2001 BMW X5 Complaints

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH, ALL EXTERIOR LIGHTS FAILED, AS WELL AS, POWER BRAKES, POWER STEERING AND THE ENGINE. AFTER COASTING TO A STOP, THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE, AFTER 25 MINUTES, BUT THE VEHICLE WAS IN FAILSAFE MODE FOR THE ENGINE AND THE TRANSMISSION. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN HOME ABOUT A MILE AWAY. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO THE SERVICE DEALER FOR SERVICE. THERE WERE NO SYMPTOMS OF THE PREVIOUS NIGHT. THE PROBLEM WAS NOT RECREATED, ALTHOUGH THE IGNITION SWITCH WAS REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND WAS WILLING TO SEND A TECHNICIAN FOR FURTHER INVESTIGATION.

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH ON A DARK RURAL ROAD, THE VEHICLE LOST ALL LIGHTS AND POWER. EVENTUALLY THE ENGINE COMPLETELY DIED. AFTER 25 MINUTES, THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED, AND WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE THE IGNITION SWITCH WAS REPLACED. THE PROBLEM WAS THAT THE IGNITION SWITCH WAS REPLACED A YEAR AGO FOR INTERMITTENT START PROBLEMS. THE CONTACT'S SPOUSE WAS VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THE SAFETY OF DRIVING THE VEHICLE WITH THE FAMILY.

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH ON A COUNTRY ROAD AT NIGHT, THERE WAS A LOSS OF THE HEADLIGHTS FOLLOWED BY THE ENGINE STALLING WITHOUT WARNING. THE ENGINE RESTARTED AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS, AND AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME. THERE WERE NO FURTHER INCIDENTS OF HEADLIGHT FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY A DEALER, WHO DETERMINED THE IGNITION SWITCH NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS ALERTED.

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE ATTEMPTING TO ROLL THE WINDOWS DOWN, THE MOTOR FAILED TO OPERATE. ALL FOUR WINDOWS WERE AFFECTED DURING THE PAST FOUR MONTHS. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO THE DEALER, WHO DETERMINED THE REGULATORS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. UPDATED 12/28/2006 - THE CONSUMER HAS CHANGED ALL 4 REGULATORS IN THE VEHICLE. *NM

WHILE PARKED, THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION SHIFT LEVER MOVED INTO THE REVERSE POSITION, BUT THE CAR FAILED TO MOVE WITH THE LEVER IN THAT POSITION. WE CHANGED THE POSITION OF THE SHIFT LEVER SEVERAL TIMES ALWAYS GOING BACK TO REVERSE, BUT THE CAR WOULD NEVER MOVE WHEN IN REVERSE. *JB

AT 40K MILES 4.4 X 5 HAD ELECTRICAL FAILURE, ALL DASH LIGHTS AND DIGITAL GAUGES WENT OUT WHEN I TURNED THE CAR ON. DROVE WITH ONLY SPEEDOMETER AND NON DIGITAL GAUGES WORKING. CHECKED FUSES AND CHANGED A FEW BUT COULD NOT GET THEM TO WORK. CHARGED FOR SERVICE TO REPAIR 200. DIGITAL GAUGES ARE STILL NOT ALL LIT. ONLY PARTIAL DIGITS FOR TIME AND ODOMETER READING. THESE GAUGES SHOULD WORK UNTIL AT LEAST 100,000 MILES ON ANY CAR. I AM CONSIDERING A CLASS ACTION LAW SUIT AS I FEEL ROBBED AND CHEATED TO BY BMW ALONG WITH MANY OTHERS. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED IN FREEZING CONDITIONS, THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR LATCH FREEZES SHUT. THE DEALERSHIP DETERMINED THE LATCH NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. THE CONTACT IS UNAWARE IF THIS IS A PROBLEM WITH THE OTHER DOORS, SINCE THEY ARE NOT USED. UPDATED 03/09/06

