2011 BMW X3 Complaints

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 BMW X3. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE STEERING BECAME DIFFICULT TO MANEUVER WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION STEERING BOX NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 11V341000 (STEERING). THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 51,493.

THE LED TWILIGHTS ARE DEFECTIVE. I'VE HAD THIS HAPPEN ON 2 SEPARATE BMW X3'S I HAVE OWNED FOR A TOTAL OF 4 TAILLIGHTS THAT ARE DEFECTIVE. THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM AND IS REPORTED OVER AND OVER AGAIN BY OTHER OWNERS. IT'S ALMOST CERTAIN THAT IF YOU OWN A BMW X3 F25 (2011-2017) THIS WILL HAPPEN. IT REQUIRES A DIY REPAIR TO THE CIRCUIT BOARD OR REPLACEMENT OF THE ENTIRE TAILLIGHT ($250-300 EACH.). HTTPS://M.YOUTUBE.COM/WATCH?V=JDPBM6CP_YO

VEHICLES HAVE BEEN EQUIPPED WITH LOWER ANCHOR BARS FOR USE IN ATTACHING CHILD RESTRAINT SYSTEMS WHICH, IF SPECIFICALLY USED WITH EUROPEAN-ISOFIX-TYPE RIGID-STYLE CONNECTOR CHILD RESTRAINT SYSTEMS, COULD BECOME DAMAGED DURING VEHICLE OPERATION. IF THE LOWER ANCHOR BAR(S) BECOME DAMAGED DURING VEHICLE OPERATION, THIS WOULD INCREASE THE RISK OF INJURY TO A CHILD IN A CHILD RESTRAINT SYSTEM ATTACHED TO THE LOWER ANCHOR BARS IN A CRASH. A REINFORCING BRACKET WILL BE WELDED TO THE LOWER ANCHOR BARS AND THE VEHICLE BODY.

BMW'S USE ELECTRIC WATER PUMPS COMPARED TO MOSTLY BELT DRIVEN PUMPS USED BY OTHER MANUFACTURES. IN THE BMW COMMUNITY IT IS WIDELY KNOW THAT THE PUMPS WILL FAIL AFTER 60,000 MILES, AND SOME EVEN SOONER. BMW KNOWS ABOUT THIS ISSUE AND HAS IN FACT CHANGED THE DESIGN AND THE VENDOR SUPPLIER FOR THIS PART. THE COMPANY SHOULD VOLUNTARILY RECALL ALL VEHICLES THAT HAVE THE FAULTY PUMP DESIGN AND REIMBURSE THOSE WHO HAVE HAD TO CHANGE IT OUT OF WARRANTY ON THEIR OWN EXPENSE. BMW HAS NOT TAKEN ANY RESPONSIBILITY BUT ITS A SAFETY ISSUE AS ONE CAN LOOSE ALL ENGINE POWER THAT PUTS THE CAR IN A LIMP MODE, IMAGINE IF THAT HAPPENS ON A FREEWAY WHERE OTHER CARS MIGHT HIT YOU FOR GOING AT 25 MPH IN A 65-70 MPH ZONE IN CALIFORNIA. THAT IS WHAT HAPPENED TO ME ON A FREEWAY AND IT WAS SCARY AND I WAS LUCKY ENOUGH TO GET TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AS TRAFFIC WAS VERY LIGHT THAT DAY BEING CHRISTMAS. BLOG AFTER BLOG ON BMW DESCRIBES THIS ISSUE AND IS A KNOWN DEFECT IN THEIR WATER PUMPS AMONGST ALL BMW ENTHUSIASTS.

I TOOK MY CAR IN FOR AN OIL CHANGE AND WAS CALLED BACK BY THE AUTO PLACE AND WAS TOLD THAT, WHILE THEY WERE TEST DRIVING THE VEHICLE IT HAD A MAJOR ENGINE FALIURE, RESULTING IN THEM HAVING TO TOW THE CAR AND WAS TOLD THAT THE TIMING CHAIN HAD BROKEN AND THERE WAS MASSIVE DAMAGE INTERNALLY TO THE ENGINE, VALVES HAD BEEN BENT DUE TO FAILURE. I HAVE SPOKEN TO BMW BUT HAVE NOT GOTTEN ANY RELIEF. IT IS IMPORTANT TO MENTION THAT THIS CAR ONLY HAS 65,000 MILES ON IT. THIS FALIURE IS INSANE AND BMW IS NOT WILLING TO HONOR ANYTHING. *TR

