2011 BMW 335I Complaints

I HAVE HAD AN INCIDENT WITH MY CAR WHERE MY CAR DIED WHILING GOING ON TO MY MILITARY BASE. AFTER FINDING OUT THE ISSUE AND GETTING IT WORKED ON, I FOUND OUT THAT THERE IS A KNOWN ISSUE. THERE ARE SEVERAL PUBLIC COMPLAINTS OF USERS RISKING THEIR LIVES DUE TO A DOCUMENTED DEFECT WITH N55 ENGINES PRODUCED FROM 2/2010 TO 12/2010. THIS ENGINE IS USED IN SEVERAL BMW MODELS, MINE INCLUDED. BOTH (INTAKE AND/OR EXHAUST) OF THE VANOS GEAR ASSEMBLIES HAVE FAILED; THE ATTACHING BOLTS MAY HAVE ALSO LOOSENED AND/OR BROKEN. THIS HAS SOMETIMES CAUSED A SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER, RESULTING IN A POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS SITUATION, AND FAILURE OF THE ENGINE. BMW HAS ISSUED A SERVICE INFORMATION BULLETIN SI B12 14 12 BUT HAS NOT ISSUED A RECALL TO PREVENT THIS ISSUE, EVEN IF THE VEHICLES ARE RELATIVELY NEW, AND STILL UNDER BASE WARRANTY. I HAD TO PAY $3700 FOR A JOB THAT SHOULD OF BEEN COVERED. *TR

THIS COMPLAINT IS CONCERNING MY 2011 BMW 335I. I HAVE BEEN HAVING PROBLEMS WITH MY BMW SINCE ABOUT 9000 MILES ON THE VEHICLE. THE BRAKES KEEP LOCKING, THE ROTORS KEEP GRINDING AND GROOVING, NOSE COMING FROM THE BRAKES WHILE DRIVING AND STOPPING, AND THE DEALER HAS CHANGED THEM MORE THAN 3 TIMES AND THE ISSUES CONTINUES TO HAPPEN. THEY ADVISED ME THAT THEY CANNOT FIX IT AND THERE IS NOTHING ELSE THEY CAN DO. PLEASE HELP ME WITH MY VEHICLE ISSUE. IT HAS BEEN PARKED FROM MORE THAN A YEAR AND A HALF AND I FEEL THAT IT IS A SAFETY ISSUE. I FEEL LIKE MY LIFE IS IN DANGER IF I DRIVE THIS VEHICLE. *TR

BMW OF NORTH AMERICA REFERENCE: BMW 335I CABRIO VIN: [XXXX] I WOULD LIKE TO BRING TO YOUR ATTENTION THE RESPONSE OF ADVANTAGE BMW, HOUSTON, TEXAS IN ADDRESSING RECALL CAMPAIGN NO. 13V-044: POWER SUPPLY SYSTEM (NOTICE MAILED BY BMW OF NORTH AMERICA). THIS NOTIFICATION ARRIVED AT MY HOME [XXXX] VIA THE USPS ON 30 AUGUST, 2013. THE INSTRUCTION, UNDER THE SECTION PRECAUTION FOR YOUR SAFETY, 1) CONTACT YOUR AUTHORIZED BMW CENTER IMMEDIATELY TO HAVE THE NECESSARY REPAIR PERFORMED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE (ALL CAPS PER THE BMW LETTER). I CALLED ADVANTAGE BMW THIS MORNING, 31 AUGUST 2013 TO MAKE ANY APPOINTMENT AND WAS TOLD 'THAT NOTICE HAS BEEN OUT FOR A FEW MONTHS, AND WE WILL DEAL WITH IT AT THE NEXT SERVICE INTERVAL". PLEASE ADVISE WHAT STEPS YOU INTEND TO TAKE TO HAVE THE DEALERSHIP (THAT SOLD ME THIS CAR IN NEW CONDITION) CARRY OUT WORK THAT IS MANDATED BY THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC ADMINISTRATION. *JS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

MY RIGHT REAR TIRE KEPT LEAKING AIR, SO I TOOK IT IN TO THE DEALER AND THEY TOLD ME TO TAKE IT TO A TIRE SHOP. THE TIRE SHOP FOUND OUT THERE WAS A CRACK IN THE RIM MOST PROBABLY BECAUSE OF A POTHOLE, SO I THOUGHT THAT WAS POSSIBLE AND I GOT THE CRACK FIXED. EVER SINCE I HAD THIS ISSUE, I HAD BEEN DRIVING VERY CAREFULLY AND AVOIDING ANY POTHOLES. AFTER A FEW MONTHS, NOW MY LEFT REAR TIRE HAS THE SAME EXACT REASON. I RESEARCHED THIS ISSUE ON SOME ONLINE BMW FORUMS AND PEOPLE WITH THE SAME CAR AND RIM ARE REPORTING SIMILAR ISSUE. BMW REFUSES TO REPLACE THE RIM SAYING IT'S MY FAULT AND THAT I PROBABLY HIT A POT HOLE. *KB