THE DRIVER AND FRONT PASSENGER DOOR MECHANISM FREEZES (FREQUENTLY) IN COLD WEATHER SUCH THAT THE DOOR WILL OPEN BUT WILL NOT LATCH WHEN CLOSED. THE RESULT IS THAT A DRIVER MUST DRIVE HOLDING THE DOOR CLOSED OR NOT DRIVE THE CAR AT ALL, WHICH IS DIFFICULT IF YOU NEED TO GET HOME. *JB

THE WINDOW REGULATORS FOR ALL FOUR WINDOWS HAVE HAD TO BE REPLACED OVER A 2 YEAR PERIOD. WAS TOLD BY BMW DEALER THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM BUT BMW REFUSES TO ISSUE A RECALL. EACH WINDOW WOULD MAKE A CLINKING NOISE JUST PRIOR TO THE WINDOW REGULATOR BREAKING LEAVING THE WINDOW STUCK IN THE DOWN POSITION. *JB

PURCHASED NEW X5 IN SEPT. 2001 - AND THAT'S WHEN MY PROBLEMS BEGAN! LUCKILY THE CAR WAS UNDER WARRANTY IN THE BEGINNING, OTHERWISE I WOULD HAVE PAID JUST AS MUCH IN REPAIRS AS I DID FOR THAT SO CALLED LUXURY VEHICLE OF MINE. (1) I IMMEDIATELY BEGAN HAVING PROBLEMS WITH CONDENSATION INSIDE THE FRONT HEADLAMPS WHICH TOOK DAYS TO CLEAR UP. DEALER DIDN'T KNOW WHY THIS HAPPENED. SEVERAL YEARS LATER AND I'M STILL EXPERIENCING THIS SAME PROBLEM. (2) ALL OF THE RUBBER TRIM AND MOLDING ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE VEHICLE (ESPECIALLY AROUND THE WINDOWS) HAS FADED AND BECOME DISCOLORED. (3) THE MOLDING AROUND THE DOOR FRAMES HAS DISINTEGRATED HORRIBLY AND STARTED TO COME OFF ($250 TO REPAIR). THE DEALER SAID THIS IS NORMAL. (4) WITHIN THE PAST THREE YEARS, I HAVE HAD THE DRIVERS SIDE WINDOW REGULATOR REPLACED THREE TIMES. I WAS ALSO TOLD THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM W/BMWS. (5) I NOW MUST ROLL DOWN MY WINDOW AND OPEN MY DOOR FROM THE OUTSIDE BECAUSE THE DOOR HANDLE JAMS AND WON'T ALLOW ME TO OPEN DOOR FROM THE INSIDE. THIS HAS HAPPENED FOUR TIMES ALREADY, ($1,000 TO FIX). (6) BOTH FRONT HEADLIGHTS HAVE BEEN REPLACED TWICE ALREADY - AND OF COURSE THE DEALER RECOMMENDS REPLACING THE ENTIRE ASSEMBLY AT $200 A POP. (7) THE BOTH FRONT DOOR LOCK ACTUATORS ARE DEFECTIVE AND NEED TO BE REPLACED ($400 EACH). IT WILL NOT LOCK/UNLOCK THE FRONT PASSENGER DOOR SO WE MUST DO SO MANUALLY. (8) THE REAR HATCH WOULD NOT OPEN PROPERLY. THE LATCH ASSEMBLY HAD TO BE REPLACED TWICE (THANKFULLY UNDER WARRANTY) BEFORE OUR PROBLEM WAS RESOLVED. (9) THE LEFT REAR TAIL LAMP ASSEMBLY IS NOW BEING REPLACED FOR THE THIRD TIME ($259) BECAUSE THE BULB CONTINUES TO GO OUT FOR SOME UNKNOWN REASON. HAD I KNOWN THAT I WAS BUYING A "MONEY PIT" INSTEAD OF A LUXURY VEHICLE, I WOULD HAVE RUN AWAY FROM THE DEALERSHIP SCREAMING. I AM PREPARING TO SELL OR TRADE THIS HEADACHE FOR SOMETHING WITH FEWER PROBLEMS. I WILL NEVER BUY ANOTHER BMW AGAIN! *NM