WHILE COMING TO A STOP THE CAR JERKS VIOLENTLY FORWARD WITH NO WARNING, WHILE MOVING SLOW IT DOES THE SAME, TO THE POINT WHERE IT NOW HURTS TO DRIVE IT. I GET AN ERROR THAT SAYS TRANSMISSION MALFUNCTION, AND WITHOUT WARNING THE CAR SHIFTS TO A LOWER GEAR, I HAVE TO STOP, THEN TURN THE CAR OFF, WHEN IT IS TURNED BACK THE ERROR GOES AWAY, THEN IT REAPPEARS ONCE AGAIN A DAY OR TWO LATER. WHILE DRIVING, THE STEERING WHEEL DOES NOT CORRECT IN TIME, AND IT SLIDES ON TURNS FOR A SECOND, THEN OVER CORRECTS, I HAVE BROUGHT IT IN TO BMW DEALERSHIP, THEY HAVE REPLICATED THE ISSUE, BUT DO NOT WANT TO COVER IT UNDER WARRANTY, THIS HAS HAPPENED AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS AS WELL WHICH IS VERY SCARY, I AM NOT SURE WHERE TO TURN AT THIS POINT, SO I HOPE THAT THE NHTSA DOES AN INVESTIGATION, AS I'VE SEEN OTHER USERS HAVE THE SAME ISSUES, AND IT JUST ONE DEATH AWAY FROM A RECALL, THANK YOU. *TR

WHILE DRIVING ON A TX STATE HIGHWAY ON 13AUG2016 THE BMW X3 35I SUDDENLY STARTED SHIFTING ROUGH AND WOULD DROP IN AND OUT OF OD WITHOUT PROMPTING. ALMOST SIMULTANEOUSLY WE GOT A MESSAGE ON THE DISPLAY, DRIVETRAIN MALFUNCTION, DRIVE MODERATELY.

I FEEL THIS VEHICLE IS UNSAFE DUE TO THE CONFIGURATION OF THE GEARSHIFT WHICH IS ELECTRONIC. I HAVE BEEN DRIVING FOR 50 YEARS AND EVERY CAR OR TRUCK I HAVE OWNED OR DRIVEN THE SHIFT LEVER WHEN PUSHED FORWARD ON THE CENTER CONSOLE OR UP ON THE COLUMN GOES INTO PARK. IN THIS BMW WHEN YOU PUSH THE SHIFT LEVEL ALL THE WAY FORWARD THE VEHICLE IS IN REVERSE NOT PARK, A SEPARATE BUTTON MUST BE PUSHED TO ELECTRONICALLY PUT THE VEHICLE IN PARK.I BELIEVE THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD TO BOTH THE DRIVER (WHO CAN THINK THE VEHICLE IS IN PARK AS I HAVE ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS WHEN DROPPING SOMEONE OFF OR IN A DRIVE THROUGH) AND THEN EITHER THE DRIVER OR PASSENGER STEPS OUT AND THE VEHICLE IS IN REVERSE NOT PARK AND COULD BE SERIOUSLY INJURED OR KILLED.IT IS ALSO A HAZARD TO A PERSON OR VEHICLE BEHIND THE VEHICLE THAT THE DRIVER THOUGHT WAS IN PARK. THIS SETUP IS NOT INTUITIVE AT ALL AND GOES AGAINST ALL LOGIC. THIS VEHICLE HAS BEEN OWNED FOR A SHORT TIME AND I CANNOT GET USED TO THIS SETUP AS I HAVE OTHER VEHICLES (INCLUDING A 2004 BMW X3) THAT HAVE THE CONVENTIONAL SHIFT PATTERN. THIS SHIFT PATTERN AND SHIFTER IS VERY FRUSTRATING AND I FEEL UNSAFE.

VEHICLE IS PARKED ON DRIVEWAY THE ENGINE STARTED . DRIVETRAIN MALFUNCTION SHOWS WITH CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON. ENGINE STARTS BUT CAN NOT PUT IT DRIVE OR REVERSE

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 BMW X3. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO PARK THE VEHICLE, IT UNINTENTIONALLY ACCELERATED AND CRASHED INTO A BUILDING. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED BURNS ON THE HAND AND A GASH ON THE NECK, WHICH NEEDED MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE AND VIN WERE UNKNOWN.