2008 BMW X5 Complaints

WHILE DRIVING AT 35 MPH A LOUD NOISE STARTED COMING FROM ENGINE COMPARTMENT, SOUNDED AS IF THE FAN WAS RUNNING AT WARP SPEED. A FEW MILES LATER A WARNING CAME ON STATING ENGINE WAS RUNNING HOT, I PULLED OFF TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND ALLOWED IT TO COOL DOWN. AFTER IT COOLED DOWN I DROVE 2 MORE MILES TO MY OFFICE AND CALLED A TOW TRUCK TO SEND TO BMW DEALERSHIP. BMW INFORMED ME THE ELECTRIC WATER PUMP WENT OUT AND NEED REPLACEMENT AT A COST OF $1400.00. INTERNET SHOWS 38,000 RECALLS OF X-5 FOR WATER PUMP PROBLEM BUT JUST MY LUCK MY CAR IS EXCLUDED. I AM WAITING ON A RESPONSE FROM BMW USA REGARDING MY REQUEST TO HAVE ISSUE COVERED. MY VEHICLE HAS ONLY 40,000 MILES AND WE HAVE ALREADY REPLACED THE FUEL PUMP, THE FUEL PUMP RELAY AND NOW THE WATER PUMP. THIS CAR WAS OVER $70,000 WHEN PURCHASED AND YOU WOULD THINK THEY WOULD STAND BEHIND THEIR PRODUCT. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 BMW X5. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, THE VEHICLE DECELERATED INDEPENDENTLY AND ENGAGED INTO LIMP MODE. THE VEHICLE THEN STALLED AS THE PARKING BRAKE AND ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO BE RESTARTED AND WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER, WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE BRAKING SYSTEM FAILED AND THERE WAS AN XDRIVE MALFUNCTION. THERE WAS A RECALL UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 10V518000(FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE ) THAT COULD HAVE BEEN RELATED TO THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 19,150.

I WAS DRIVING MY CAR UNDER NORMAL CONDITIONS, AROUND 40MPH AND ALL OF A SUDDEN I STARTED TO LOOSE THE POWER TO MY CAR TO THE POINT THAT IT SHUT DOWN IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD. I CALLED MY HUSBAND AND THERE WAS NOTHING WE COULD DO TO START THE CAR TO MOVE IT TO THE SIDE. IT HAD TO BE TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP TO RESET SOME ELECTRONICS AND WAS TOLD ITS A SAFETY ISSUE ON THE CAR. I ASKED THEM TO EXPLAIN TO ME WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF I WAS ON THE NEW JERSEY TURNPIKE OR STATEN ISLAND EXPRESSWAY OR ROUTE 17 IN NJ WHAT WOULD HAPPEN . NO EXPLANATION WELL I CAN EXPLAIN IT . I WOULD PROBABLY BE REAR ENDED AND CAUSE A PILE UP. I THINK THIS NEEDS TO BE LOOKED INTO. I WONDER HOW MANY TIMES THIS HAS HAPPENED AND THE ACCIDENTS IT HAS CAUSED. *TR

CAR WAS DRIVEN AT 25 MPH. STOPPED AT DESTINATION FOR APPROX 10 MIN. WHEN RESTARTED MADE LOUD BLOWER SOUND BUT KEPT DRIVING AT 25 MPH. AFTER ABOUT 10-15 SECS, MESSAGE CAME THAT " ENGINE IS OVERHEATED AND DRIVE AT MODERATE SPEEDS" . IN ABOUT 10 SECS AFTER THAT, MESSAGE CHANGED TO " ENGINE OVERHEATED, STOP TO LET IT COOL DOWN" . STOPPED IMMEDIATELY. CALLED AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO ADVISED HAT CAR BE TOWED TO THEIR GARAGE PROBLEM HAS STILL NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED. CAR IS VERY WELL MAINTAINED. *TR

MY CAR HAS A RECALL REPAIR ABOUT THE BRAKE VACUUM PUMP LEAK. THE DEALER FOUND THE LEAK FROM THE BRAKE VACUUM PUMP BEFORE DID THE RECALL REPAIR, BUT ONLY REPLACED THE BRAKE BOOSTER VACUUM HOSE AND LEAVE THE BRAKE VACUUM PUMP LEAK UNREPAIRED AND QUOTED ME $2800 FOR REPAIRING THE BRAKE VACUUM PUMP LEAK. I CALLED BMW USA CUSTOMER RELATIONS AND WAS TOLD THAT I SHOULD CONTINUE TO TALK TO THE DEALER AND SAID IT'S THE DEALER DECISION. THIS SEEMS NOT RIGHT FOR ME SINCE THE ROOT CAUSE WAS NOT FIXED FOR THE RECALL. PLEASE ADVICE WHAT I SHOULD DO. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

