2004 BMW X5 Complaints

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 BMW X5. WHILE DRIVING, THERE WAS A BURNING ODOR INSIDE THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT NOTICED A HOLE BURNED INTO THE DRIVER'S SEAT. THE CONTACT'S JACKET WAS ALSO BURNED. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE DEALER DIAGNOSED THAT THE SEAT HEATER HAD A MALFUNCTION. THE HEATER MECHANISMS FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 94,000. UPDATED 06/07/17*LJ *CN

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 BMW X5. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT HEAT WARMER BURNED A HOLE THROUGH THE SEAT. THERE WERE NO INJURIES; HOWEVER, THE CONTACT FELT THE HEAT OF THE BURNER COMING THROUGH THE SEAT. THE DEALER DETERMINED THAT THE SEAT WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 170,000.

THE VEHICLE STARTED SMOKING FROM UNDER THE HOOD WHILE DRIVING IN TOWN TO THE POST OFFICE. UPON PARKING THE VEHICLE AT THE POST OFFICE, IT CAUGHT FIRE UNDER THE HOOD AND THE FIRE DEPT. HAD TO BE CALLED TO FORCE OPEN THE HOOD TO PUT OUT THE FIRE. THE ENTIRE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE WAS DAMAGED IN FRONT OF THE FIRE WALL. THE USPS MOVED EMPLOYEES/CUSTOMERS TO THE REAR OF THE BUILDING FOR PRECAUTION OF EXPLOSION AND SMOKE INHALATION OF THE BURNING PLASTIC, RUBBER AND RELATED PARTS. IT WAS FORTUNATE I COULD QUICKLY PARK RATHER THAN BEING ON THE HIGHWAY.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 BMW X5. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SERVICE ENGINE SOON WARNING LAMP KEPT FLASHING INTERMITTENTLY FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME. AS THE FAILURE PROGRESSED, THE VEHICLE STARTED RIDING ROUGHLY, SHAKING, AND VIBRATING. THE FIRST TIME THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, THE TECHNICIAN RESET THE CODE, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER WHO REPLACED THE COIL SPRINGS AND THE SPARK PLUGS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER A THIRD TIME SINCE THE FAILURE PERSISTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE SEVERAL TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000.

MY X5 HAS BEEN A FAIRLY RELIABLE VEHICLE WITH SOME QUIRKINESS ALONG THE WAY. I HAD A "CROSSOVER PIPE" TO START LEAKING COOLANT. THE THING TO LOOK FOR IS IF YOU OPEN YOUR HOOD, AND LOOK IN THE CENTER OF THE ENGINE (FROM THE FRONT), THERE IS A SMALL HOLE. COOLANT WILL COLLECT AND POUR OUT OF THAT HOLE ONTO THE GROUND. THE FIX THROUGH BMW IS ANYWHERE FROM $9000-$10,000.00; IF YOU ARE GOING TO ALLOW BMW TO REPLACE THE PART AND LABOR CHARGES WITH SOME PARTS. WHAT HAPPENS IS OVER TIME THE SEALS GO BACK IN THIS PART, AND THE ONLY WAY TO GET TO IT IS TO OPEN YOUR ENTIRE ENGINE, TO REPLACE THE PIPE. I WENT TO A LOCAL CAR SHOP THAT SPECIALIZES IN FOREIGN VEHICLE REPAIR NAMED KELLY MOSS MOTOR SPORTS NEAR MADISON WISCONSIN, AND THEY WERE ABLE TO DO THIS JOB FOR UNDER $3000.00. THEY DID FANTASTIC WORK, AND MY VEHICLE HAS NOT LEAKED SINCE! THIS PART WILL EVENTUALLY GO BAD, ESPECIALLY IF YOU LIVE IN A CLIMATE WITH CONSTANT HOT TEMPS OR EXTREME WEATHER THAT GOES FROM HOT TO COLD (BOTH DESTROY THE RUBBER GASKETS IN THIS PIPE). I AM ATTACHING A LINK FOR THOSE WHO WANT TO SEE WHAT THE PIPE LOOKS LIKE. HTTPS://WWW.AGACOOLANTPIPE.COM/PRODUCT/N62-COOLANT-PIPE. *TR

