2006 BMW X3 Complaints

HEATING ELEMENT FOR FRONT DRIVER SEAT SHORTED, CAUSING IT TO BURN THROUGH THE LEATHER. FORTUNATELY, I CAUGHT IT IN TIME BEFORE FIRE OR INJURY. SEARCHING THE INTERNET REVEALS THAT THIS HAS OCCURRED FOR MANY OTHERS AS WELL, SOMETIMES WITH MORE DAMAGING RESULTS. *JS

DRIVER SEAT CAUGHT FIRE WHEN SEAT WARMER WAS ENGAGED. LEATHER SEAT HAS VISIBLE BURN MARK. FIRE BURNED DRIVER. WHEN SEAT WARMER WAS DISENGAGED, SMOKE BEGAN BILLOWING FROM SEAT, FILLING THE VEHICLE WITH SMOKE. SEAT WARMER WAS ENGAGED UPON VEHICLE START IN OWNER'S GARAGE. VEHICLE WAS MOVING APPROXIMATELY 10 MPS (1-2 MINS LATER) WHEN FIRE BEGAN. *TT

AFTER MY 2006 BMW X3 HAD BEEN RUNNING FOR ABOUT 10 MINUTES, WITH THE HEATED SEAT ON, I BEGAN TO FEEL A BURN IN MY BOTTOM AS WELL AS SMELL SMOKE. I PULLED OVER, GOT OUT, AND NOTICED THAT THE LEFT CUSHION OF MY DRIVERS SEAT WAS SMOKING AND HAD MELTED ABOUT A QUARTER SIZE HOLE IN THE LEATHER UPHOLSTERY. THIS IS A COMMON AND KNOW ISSUE TO BMW. HOWEVER, THEY HAVE NOT ISSUED A RECALL. VERY DANGEROUS!!! *TR

THE INTAKE BOOT BETWEEN THE MASS AIR SENSOR AND THE THROTTLE BODY CRACKS OVER TIME. THIS CAUSES THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT TO COME ON. EVEN THOUGH THIS IS A KNOWN FAILURE ITEM, AND THE CAR IS WITHIN THE CPO WARRANTY PERIOD, BMW DOES NOT COVER ANY HOSES OR TUBES, AS THEY BELIEVE THEY ARE "WEAR" ITEMS. SINCE IT IS NOT COVERED ITS A $175 DOLLAR DIAGNOSTIC FEE AND $38.54 FOR THE PART VS $50 DEDUCTIBLE. YOU DO NOT KNOW IF YOUR REPAIR IS COVERED UNTIL THE DIAGNOSTIC, SO SHORT OF HAVING TO TAKE IT TO ANOTHER MECHANIC TO HAVE IT CHECKED YOU COULD BE PENALIZED $125 FOR WANTING YOU CAR REPAIRED UNDER THE EXTENDED WARRANTY WHICH YOU PAID EXTRA FOR. *TR

2006 BMW X3 SERIOUS BUCKING OF TRANSMISSION ABOVE THREE THOUSAND RPM UNDER LOAD GOING UP A HILL BUT ALSO OCCURS ON FLAT GROUND. HAD THE VEHICLE IN FOR SERVICE MULTIPLE TIMES AT TWO DIFFERENT DEALERS AND BMW DENIED THAT THERE WAS AN ISSUE. THE CAR WAS STILL UNDER EXTENDED WARRANTY. HAD SERVICE REP TAKE A RIDE WITH ME TO SHOW HIM THE ISSUE AND HE ADMITTED THAT THERE WAS AN ISSUE WITH THE CAR. IN THE END TO MAKE A LONG STORY SHORT BMW SAID THEY WOULD NOT FIX THE CAR BECAUSE IT WASN'T A LIFE THREATENING ISSUE. I WAS ON THE HIGHWAY A FEW TIMES WHEN THE CAR STARTED TO BUCK AND I HAD TO MOVE OVER INTO THE SLOW LANE BECAUSE THE CAR WOULD NOT MAINTAIN SPEED. THIS COULD LEAD TO A SERIOUS SITUATION BUT BMW DOESN'T THINK SO. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 BMW X3. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACTS WAS ADVISED BY HIS PERSONAL MECHANIC THAT THERE WAS A RECALL UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 08V384000 (AIR BAGS: FRONTAL) FOR THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED BUT ADVISED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 45,000.

FRONT PASSENGER SEAT AIR BAG OCCUPANT DETECTION SENSOR MAT IS DEFECTIVE. MANUFACTURING DATE OF MY VEHICLE IS 1/1/06 - SIX WEEKS AFTER MANUFACTURING DATE OF RECALL 08V-384 FOR THIS ISSUE. BMW CUSTOMER RELATIONS INFORMED ME THAT THE WARRANTY ON THIS ITEM HAS BEEN EXTENDED TO 10 YEARS. HOWEVER, MY "AUTHORIZED BMW SERVICE CENTER" DID NOT NOTIFY ME OF THIS AND ESTIMATED $137 FOR DIAGNOSTIC WORK AND $1242 TO REPAIR. RECALL SHOULD BE EXPANDED SO THAT OWNERS OF THESE VEHICLES ARE NOTIFIED THAT THEIR AIRBAGS MAY NOT ACTIVATE IN A CRASH. EXTENDING A WARRANTY THAT IS NOT COMMUNICATED IN WRITING TO VEHICLE OWNERS OR SHARED WHEN BROUGHT IN FOR SERVICING ON IT DOES NOTHING. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 BMW X3. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT PASSENGER AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT WOULD ILLUMINATE SPORADICALLY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND ADVISED THAT THE RECALL ASSOCIATED WITH NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 08V384000 (AIR BAGS:FRONTAL) DID NOT APPLY TO THE VIN. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 55,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 75,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 BMW X3. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG LIGHT REMAINED ILLUMINATED CONSTANTLY WHILE PASSENGERS WERE POSITIONED IN THE SEAT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT AIR BAG SENSOR WITHIN THE SEAT WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL ASSOCIATED WITH NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 08V384000 (AIR BAGS:FRONTAL). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 39,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 BMW X3. THE CONTACT STATED THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS TURNED ON. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A PRIVATE MECHANIC WHO CONFIRMED THAT THE SENSOR MAT FAILED ON THE PASSENGER SIDE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND CONFIRMED THE VIN DID NOT APPLY TO NHTSA RECALL CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER:08V384000 (AIR BAGS:FRONTAL). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED, AND THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 89,600 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 89,620. UPDATED 12/19/11