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 BMW 335I. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN THROUGH FOUR INCHES OF WATER WHEN IT STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. AN AUTHORIZED DEALER INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE HYDRO LOCK FAILED AND THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS AWARE OF THE FAILURE, BUT OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 7,400. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

I WOULD FORMALLY LIKE TO REPORT A MAJOR SAFETY CONCERN I HAVE REGARDING MY NEW 2011 BMW 335IS CONVERTIBLE. FROM A STANDSTILL WITHOUT MODIFYING ANY OF THE DEFAULT CONFIGURATIONS ON THE CAR, FLOORING THE GAS PEDAL, THE CAR LURCHES FORWARD (AS EXPECTED) AND THEN POWER COMPLETELY CUTS OUT FOR A SECOND AND THEN WILL CONTINUE ON ITS WAY. MY GUESS IS THE DSC IS KICKING IN CAUSING POWER TO BE REDUCED AND THEN RE-ESTABLISHED. MY CONCERN IS THAT A BRAND NEW CAR SHOULD BE ABLE TO BE FLOORED WITHOUT THIS HAPPENING. I RECENTLY HAD THIS EXACT SITUATION OCCUR AS I WAS PULLING OUT INTO TRAFFIC AND VERY NARROWLY MISSED GETTING PUMMELED BY ANOTHER CAR WHEN POWER WAS CUT TO MY CAR. I HAVE TAKEN MY CAR TO MY BMW SERVICE STATION AND ALTHOUGH THEY AGREE THAT THE CAR SHOULD NOT DO THIS?THEY AT THE SAME TIME SAY THE CAR IS OPERATING NORMALLY. THEIR ADVICE WAS TO TURN OFF DSC IN A SITUATION I WANT TO FLOOR IT. THIS IS MY 3RD BMW 3 SERIES CONVERTIBLE AND I HAVE NEVER EXPERIENCED THIS. ALSO, I DO NOT THINK THE DRIVER SHOULD BE FORCED TO CONSIDER THIS BEFORE PULLING OUT IN TRAFFIC. AND, IF I WERE TO LEND MY CAR TO A FAMILY MEMBER, HOW WOULD THEY KNOW. *TR

MY REAR TIRE SLOWLY STARTED TO LOSE AIR PRESSURE DURING FREEWAY COMMUTING IN LOS ANGELES AREA. SAVAGE BMW IN ONTARIO COULDN'T AT FIRST DETERMINE THE CAUSE AND SUGGESTED IT WAS A TIRE LEAK AND TO TAKE IT TO A TIRE SHOP. THE TIRE SHOP FOUND NOTHING WRONG WITH THE TIRE AND SAID TO TAKE IT BACK TO THE DEALER. THE DEALER FINALLY FOUND THE PROBLEM BY DUNKING IT INTO A WATER TANK....A CRACKED RIM...CRACKED ON THE INSIDE....THIS WAS CAUSING THE AIR TO LEAK OUT MORE AND MORE AS I DROVE. IT WAS TO THE POINT THAT I WAS FILLING UP AIR EVERY DAY. THE DEALER TOLD ME THAT I PROBABLY HIT A POTHOLE AND THAT IT WAS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY, SO I FIGURED THEY WERE RIGHT AND PAID FOR THE NEW RIM. NOW SEVERAL MONTHS LATER (AND DOING VERY CAREFUL DRIVING TO ENSURE I DON'T HIT ANY POTHOLES OR ROUGH SURFACES), I FOUND THE OTHER REAR TIRE DOING THE SAME THING. I IMMEDIATELY TOOK IT TO CREVIER BMW AND TOLD THEM I SUSPECTED IT MIGHT BE CRACKED TOO. THEY RETURNED THE CAR TO ME WITHIN A COUPLE OF DAYS AND TOLD ME IT JUST NEEDED AIR, AND EVERYTHING WAS OK. TODAY (THE VERY NEXT DAY), I DROVE TO WORK AND MY TIRE PRESSURE SENSOR SAID THE SAME TIRE WAS LOW. I IMMEDIATELY ADDED AIR 46 PSI PER BMW DOOR LABEL...AND GOT ON FWY TO GO HOME. WITHIN 5 MINUTES ON THE FWY, MY WHEEL WAS MAKING A HORRIBLE VIBRATION AS IF IT WAS ABOUT TO COME APART. I PULLED TO THE SIDE OF FWY AND GOT A TOW TRUCK TO TAKE ME BACK TO DEALER. AFTER A HEATED DEBATE WITH BMW SERVICE MANAGER, THEY SAID THEY WOULDN'T PAY FOR MY TOW, NOR THE WHEEL (IF IT IS CRACKED)...AND THAT ITS DUE TO MY DRIVING HABITS. PREPOSTEROUS! I BABY MY CAR, ESPECIALLY AFTER PAYING FOR THE 1ST RIM. I AM FURIOUS THAT BMW IS IGNORING AN OBVIOUS DEFECT IN THE WHEEL DESIGN. I'VE OWNER SEVERAL BMW CARS AND OTHER LOW PROFILE TIRE/WHEEL AUTOMOBILES...DRIVEN ON THE SAME ROADS....AND NEVER HAD THIS ISSUE. IM VERY CONCERNED THAT 1) A MAJOR SAFETY HAZARD IS BEING IGNORED AND 2) THAT IM NOT RECEIVING FAIR TREATMENT. I WILL RETRIEVE THE RIM AND TIRE FOR PROOF. *TR