THE BMW X5 IS VERY POORLY MADE AND BMW DOES NOT STAND BEHIND ANY ISSUES OR CARE. MY 2004 BMW X5 HAS THE KNOWN JERKING AT LOW SPEEDS,TURNS WHICH FEELS LIKE YOU HAVE BEEN HIT IN THE [XXX] END. I ALSO WAS GOING TO WORK AND LOST ALL MY COOLANT, THE WATER PUMP AND COOLANT PIPE NEED REPLACED/REPAIRED WHICH IS NOT A CHEAP JOB..IT IS MORE THAN THE VALUE/COST OF THIS VEHICLE(IF DONE AT A BMW DEALER). THESE ISSUES ARE KNOWN AND VERY COMMON. BMW SHOULD ISSUE RECALLS FOR THESE PROBLEMS OR GIVE ASSISTANCE FOR REPAIRS INSTEAD OF CONSTANTLY MAKING EXCUSES AND GIVING REASONS ON WHY THEY WILL NOT HELP! I HAVE BEEN AND WILL CONTINUE TO DO ANYTHING I CAN TO GET ASSISTANCE FOR MY REPAIRS AND HOPEFULLY MANY OTHERS. BMW DOES NOT CARE ABOUT THEIR BUYERS, UNLESS IT IS A NEW VEHICLE AND YOU DO ALL YOUR DEALINGS WITH A BMW SERVICE DEPARTMENT WHICH I FEEL IS UNFAIR,CUSTOMERS SHOULD BE ABLE TO CHOOSE ANY GOOD MECHANIC INSTEAD OF HAVING TO TRAVEL TO AND/OR PAY BMW OUTRAGEOUS FEES FOR REPAIRS. IT IS NOT SAFE TO HAVE THESE ISSUES AND RUN OUT OF COOLANT(ANYWHERE ANYWAY FROM HOME) OR TO CONSTANTLY HAVE THE MASSIVE JERK WITH THE TRANSMISSION. BMW NEEDS TO ISSUE RECALLS AND STAND BEHIND THE TRANNY,COOLANT PIPE,AND WATER PUMP ISSUES AND FAILURES. THE BMW IS NOT WORTH THE MONEY, THEY ARE MADE POORLY, VERY EXPENSIVE TO REPAIR, AND HAVE HORRIBLE CUSTOMER SERVICE. BMW SAYS THE "INTERNET AND PEOPLE SAY ALOT OF THINGS BUT THAT DOES NOT MEAN ITS A PROBLEM" AND AS I SAID TO THEM...WHEN MANY MANY PEOPLE HAVE THE SAME ISSUES THEN YES, IT IS A REAL PROBLEM!!!! IT IS NOT LIKE PEOPLE ARE ASKING FOR ASSISTANCE OR RECALLS ON MINOR OR NORMAL REPAIRS AND MAINTENENCE!!! INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

WHILE I WAS DRIVING WITH MY SMALL CHILD INSIDE THE SUV, ALL SUDDEN I SMELL GAS AND THEN THE SUV SHUT OFF AND LOCKED UP. WHITE SMOKED CAME OUT OF THE ENGINE. OPENED THE HOOD AND SAW GASOLINE FLOODED ALL OVER INSIDE ON THE ENGINE, HOOD, RADIATOR AND ALL COMPONENT OF THE SUV. WAS IN SHOCK AS I HAVE NEVER SEEN OR EXPERIENCE ANY THING LIKE THIS WITH AT LEAST 5 TO 10 GALLON OF GASOLINE LEAKING EVERY WHERE. IF THE SUV HADN'T STOP ON IT'S OWN IT WOULD HAVE START A FIRE. *TR

AS PER THE BELOW BMW SERVICE BULLETIN, I HAVE A DEFECTIVE SUNROOF CASSETTE AS IT DOESN'T HAVE ADEQUATE WATER MANAGEMENT AND CAUSES WATER TO LEAK INTO THE FRONT AND REAR COMPARTMENTS AND CAN CAUSE ELECTRICAL CONTROL MODULES TO GET WET AND BECOME DAMAGED. THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD CAUSED BY THE POTENTIAL FLOODING. SI B 54 06 06 SPECIAL ROOFS NOVEMBER 2006 TECHNICAL SERVICE THIS SERVICE INFORMATION BULLETIN SUPERSEDES S.I. B54 06 06 DATED AUGUST 2006. DESIGNATES CHANGES TO THIS REVISION SUBJECT WATER LEAK FROM PANORAMIC SUNROOF MODEL E53 (X5 SAV), E61 (5 SERIES SPORT WAGON) AND E83 (X3 SAV) EQUIPPED WITH PANORAMIC SUNROOF (S402A) SITUATION CUSTOMER MAY COMPLAIN OF A WATER LEAK FROM THE OVERHEAD CONSOLE AREA DURING HEAVY RAIN OR WHEN DRIVING/PARKING ON A STEEP SLOPE FACING DOWNHILL. CAUSE POSSIBLE CAUSES: A.OBSTRUCTED OR DAMAGED DRAINS OR DRAIN TUBES. B.VOID IN THE WINDSHIELD URETHANE BEAD. C.EXCESSIVE GAPS BETWEEN THE GLASS PANELS AND THE PERIMETER SEAL. D.INADEQUATE WATER MANAGEMENT SYSTEM IN THE SUNROOF CASSETTE. *TT

DRIVER SIDE SEAT HEATER GETS VERY HOT, EVEN AT THE LOWEST SETTING. WILL BURN MY LEG IF LEFT ON. FOR THIS REASON, THE SEAT HEATER IN NO LONGER SAFE TO USE. *TR

REAR WIPER AND WIPER FLUID PUMP STOPPED WORKING DURING A RAIN STORM. I COULD NOT SEE THROUGH THE REAR WINDOW AT ALL THROUGH THE REAR VIEW MIRROR OR BY TURNING AND LOOKING BEHIND ME. VERY UNSAFE FOR THIS SYSTEM TO BREAK. *TR