2002 BMW 525I Complaints

TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 BMW 525I. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V318000 (AIR BAGS); HOWEVER, THE PARTS TO DO THE RECALL WERE UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.

TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 BMW 525IA. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V318000 (AIR BAGS); HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE. UPDATED 05/10/16*LJ THE DEALER INFORMED THE CONSUMER, THE PARTS WERE AVAILABLE. UPDATED 05/11/16.*JB

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 BMW 525I. WHILE IN PARK AND ATTEMPTING TO START THE VEHICLE, BOTH THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAGS INADVERTENTLY DEPLOYED. THE CONTACT DID NOT SUSTAIN ANY INJURIES. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 189,000.

I AND NUMEROUS OTHERS HAVE HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER PIXEL ON THE BMW 525I VEHICLES, WHICH MAKES IT EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO READ WHETHER YOU HAVE A ENGINE CONCERNS OR WORSE IF THE ENGINE IS OVERHEATING, ETC. THIS COULD BE POTENTIALLY HAZARDOUS AND THE MANUFACTURER IS WELL AWARE OF THE PROBLEM, AND THEY HAVE EVEN REPAIRED A FEW BMWS AT NO CHARGE. HOWEVER, WHEN I NOTIFIED THE COMPANY OF MY COMPLAINT, THEY ADVISED ME THAT THEY WOULD COVER 25% OF THE PARTS AND LABOR, AND LEAVE ME TO PAY THE REMAINING $452.00. AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, THIS IS A HUGE PROBLEM AND THE VEHICLES SHOULD BE RECALLED. TO SEE ADDITIONAL COMPLAINTS FROM OTHER BMW OWNERS, PLEASE GO TO HTTP://FORUMS.BIMMERFORUMS.COM/FORUM/SHOWTHREAD.PHP?T=419695. *KB

REVERSE DRUM FOR TRANSMISSION WENT OUT UNEXPECTEDLY AT 89,000 MILES. MANY OTHERS ARE HAVING THIS ISSUE, BUT BMW HAS FAILED TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE DEFECT IN THE PART WHICH BREAKS DUE TO THE METAL PIECE BEING TOO THIN. NO RECALLS EITHER. BMW SHOULD BE FORCED RECALL THIS PART, AS IT COSTS $6,000 TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION, AND $3,500 TO HAVE IT REBUILT BECAUSE OF THIS DEFECTIVE PART. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 BMW 525I. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE HEADLIGHTS WERE ABNORMALLY POINTED DOWNWARD AND WAS CAUSING INEFFECTIVE ILLUMINATION OF THE ROADWAY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ADJUSTERS WERE FRACTURED AND THE HEADLIGHT COULD NOT BE ADJUSTED. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND THEY CONFIRMED THE FAILURE. THE ENTIRE HEADLIGHT CASING WAS REPLACED. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 80,000.

THE BATTERY WARNING LIGHT FAILS TO ILLUMINATE WHEN THE CAR'S ALTERNATOR FAILS. AT IDLE A VOLTMETER READ 11.5V. WITH THE CAR OFF THE READING WAS 12.2V. EVEN IF MY METER IS INACCURATE A RUNNING CAR SHOULD PRODUCE A HIGHER READING THAN A BATTERY IN A NON-RUNNING CAR IF THE ALTERNATOR IS WORKING. I REMOVED THE BATTERY FROM THE CAR AND ATTACHED IT TO A "SMART" CHARGER. THE CHARGER STARTED OUT READING "LO." MY CHARGER READS "LO" WHEN THE CHARGE IS LESS THAN 50% OR SO, AND ABOVE THAT REPORTS ESTIMATED CHARGE IN INCREMENTS OF 10%. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 BMW 525I. THE CONTACT STATED THAT DUE TO THE WAY THE TIRE WAS MOUNTED ON THE VEHICLE, THE TIRE HAD A SLOW LEAK. THE FAILURE HAD BEEN OCCURRING FOR TWO YEARS. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN INSPECTED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 110,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

ENGINE OVERHEATING WARNING SOUNDED. LOOKED AT INDICATOR AND IT WAS ALL THE WAY IN THE RED. PULLED OVER IMMEDIATELY. 30 SECONDS LATER THE RADIATOR BLEW WITH THE FORCE OF AN EXPLOSION, SHOOTING COOLANT ABOUT FIVE FEET ACROSS THE STREET EVEN THOUGH THE HOOD WAS DOWN. OPENED HOOD AND FOUND A HOLE IN TOP OF RADIATOR, MORE THAN AN INCH IN DIAMETER. I WOULD HAVE OPENED HOOD BEFORE IT BLEW SO I CAME WITHIN HALF A MINUTE OF BEING BADLY BURNED. MY MECHANIC SAID IT HAPPENS REGULARLY WITH BMW 525'S. HE SAID IT HAPPENS AROUND 80,000 MILES. MY CAR HAD 75,000 MILES. MECHANIC SAID HE TESTIFIED IN A CASE A FEW YEARS AGO WHERE AN OWNER WAS BADLY BURNED. HE HAD A BOX WITH A BUNCH OF PIECES OF RADIATORS THAT HAD FAILED. I KEPT MY RADIATOR AS EVIDENCE. NONE OF THE HOSES FAILED BUT THE RADIATOR BLEW A HOLE OUT OF THE TOP. IT IS MADE OF PLASTIC AND IS ONLY ABOUT AN EIGHT OF AN INCH THICK. I WOULD EXPECT THAT ANY POINT OF CONNECTION SUCH AS A HOSE OR A SEAL WOULD BUST UNDER PRESSURE BEFORE THE RADIATOR ITSELF WOULD FAIL. I'D NEVER HEARD OF SUCH A THING HAPPENING IN 30 YEARS OF DRIVING. I BELIEVE THIS IS A DANGEROUS DESIGN DEFECT, EITHER IN THE MATERIAL USED OR IT'S THICKNESS. THOUGH THE REPAIR COST ALMOST A THOUSAND DOLLARS I FELT LUCKY BECAUSE I KNEW THAT I OPENED THE A HALF MINUTE EARLIER I COULD HAVE BEEN EXTREMELY BADLY BURNED OR EVENED BLINDED. THE FORCE OF THE EXPLOSION WAS INCREDIBLE. I'M LESS CONCERNED ABOUT THE MONEY THAN ABOUT SOMEBODY BEING SERIOUSLY INJURED BY THIS DEFECT. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 BMW 525I. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE CONTACT'S VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 08V384000 (AIR BAGS:FRONTAL). HE STATED THAT THE AIR BAG WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATES WHEN NO ONE IS SEATED IN THE PASSENGER SEAT. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 44,000.