ON FEBRUARY 15, 2014 AT APPROXIMATELY 10:00 AM, MY 2008 X5 3.0SI HAD AN OVERHEATING ENGINE PROBLEM IN THE MIDDLE OF A BLIZZARD-LIKE CONDITIONS IN THE MOUNTAINS OF NORTH CAROLINA WHERE MY FAMILY AND I WERE VACATIONING. THIS WAS A VERY UNSAFE SITUATION FOR ME, MY WIFE AND THREE YOUNG CHILDREN WHO WERE ACCOMPANYING ME. THE CAR ENTERED INTO A "SAFE MODE", SLOWED DOWN TO ALMOST A COMPLETE HALT, JUST WITH ENOUGH TIME FOR ME TO PULL OFF TO THE SIDE OF A STEEP MOUNTAIN ROAD IN THE MIDDLE OF FREEZING TEMPERATURES. THEN I HAD TO TRY TO FIND A SAFE WAY OUT OF THIS SITUATION. WE HAD TO STAY IN THE CAR FOR SEVERAL HOURS TRYING TO KEEP WARM UNTIL I COULD GET A TOWING SERVICE TO TAKE THE CAR BACK TO THE CLOSEST BMW SERVICE CENTER (85 MILES AWAY) AND FIND A CAR RENTAL SO I COULD GET MY FAMILY TO A SAFE PLACE (I.E. HOME, 115 MILES AWAY). THE SERVICE CENTER FIXED MY CAR AT A COST OF $1,400, AND THEY TRACED THE PROBLEM BACK TO AN ELECTRIC WATER PUMP FAILURE. THIS IS EXTREMELY FRUSTRATING BECAUSE THE VEHICLE HAD MANUFACTURER`S WARRANTY UNTIL BARELY THREE MONTHS AGO, AND THIS EXPENSIVE AND VITAL ENGINE PART FAILS CONVENIENTLY SOON AFTERWARDS. THIS ELECTRIC WATER PUMP OUGHT TO HAVE A LIFE EXPECTANCY OF MORE THAN 6 YEARS/69,000 MILES. IN SHORT, MY FAMILY AND I WERE PUT IN A DANGEROUS SITUATION, AND I HAD TO SPEND MORE THAN $1,800 (INCLUDING TOWING AND CAR RENTAL CHARGES) OUT OF MY POCKET BECAUSE OF A NOTORIOUSLY BAD BMW PART (THE SUBJECT OF NUMEROUS RECALLS AND TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETINS IN OTHER BMW X5S).

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 BWI X5. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE FAILURE WAS RECURRING. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE WHEN ACCELERATING, THE VEHICLE WOULD RESIST AND FEEL AS IF IT WAS ATTEMPTING TO STALL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE THE MECHANIC DIAGNOSED THAT THE EXHAUST SENOR AND FUEL PUMP NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER HAD NOT BEEN MADE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 65,000. UPDATED 3/28/14*CN THE CONSUMER STATED THE FIRST INCIDENT HAPPENED IN AUGUST 2013, WITH NO WARNING ON THE HIGHWAY. IT WAS DETERMINED THE WATER PUMP FAILED. UPDATED 04/22/14

MY CAR IS STOCK INSIDE MY GARAGE WITH A PARKING BRAKE MALFUNCTION ERROR. THE PARKING BRAKES WILL NOT RELEASE EVEN WHEN I TRIED MANUALLY. I HAD TO TOW THE CAR TO THE DEALER TO FIX THE PROBLEM. I CALLED BMW US BUT THEY TOLD ME THAT THERE ARE NO RECALLS TO FIX THIS COMMON PROBLEM WHICH MANY OWNER ARE COMPLAINING ABOUT. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 BMW X5. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE PASSENGER'S SIDE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING WHERE THE DEALER STATED THAT THE AIR BAG SENSOR WAS DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE DEALER HAD TO ORDER THE AIR BAG SENSOR. THERE MONTHS LATER, THE DEALER STILL DID NOT HAVE THE PART AVAILABLE TO COMPLETE THE AIR BAG REPAIR. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 52,000.

THE X5 DISPLAYED A DIGITAL MESSAGE ON THE DASH FRONT PANEL STATING: "LEFT BRAKE LIGHT MALFUNCTION". I REMOVED THE PANEL WHERE THE BACK TAIL LIGHTS ARE LOCATED AND FOUND THAT THE DRIVER'S BRAKE LIGHT PLASTIC CARRIER, WHERE THE BULB SITS, WAS BURNT BROWN, MELTED AND CRACKED OPEN. I THEN PROCEEDED TO CHECK THE PASSENGER SIDE AND TO MY SURPRISE, I FOUND THAT THE SAME EXACT CIRCUMSTANCE HAD HAPPENED. I BELIEVE THE BULB IS TOO HOT AND TOO CLOSE TO THE PLASTIC CARRIER, CAUSING THE MELTING. IN MY OPINION, ON TOP OF MAYBE CAUSING AN ACCIDENT DUE THE MALFUNCTION OF THE BRAKE LIGHTS, IT IS AN ELECTRICAL ISSUE, THAT IN THE WORST CASE SCENARIO CAN CAUSE A FIRE. I BELIEVE THIS MATTER SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED BY THE AGENCY. I CALLED BMW AG, MANUFACTURERS AND THEY REPLIED THAT THEY DON'T HAVE A RECALL FOR THIS VEHICLE WITH THIS SPECIFIC PROBLEM. I OWE A 528I, 2010 AS WELL, AND I RECEIVED A RECALL LETTER LAST WEEK TO TAKE IT BACK FOR, AS THEY STATED > THIS RECALL INVOLVES THE BULB CARRIER ("BULB HOLDER") WITHIN THE REAR LAMP. WITHIN THE BULB CARRIER, THE ELECTRICAL CONTACTS MAY BE SUSCEPTIBLE TO CORROSION DUE TO AGING AND ENVIRONMENTAL INFLUENCES. I TOOK THE 528I TO THE DEALERSHIP TODAY AND BOTH TAIL LIGHTS BULB CARRIERS WERE REPLACED, DUE TO THE RECALL NOTICE I RECEIVED, SO IT WAS FIXED TO STANDARDS. I TOOK 8 VERY CLEAR PICTURES OF THE MELTED PLASTIC BULB CARRIER OF THE X5, 2008, I CAN SEND YOU IF NEEDED, TO BACK UP MY COMPLAINT. THANKS FOR THE KIND ATTENTION YOU GIVE TO THIS MATTER AND HOPING TO HEAR FROM YOU IN A VERY NEAR FUTURE, I REMAIN, V/R, BMW X5, 2008, OWNER. *TR