2006 BMW 5 SERIES Complaints

I AM FILING THIS COMPLAINT BECAUSE OF THE RESEARCH I HAVE DONE ON LINE. I HAVE FOUND THAT BMW HAS A RECALL ON 2006 5 SERIES FOR A DEFECTIVE AIRBAG SENSOR FOR THE PASSENGER SEAT, BUT THEY INSIST THAT THE RECALL IS NOT FOR ALL 5 SERIES, BUT IT IS VIN SENSITIVE. MEANWHILE I HAVE THE IDENTICAL PROBLEM ON MY 2006 530XI. I ALSO FOUND OUT THAT THEY HAVE A CLASS ACTION LAW SUIT FILED AGAINST THEM FOR THE SAME PROBLEM. *TR

ON START-UP FROM A NEAR STOP THE TRANSMISSION JERKED HARD BACK INTO FIRST GEAR. FELT AS IF SOMEONE HAD HIT ME FROM THE REAR END. THIS HAS HAPPENED REPEATEDLY AND IS VERY DISTURBING, CAUSING UNFAMILIAR REACTIONS FROM THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER. COULD CAUSE AN ACCIDENT.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 BMW 525I. THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED WITH THE PASSENGER SEAT OCCUPIED WHEN THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND REMAINED ILLUMINATED. THE FAILURE WAS ONGOING FOR APPROXIMATELY SIX MONTHS AND THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE DEALER ADVISED HIM THAT THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT SENSOR WAS FAILING AND WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. HE THEN CALLED THE MANUFACTURER AND REFERENCED NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 08V384000(AIR BAGS:FRONTAL) AND WAS ADVISED THAT HIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 90,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 102,000. UPDATED 05/24/11*LJ UPDATED 05/25/11

FRONT PASSENGER AIR BAG SYSTEM FAILED DUE TO FAULTY MAT SENSOR. SPECIFIC YEAR, MAKE AND MODEL ARE LISTED AS COVERED ON BMW RECALL/EXTENDED WARRANTY(NHTSA CLAIM EA08001) YET BMW USA CONTINUES TO DENY CLAIM SAYING MY CAR VIN# DOES NOT QUALIFY. I HAVE A 2006 BMW 530I WITH COMFORT SEATS. THE CAR WAS MANUFACTURED ON 06/2005. DEALER SAYS NOT COVERED. CONTACTED BMW USA NUMEROUS TIMES AND SPOKE WITH THREE DIFFERENT CUST SERVICE MANAGERS WITH EACH ONE STATING MY VIN NOT COVERED. THEY CAN NOT TELL ME WHY MY VIN IS NOT COVERED NOR WHAT CRITERIA WAS USED FOR EXCLUDING MY CAR IN THE EXTENDED WARRANTY. YET, IT IS THE EXACT MODEL YEAR AND SEAT TYPE THAT IS SPECIFICALLY LISTED IN RECALL/EXTENDED WARRANTY MENTIONED ABOVE AND ON THE NHTSA WEBSITE. I ALSO HAVE COPY OF LETTER TO DANIEL SMITH (NHTSA) FROM JAN URBAHN(BMW) SPECIFICALLY STATING MY 2006 530I WITH COMFORT SEAT EXPLICITLY INCLUDED IN EXTENDED WARRANTY. CAN PROVIDE LETTER ON REQUEST. PLEASE HELP. THIS IS NOT RIGHT. BMW IS NOT HONORING NHTSA CLAIM. *TR

