2002 BMW 745I Complaints

DEFECTIVE BRAKES, TRUCK LID, STEERING AND SUSPENSION. WHEN DRIVING VEHICLE TO L WHEN TURNING R AND VICE VERSA. *BF UPON MAKING A RIGHT TURN FROM STOP OR SLOW SPEED WHEN STRAIGHTENING THE VEHICLE TO TRACEL IN A STRAIGHT LINE THE STEERING WHEEL WAS CRANKED TO THE LEFT AND OFF CENTER BY 45 DEGREES. THERE WAS A DELAY IN THE STEERING WHEEL TO RETURN TO A NORMAL POSITION. WHEN DRIVING 55 MPH THE STEERING WHEEL NOTICEABLY FIGHTS THE DRIVER AND ATTEMPTS TO TURN IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION OF THE WAY THE CONSUMER IS TURNING. THE VEHICLE OVER STEERS WHEN CHANGING LANES. THE STEERING OFTEN SPINS IN ONE DIRECTION OR THE OTHER WHEN VEHICLE BRAKES ARE ACTIVATED. THE BRAKES GRIND AND SQUEAK. *TC

THE SAFETY RESTRAINT DEVICE CONTINUOUSLY MALFUNCTIONED, WHICH RESULTED IN THE ENTIRE RESTRAINT SYSTEM, INCLUDING THE AIR BAGS BECOMING INOPERATIVE. DEALERSHIP INDICATED THE THIS MALFUNCTION WAS CAUSED BY A FAILURE IN THE I/DRIVE COMPUTER SYSTEM. DEALERSHIP REPROGRAMED THE COMPUTER DRIVE WHICH ONLY PROVIDED A TEMPORARY SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEM. *AK

I LEASED THIS VEHICLE JUNE/2002 AND HAVE HAD CONSTANT AGGRAVATION AND FRUSTRATION BY THE NUMEROUS FAILURES OF THIS CAR, THIS CAR HAS BEEN AT THE BMW SERVICE CENTER 6 TIMES IN THE YEAR I HAVE HAD IT -- 3 TIMES FOR THE ENGINE FAILING TO START,LEAVING ME STRANDED AT NIGHT IN UNFAMILLAR AND DANGEROUS AREAS-- 2 TIMES THIS VEHICLE HAD TO BE TOWED TO DEALER AT NIGHT, EACH TIME WAITING MORE THAN 3 HOURS FOR BMW ASSIST TO HAVE A TOW TRUCK COME AND GET CAR -MOST RECENTLY I WAITED MORE THEN 4 HOURS -- I DO NOT FEEL SAFE DRIVING THIS CAR AS I DON'T KNOW WHEN IT WILL BRAKE DOWN AND NOT START. PLEASE HELP ME !!

WHILE DECELERATING AT A RED LIGHT OR STOP SIGN, VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATES, THROWING PASSENGERS AGAINST THE SEATS AND DASHBOARD, BACK AND FORTH. THIS IS AN UNSAFE SITUATION TO BOTH THE DRIVER AND PASSENGERS !. *JB

CONSUMER PARKED THE VEHICLE IN THE GARAGE AND ABOUT THREE HOURS LATER SMOKE WAS COMING FROM THE GARAGE. VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE, AND DAMAGED ANOTHER VEHICLE AND THE GARAGE. FIRE DEPARTMENT EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE ,AND DETERMINED THAT FIRE CAME FROM THE BACK OF THE ENGINE. *AK CONSUMER EXPERIENCED OTHER FAILURES WITH THE VEHICLE INCLUDING: FAILURE TO START, 3 RECALLS PERTAINING TO FUEL SYSTEM AND COMPUTER, COMPUTER CRASHED AND ACCESSORIES DIDN'T OPERATE, AND HEAD REST MOVED ON IT'S OWN. *PH

VEHICLE HAS HAD MULTIPLE FAILURE OF THE TRANSMISSION, FUEL DELIVERY RELATED MALFUNCTIONS INCLUDING FAILED AND RUPTURE FUEL LINES, MULTIPLE PROBLEMS WITH VARIOUS CONTROLS IN DASH, IT HAS BEEN AT DEALER OVER TEN TIMES DURING THE FIRST YEAR AND IT STILL MALFUNCTIONS. *NLM

WHEN DECELERATING VEHICLE MAKES A SUDDEN ACCELERATION INTO TRAFFIC THROWING PASSENGERS AGAINST THE SEATS. MR *TS

I PURCHASE A NEW 745I AND AFTER 10MONTHS OF CONSTANT AGGRAVATION AND FUSTRATION BY THE NUMEROUS FAILURES OF THIS CAR, I WOULD LIKE FOR BMW TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS. MY CAR CONSTANTLY KEEP HAVING ENGINE FAILURE, RECENTLY BMW HAD TO REPLACE THE CYLINDER HEADS (FOR A NEW CAR THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE). I WOULD TO RETURN THIS CAR TO BMW FOR A FAIR EXCHANGE.

BRAKES FAILED FOR 2ND TIME IN 2 WEEKS, RESULTING IN FENDER DAMAGE TO 3 VEHICLES; ACCIDENT OCCURED AT 5 MPH. THE SAME FAILURE HAD OCCURED 2 WEEKS EARLIER (WITHOUT ANY DAMAGES), AND THE LOCAL BMW DEALERSHIP "REPAIRED" THE BRAKE WHEEL SENSORS, STATING THIS WAS THE CAUSE OF THE BRAKE FAILURE. THERE WAS NO EMERGENCY BRAKE HANDLE THAT COULD BE USED IN SUCH AN EMERGENCY (ONLY A BUTTON ON THE DASH).

ON 8/9/02, MY CAR'S SEAT BELT AND AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT CAME ON. THE DEALER TOOK THE CAR ON 8/12/02, AND RETURNED IT 8/21/02. MR. MOODY OF LEITH REPORTED THAT THE PROBLEM HAD NOT BEEN RESOLVED BUT AWAITED DELIVERY OF REVISED SOFTWARE IN "A COUPLE OF WEEKS". WHILE THE WARNING MESSAGE WAS NO LONGER POSTED (THEY SAID THEY HAD MERELY EMPTIED THE MEMORY), THEY COULD NOT ASSURE ME THAT THE SAFETY MECHANISMS WERE OPERATING PROPERLY. I HAD THEM PICK UP THE CAR AGAIN, AND THEY STILL COULD NOT ASSURE ME THAT THE EQUIPMENT WAS WORKING PROPERLY. I SPOKE WITH AN FIELD ENGINEER AT BMW (DAN) WHO ASSURRED ME THAT THE PROBLEM (ERROR CODE 9388) WAS A FALSE READING AND THAT THE SAFETY DEVICES WERE OPERATING CORRECTLY. I ASKED THAT THIS BE PUT IN WRITING, GIVEN THAT I HAD ALREADY REC'D SEVERAL DIFFERING INTERPRETATIONS. I HAVE NOW REQUESTED WRITTEN ASURANCE 3 TIMES (ONCE IN WRITING) AND HAVE NOT RECEIVED SUCH CONFIRMATION. HENCE, I DO NOT KNOW IF THIS SAFETY EQUIPMENT IS OPERATING. THE DEALER INDICATED THAT THIS PROBLEM HAS OCCURRED IN OTHER 2002 7.45I'S.