEN $1300 AND $1800 DEPENDING ON THE DEALER. I UNDERSTAND THAT CARS BREAK DOWN BUT, AFTER VISITING BMW FORUMS ON THE INTERNET, IT IS PLAIN TO SEE THAT THIS IS A KNOWN DEFECT THAT BMW REFUSES TO FIX. ONE POSTING DID INDICATE THAT THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP WHILE THE CAR WAS BEING DRIVEN CAUSING A DANGEROUS SITUATION, BUT, IN MY CASE, THE CAR WAS PARKED. THIS DEFECT DOES POSE TO CAR OWNERS A GREAT INCONVENIENCE WITH POSSIBLE UNSAFE CONSEQUENCES DEPENDING ON THE CIRCUMSTANCES SURROUNDING THE CAR OWNER GETTING STRANDED. FURTHERMORE, ONCE STRANDED, THE OWNER HAS LITTLE CHOICE BUT TO GET IT TOWED MOST LIKELY TO A BMW DEALERSHIP AND PAY THE LARGE REPAIR BILL. (I TRIED AN INDY BMW SPECIALIST FIRST. HE COULD NOT FIX IT OR EVEN DETERMINE WHY IT WAS OCCURRING.) I AM FILING THIS COMPLAINT IN THE HOPE THAT ANY SUBSEQUENT INVESTIGATION BY THE NHTSA WILL REVEAL THAT BMW HAS LET A KNOWN DEFECT PERSIST. ONCE THAT IS DISCOVERED, BMW SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO FIX THE DEFECT AND REIMBURSE OWNERS WHO HAVE HAD TO PAY FOR A COSTLY REPAIR. *TR

MY DOOR LOCKS FAILED TO UNLOCK (WITH BOTH THE REMOTE ENTRY AND THE DOOR LOCK SWITCH LOCATED IN THE CAR) WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR USING THE MANUAL KEY TURN. THIS WAS REPAIRED BY REPLACING THE DOOR LOCK ACTUATORS, UNDER WARRANTY. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 BMW 328I. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE KEYLESS ENTRY FUNCTION FAILED TO OPERATE WHEN HE ATTEMPTED TO UNLOCK THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE AFFECTED THE FRONT AND REAR PASSENGER DOORS DISALLOWING HIM TO ENTER THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER REPLACED THE ACTUATOR AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE HOWEVER, DID NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 24,000.

THE DOORS FAILED TO UNLOCK WITH THE KEY FOB. ONLY WAY TO ENTER WAS WITH THE KEY INTO THE DRIVERS DOOR. THE OTHER DOORS FAILED TO UNLOCK FROM THE INSIDE, BOTH BY USING THE HANDLE AND THE UNLOCK BUTTON ON THE DASH. APPARENTLY, THE DOOR LOCK ACTUATORS ARE DRAWING MORE CURRENT FLOW AND BURNING THE 15A FUSE INSTALLED. A BMW SB SAYS TO REPLACE WITH A 20A FUSE, HOWEVER, THE PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. THIS CREATES AN UNSAFE CONDITION, IN THAT NO PASSENGER(S) CAN EXIT THE VEHICLE, AND NOBODY, SUCH AS EMERGENCY PERSONNEL, CAN ENTER FROM THE OUTSIDE. THE FUSE ISN'T THE ANSWER, BMW KNOWS ABOUT THIS PROBLEM AND SHOULD DEAL WITH IT IN A MANNER THAT PROMOTES SAFETY OF PASSENGERS, NOT PROFITS FOR THE DEALERS. *TR

MY DOORS HAVE LOCKED AND WILL NOT UNLOCK WITHOUT A VERY EXPENSIVE REPAIR. I HAVE TO USE THE INTERNAL KEY FROM THE KEY FOB TO UNLOCK THE DRIVER DOOR BUT THERE IS NO WAY TO UNLOCK ANY OF THE OTHER DOORS. THIS IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS AS THE OTHER DOORS WILL NOT EVEN UNLOCK FROM INSIDE THE CAR. ALSO IF YOU PLAN ON HAVING ANY PASSENGERS THEY ALL HAVE TO GET IN THROUGH THE DRIVER DOOR, IF IN AN ACCIDENT THEY HAVE TO GET OUT OF THE DRIVER DOOR, THIS IS ABSOLUTELY RIDICULOUS AND WAS EXPENSIVE TO FIX! *TR