ON FEB. 21, 2011 THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM SHOWED A MASSIVE MALFUNCTION WARNING ON MY 2006 BMW 530XI. THE CAR COMPUTER INSTRUCTED ME TO DISCONTINUE DRIVING IMMEDIATELY AND BRING MY CAR TO THE CLOSEST DEALER. I BROUGHT THE CAR TO THE DEALER. IT WAS DETERMINED THE SUNROOF CASSETTE WAS FAULTY AND WATER FROM RECENT RAINS LEAKED THROUGH THE SUNROOF (IN CLOSED POSITION) RAN DOWN DRAIN LINES INTO MY BATTERY COMPARTMENT. WATER CAUSED MAJOR DAMAGE OF ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, MODULES, BATTERY ETC. BMW TOLD ME THE REPAIRS, INCLUDING A NEEDED SUNROOF CASSETTE WOULD TOTAL $23000.00. BMW ADMITTED THE SUNROOF CASSETTE WAS FAULTY, BUT SAID I WAS OUT OF WARRANTY AND IT WOULD BE MY RESPONSIBILITY TO REPAIR. I DID RESEARCH AND FOUND 3 INTERNAL SERVICE BULLETINS FROM BMW, SI B 61 13 06, SI B 54 02 08 AND SI B54 04 09 WHICH ADDRESSED THIS ISSUE WHILE MY CAR WAS UNDER WARRANTY- THESE SERVICE BULLETINS WERE NOT PERFORMED ON MY CAR. I ALSO HAVE SEEN MANY, MANY OF THIS SAME ISSUE ON BMW MESSAGE BOARDS. THIS COULD HAVE BEEN A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION, AND I FEEL BMW SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS REPAIR. PLEASE HELP. *TR

THE CAR WITH VIN NUMBER STATED ABOVE HAS REPORTED A MALFUNCTION IN THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG. NHTSA RECALL ID # 08V384000 - AIR BAGS:FRONTAL" SHOWS THAT THE BMW 530I, MODEL YEARS 2004-2006 HAS BEEN RECALLED TO SPECIFICALLY ADDRESS THIS ISSUE. HOWEVER, UPON ARRIVING AT BMW OF ROSEVILLE (CALIFORNIA), I WAS TOLD THAT THE RECALL DOES NOT APPLY TO MY CAR SPECIFICALLY (DESPITE THE DESCRIPTION IN THE RECALL ITSELF), AND THAT I WOULD BE REQUIRED TO PAY $175 FOR A DIAGNOSIS FEE, AND THEN BE FULLY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE COST OF REPAIRS. THIS IS A SIGNIFICANT SAFETY ISSUE THAT CURRENTLY HAS MY FAMILY'S LIVES AT RISK, BUT THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT AT ROSEVILLE BMW WAS COMPLETELY DISINTERESTED. REALIZING THAT I WOULD GET NO HELP FROM BMW OF ROSEVILLE, I HAVE SINCE TAKEN THIS ISSUE UP WITH NIELLO BMW IN SACRAMENTO. THEY HAVE BEEN MORE HELPFUL, BUT THERE IS STILL THE ISSUE OF THE VIN NUMBER. IF FOR SOME REASON THIS AUTOMOBILE WAS EXCLUDED FROM THE RECALL DESPITE BEING THE MAKE, MODEL, AND MODEL YEAR DESCRIBED IN THE RECALL, IT WAS EXCLUDED IN ERROR.

THE CAR WITH VIN NUMBER STATED ABOVE HAS REPORTED A MALFUNCTION IN THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG. NHTSA RECALL ID # 08V384000 - AIR BAGS:FRONTAL" SHOWS THAT THE BMW 530I, MODEL YEARS 2004-2006 HAS BEEN RECALLED TO SPECIFICALLY ADDRESS THIS ISSUE. HOWEVER, UPON ARRIVING AT BMW OF ROSEVILLE (CALIFORNIA), I WAS TOLD THAT THE RECALL DOES NOT APPLY TO MY CAR SPECIFICALLY (DESPITE THE DESCRIPTION IN THE RECALL ITSELF), AND THAT I WOULD BE REQUIRED TO PAY $175 FOR A DIAGNOSIS FEE, AND THEN BE FULLY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE COST OF REPAIRS. THIS IS A SIGNIFICANT SAFETY ISSUE THAT CURRENTLY HAS MY FAMILY'S LIVES AT RISK, BUT THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT AT ROSEVILLE BMW WAS COMPLETELY DISINTERESTED. REALIZING THAT I WOULD GET NO HELP FROM BMW OF ROSEVILLE, I HAVE SINCE TAKEN THIS ISSUE UP WITH NIELLO BMW IN SACRAMENTO. THEY HAVE BEEN MORE HELPFUL, BUT THERE IS STILL THE ISSUE OF THE VIN NUMBER. IF FOR SOME REASON THIS AUTOMOBILE WAS EXCLUDED FROM THE RECALL DESPITE BEING THE MAKE, MODEL, AND MODEL YEAR DESCRIBED IN THE RECALL, IT WAS EXCLUDED IN ERROR. *TR

