2002 BMW X5 Complaints

2002 BMW X5 WITH OIL SEPARATOR SAFETY ISSUES. CONSUMER STATES THAT THE OIL SEPARATOR FAILED. CONSUMER WAS SHOWN THAT WATER WAS MIXING WITH THE OIL CREATING A FOAMY SLUDGE. LUCKILY THE PROBLEM DID NOT AFFECT THE ENGINE. *KB THE CONSUMER ALSO STATED THE DOOR LOCKS DID NOT WORK ON ONE OF THE DOORS AND THE WINDOW FELL INSIDE THE DOOR. THE WINDOW MECHANISM NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE WINDSHIELD WIPER INSERTS WERE REPLACED. *JB

I OWN A 2002 BMW X5 WITH LESS THAN 37,000 MILES. IN THE LAST 6-8 MONTHS I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE CONTROL ARM. MORE RECENTLY, I HAD TO HAVE THE ENGINE HARNESS REWIRED AND THE THROTTLE BODY REPLACED. MY BRAKE LIGHT IS CONSTANTLY GOING OUT EVEN THOUGH I HAVE REPLACED BULBS AND SOCKETS NUMEROUS TIMES. I HAVE SPOKEN TO OTHER X5 DRIVERS WHO HAVE HAD SOME OF THE SAME PROBLEMS SO I'M BEGINNING TO WONDER IF IT'S A BIGGER PROBLEM THAN JUST MY VEHICLE. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 BMW X5. WHEN MAKING A TURN AT 10 MPH, THE ENGINE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE RESTARTED AFTER IT WAS SHIFTED INTO PARK. THE DEALER REPROGRAMMED THE DME, HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO CORRECT THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 63,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 65,000.

I DRIVE A 2002 BMW X-5. I AM EXTREMELY DISAPPOINTED AND FRUSTRATED BY THE FAILURE OF A BASIC COMPONENT OF MY AUTO. ON THREE SEPARATE OCCASIONS THERE HAVE BEEN ELECTRICAL SHORTS IN BOTH FRONT TURN SIGNALS AND ONE OF THE BRAKE LIGHTS. AT 58,315 MILES THE RIGHT TURN SIGNAL BULB AND SOCKET BURNED AT CONTACTS AND WAS REPLACED FOR $126.25. AT 85,549 MILES THE LEFT TURN SIGNAL BULB AND SOCKET BURNED OUT AND WAS REPLACED FOR $133.89. AT 88,685 MILES THE LEFT BRAKE LIGHT IS SHORTED OUT. THE DEALER DID NOT HAVE THE PART IN STOCK BUT THE REPAIR WAS QUOTED TO BE $239.00. THE SECOND FAILURE ACTUALLY HAPPENED AS I WAS DRIVING IN A HEAVY RAIN STORM. THE OTHER TWO FAILURES JUST SHOWED UP ON THE CAR'S DIAGNOSTIC SELF CHECK AT START UP. IT SEEMS THE LIGHT FIXTURES AND WIRING ARE PRONE TO WATER EXPOSURE THAT RESULTS IN THE ELECTRICAL SHORT. PERHAPS IT IS FAULTY DESIGN OR SUBSTANDARD MATERIALS. *JB

02 BMW X5 5 SPD THE SHIFT LEVER WILL GO INTO REVERSE RATHER THAN FIRST BECAUSE THERE IS NO RESISTANCE TO PUSHING THE LEVER INTO REVERSE. THE DEALER SAYS IT IS NORMAL. BMW NA SAYS "DEALERS DON'T LIKE TO FIX CARS FOR INDEPENDENT. *AK