THE RADIO STARTED TO BUZZ AND IT WOULD NOT STOP, WHETHER I TURNED IT OFF, STOPPED THE CAR, OPENED AND CLOSED ALL THE DOORS, NOT UNTIL I GOT HOME AND THE CAR HAD BEEN OFF FOR 10 MINUTES. THE DEALER ACKNOWLEDGED THAT THERE IS A DESIGN ISSUE, BUT WOULD NOT FIX THE PROBLEM. APPARENTLY THERE IS AN OVERLOAD IN THE RADIO WHICH ALSO SERVES AS A BUS FOR THE COMPUTER. *TT

DELAY IN DCT/THROTTLE ENGAGEMENT AFTER SLOWING TO A ROLL, THEN PRESSING DOWN ON THE GAS- THE DELAY IS BETWEEN 1-2SECONDS, AND I KNOW SOME OTHER FOLKS HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. S-MODE PLUS SPORT BUTTON, ELIMINATED THIS PROBLEM. THIS OCCURS WHEN I'VE SLOWED TO A STOP, THEN WANT TO ACCELERATE QUICKLY TO MERGE INTO TRAFFIC. I WAS SCARED TWICE, AND NOW HAVE BECOME AN "OLD MAN DRIVER" ACCORDING TO MY GIRLFRIEND, I DO NOT PULLOUT IN FRONT OF CARS UNLESS I KNOW THE DELAY OF 1-2SEC WON'T BE A SAFETY ISSUE. *TR

I HAVE A NEW BMW X3 35I. WHILE DRIVING ALONG AT A STEADY PACE, THE DASHBOARD WARNING LIGHTS FOR "BRAKE FAILURE", "ALB FAILURE" AND "DYNAMIC STABILITY CONTROL FAILURE" ALL CAME ON. THE CARS COMPUTER DISPLAY ALSO DISPLAYED A BRAKE AND AWD SYSTEM FAILURE AND SPECIFIED THAT THE CAR SHOULD BE IMMEDIATELY AND CAREFULLY DRIVEN TO A DEALER. AFTER CAREFULLY EVALUATING THE BARKING SYSTEM, IT WAS APPARENT THAT THE BRAKES AND AWD SYSTEMS WERE FULLY FUNCTIONAL, AND THERE WAS NO FAILURE. AFTER STOPPING THE VEHICLE, AND SHUTTING OFF THE ENGINE, AND THEN RE-STARTING, THE ERROR "CLEARED" AND ALL DISPLAYS WERE NORMAL. THE DEALERSHIP FOUND NO PROBLEMS. THIS OCCURS RANDOMLY. I'VE SPOKEN WITH (2) OTHER 2011 X3 OWNERS WHO ARE HAVING THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM AND THEIR DEALERS ALSO CANNOT FIND THE CAUSE/\.. THE DANGER HERE IS THAT OWNERS WILL IGNORE THE WARNING WHEN A TRUE BRAKE SYSTEM FAILURE FINALLY OCCURS. BMW CLAIMS THE CAR IS "TOO NEW" FOR THEM TO KNOW ABOUT THE PROBLEM. SINCE IT'S BRAKE AND STABILITY CONTROL RELATED, I FEEL THIS IS A SERIOUS SITUATION AND NEED MORE ATTENTION THAN BMW IS GIVING IT. *TR