BRAKE VACUUM PUMP HAS LEAKED LUBRICATING OIL INTO BRAKE BOOSTER, CAUSING BOOSTER TO FAIL, CAUSING POWER ASSIST BRAKING TO BE COMPROMISED, MAKING BRAKING DIFFICULT TO IMPOSSIBLE. *TR

THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION OF MY 2006 BMW 525I, WITH APP 65,000 MILES, FAILED AND THE DEALER TELL ME THAT I HAVE TO PAY FOR A REPLACEMENT. I FEEL THAT A TRANSMISSION SHOULD LAST MORE THAN 65,000 MILE AND THUS SHOULD BE REPLACED AT BMW'S EXPENSE. MY RESEARCH INDICATES THAT THESE ARE AN ANUSUALLY HIGH RATE OF TRANSMISSION FAILURES IN THESE CARS, AND THE RECALL SHOULD BE MANDATED. *TR

WHILE DRIVING IN HEAVY RAIN, THE VEHICLE'S ELECTRONIC CONTROL SYSTEM ISSUED A FRENZY OF ALERTS, AND INTERRUPTED FUNCTION OF SEVERAL SUBSYSTEMS INCLUDING THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS. THE SYSTEM ISSUED A MESSAGE "CONTINUED DRIVING NOT POSSIBLE" AND THEN FURTHER ALERTS. THE BMW CENTER EXAMINED THE CAR AND STATED THAT WATER HAD ENTERED THE CAR THROUGH THE SUNROOF DRAINAGE SYSTEM AND FLOODED THE COMPARTMENT HOUSING THE CONTROL SYSTEMS, CAUSING THE SUDDEN MALFUNCTION. DESPITE THE FACT THAT THERE IS NO MAINTENANCE PROTOCOL ESTABLISHED BY BMW FOR THE DRAINAGE SYSTEM, I HAD THE SUNROOF DRAINS CHECKED ON OCTOBER 2009 AND WAS ASSURED BY THE BMW CENTER THAT IT WAS WORKING TO SPECIFICATION AT THAT TIME. NEVERTHELESS, BMW'S CENTER ATTRIBUTED THE FAILURE TO THE DRAINAGE SYSTEM BEING PARTIALLY BLOCKED. (N.B. THE SYSTEM HAD NOT BEEN CHECKED FOR THE FIRST THREE YEARS OF USE, SO WHY WOULD IT FAIL 1 YEAR AND 1 MONTH AFTER INSPECTION?) THE DRAIN SYSTEM IS CONCEALED WITHIN THE ROOF AND IS NOT ACCESSIBLE TO CAR OWNER. THE COMBINATION OF THE DEFECTIVE DRAINAGE SYSTEM AND THE PLACEMENT OF THE ELECTRONIC CONTROL SYSTEMS AT THE POINT OF WATER COLLECTION PRESENTS A SAFETY HAZARD WHEN DRIVING IN INCLEMENT WEATHER. SEARCHING ON THE INTERNET TURNS UP SIMILAR COMPLAINTS ON OTHER BMW MODELS EQUIPPED WITH PANORAMIC SUNROOFS SUCH AS THE X3, X5, AND 535XI AND 325.