OVER THE YEARS AFTER PURCHASING MY 2002 BMW X5, I HAVE REPORTED TO THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT OF WEATHERFORD BMW THAT THE TRANSMISSION WOULD NOT SHIFT GEARS PROPERLY AND THAT THE ENGINE WOULD ALL OF A SUDDEN START REVVING UP. AS THIS IS HAPPENING, THE ENGINE WOULD SURGE AND BUCK AT THE SAME TIME. EVEN THOUGH, I AND MY WIFE HAVE BEEN AWARE OF THESE ISSUES, THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT WAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO DUPLICATE THE SCENARIO OR EXPERIENCED THESE PROBLEMS WHILE SERVICING MY VEHICLE. WHILE DRIVING THE X5, NOT ONLY ME, BUT ALSO MY WIFE, SHE WOULD INFORM ME THAT THE ENGINE WOULD BUCK AND SURGE WHILE SHE WAS DRIVING THE VEHICLE. I BELIEVE THAT BECAUSE OF THESE ISSUES WITH THE TRANSMISSION AND THE ENGINE, THAT MY VEHICLE, A 2002 BMW X5 IS AN ACCIDENT WAITING TO HAPPEN. WITH THIS ALL SAID AND DONE, I WAS INVOLVED IN A HORRIBLE ACCIDENT WHERE THE VEHICLE IS NOW TOTALED, BUT I WAS ABLE TO WALK AWAY WITH ACHES AND PAIN (PHYSICALLY AND MENTALLY). I DO BELIEVE THAT BECAUSE OF THE PROBLEMS I HAD WITH THE TRANSMISSION AND ENGINE, IT WAS A DIRECT CAUSE OF THE ACCIDENT AND THAT BMW SHOULD REIMBURSE ME FOR THE 2005 BMW X5 THAT I JUST PURCHASED TO REPLACE MY PREVIOUS X5. ALSO, IN QUIZZING THE SALES MANAGER AT THE DEALERSHIP WHERE I PURCHASED MY NEW X5, I ASKED IF THERE WERE ANY MAJOR CHANGES TO THE VEHICLE. HIS REPLY WAS THAT DUE TO TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS WITH THE X5 - BMW CHANGED THE TRANSMISSION. THEREFORE, SINCE BMW WAS AWARE OF THESE ISSUES, AGAIN, I BELIEVE THAT BMW SHOULD REIMBURSE ME THE TOTAL PURCHASE PRICE OF MY 2005 X5. IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, PLEASE CONTACT ME AT [XXX].*AK INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

ONBOARD COMPUTER READOUT IS MISSING LIGHTS. MORE AND MORE LIGHTS ARE STARTING TO FAIL. THE SERVICE GUY HAS A SIMPLE SOLUTION, BUY A NEW BOARD.... NICE A RELATIVELY NEW CAR NEEDS AN EXPENSIVE PART THAT JUST FAILED ON IT'S OWN.*AK

MY WIFE WAS DRIVING HER X5 ON A VERY COLD DAY IN JANUARY. SHE HEARD A LOUD BANG AS IF SHE HAD HIT SOMETHING. SHE STOPPED THE CAR BUT SAW NOTHING SO SHE DROVE ANOTHER 1/4 MILE HOME. AS SOON AS SHE STOPPED THE CAR FUMES STARTED BILLOWING FROM THE ENGINE. ON OPENING THE HOOD WE FOUND A SHATTERED VALVE COVER. SHE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER WHO WAS VERY GOOD ABOUT EXPLAINING WHAT HAD HAPPENED AND FIXING THE PROBLEM. APPARENTLY, BMW DECIDED NOT TO INSULATE PART OF THE OIL SEPARATOR VALVE FOR SOME OF THE X5 ENGINES. IN COLD WEATHER THE VALVE CAN STICK OPEN OR CLOSED CAUSING EITHER ENGINE FAILURE OR, AS IN MY WIFE'S CASE, A HIGH CRANKCASE PRESSURE WHICH EXPLODES THE VALVE COVER. THE VEHICLE WAS ABOUT 17 MONTHS OLD AND HAD ABOUT 5 THOUSAND MILES ON IT WHEN THIS HAPPENED, SO THE REPAIR WITH REPLACEMENT OF THE INADEQUATE PART WAS DONE UNDER WARRANTY. BMW KNEW THAT THIS PROBLEM COULD OCCUR, THEY HAD ALREADY SENT A BULLETIN TO EVERY DEALER LETTING THEM KNOW ABOUT IT BUT HAVE DECIDED AGAINST ISSUING A RECALL.*AK

WITHIN 6 WEEKS OF DRIVING IN HOT WEATHER, THE VEHICLE (2002 BMW X5 3.0 LITER) STALLED WHEN TURNING LEFT. MOST RECENT WAS IN TRAFFIC, NEARLY CAUSING AN ACCIDENT AS I WAS BLOCKING ONCOMING TRAFFIC. VEHICLE ROLLED TO A NEARBY RESTAURANT WHERE ON BOARD INSTRUMENTATION WAS LIT UP WITH ALL WARNING LIGHTS. RESTARTED ENGINE IN A FEW MINUTES OF COOLING. REPORTED TO BMW DEALER ON 5/18/2004 - DEALER REPORTS NO TROUBLE CODES OR ANY ABILITY TO REPLICATE TROUBLE. *AK

WHILE DRIVING DURING INCLEMENT WEATHER THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS STOPPED OPERATING AND RESULTED IN POOR VISIBILITY TO THE DRIVER. THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN DETERMINED. *NM *NM