2006 BMW X5 SAV Complaints

RECALL LISTED FOR SEAT SENSOR MAT FOR SEVERAL MODEL YEAR BMW. I HAVE A 2006 BMW X5 AND THE AIR BAG LIGHT COMES ON INTERMITTENTLY(MORE ON THAN OFF ACTUALLY. I HAVE READ THE RECALL NOTICE FOR SEAT MAT FAILURE, HOWEVER MY VIN IS NOT LISTED. I HAVE READ SEVERAL SIMILAR COMPLAINTS ON YOUR SITE FROM OTHER BMW OWNERS SAYING THERE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED EITHER. HOW MANY COMPLAINTS HAVE TO BE FILED BEFORE THE RECALL IS EXPANDED? IS THE RECALL BY SEAT SENSOR MODEL? SINCE MY 2006 BMW X5 IS NOT LISTED( OTHERS ARE), WAS A DIFFERENT SEAT SENSOR USED IN MINE? WHERE CAN I FIND INFORMATION ON THE SEAT SENSOR USED IN MY MODEL? *TR

THE ISSUE IS SPECIFICALLY WITH THE BRAKING SYSTEM. THE CAR DEVELOPED A SUDDEN DANGEROUS LOSS OF BRAKING POWER. ONE MOMENT THE BRAKES WERE WORKING CORRECTLY AND THE NEXT THEY WERE NOT. BMW HAS 2 RECALLS FOR THIS ISSUE BUT FOR UNKNOWN REASONS MY CAR IS NOT INCLUDED IN EITHER RECALL. THE RECALL CAMPAIGNS ARE 10V-446 & 13V-045. THE DESCRIPTION OF THE PROBLEM IS THE FOLLOWING: "THIS RECALL INVOLVES THE POWER ASSIST BRAKING FUNCTION. A SMALL AMOUNT OF OIL COULD LEAK FROM THE BRAKE VACUUM PUMP INTO THE BRAKE VACUUM HOSE. OVER TIME, CONTAMINATION OF THE BRAKE BOOSTER COULD OCCUR. THIS COULD AFFECT THE POWER ASSIST BRAKING FUNCTION. IN CERTAIN CASES, LOSS OF POWER BRAKE ASSIST COULD OCCUR. IF THIS HAPPENED, IT WOULD REQUIRE GREATER BRAKE PEDAL FORCE, INCREASE THE STOPPING DISTANCE, AND INCREASE THE RISK OF A CRASH. " MY CAR HAS THE EXACT ISSUE AS DESCRIBED IN THE RECALLS. THERE IS NO WARNING LIGHT TO INDICATE THERE ARE ANY ISSUES WITH THE BRAKES. I CALLED BMW NA AND DESCRIBED THE ISSUE TO THEM AND THEY TOLD ME TO TAKE IT TO MY LOCAL BMW DEALERSHIP TO HAVE THE ISSUE DIAGNOSED. THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP DETERMINED MY CAR HAD THE ISSUE AS DETAILED IN BOTH BMW RECALLS. AS INSTRUCTED BY BMW I REPORTED THIS BACK TO THEM AND AFTER SEVERAL WEEKS THEY FOLLOWED UP WITH ME (2/10/15 TO BE EXACT) ONLY TO TELL ME THEY WILL NOT FIX THE ISSUE AS PART OF THE RECALL AND THUS I WOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR IT OUT OF MY OWN POCKET. THIS DECISION WAS MADE DESPITE THE FACT THAT MY CAR MEETS NEARLY ALL PARAMETERS OF THE RECALLS (MY EXACT MODEL IS NOT LISTED AS PART OF THE RECALL BUT THE MODEL OF BRAKING SYSTEM AND ENGINE MATCHES THE RECALL DETAILS). THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE AND ONE THAT I DO NOT BELIEVE BMW SHOULD BE OVERLOOKING OR DENYING COVERAGE FOR. THIS BRAKE ISSUE AFFECTS MORE THAN JUST THE CARS LISTED IN THE TWO BMW RECALLS. *TR

MY PASSENGER SIDE LIGHT KEEPS BURNING OUT CAUSING MY BRAKE LIGHT NOT TO WORK.WHEN I WENT HOME MY HUSBAND FOUND OUT THE SOCKET THAT HOLDS THE LIGHT WAS BURNT. THERE ARE MANY X5 OWNERS WITH THIS PROBLEM, THIS COULD BE VERY DANGEROUS. THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL FOR THESE VEHICLES WITH THESE UNSAFE RECURRING PROBLEMS!! *TR

WE RECEIVED AN IMPORTANT SAFETY RECALL FROM BMW IN JUNE 2016 THAT WE NEEDED TO REPLACE THE PASSENGER SIDE FRONT AIR BAG IMMEDIATELY AS THE AIR BAG DOES NOT WORK AS PART OF THE "RECALL CAMPAIGN NO. 13V-564: FRONT PASSENGER AIR BAG SEAT OCCUPANCY SENSOR MAT." WE IMMEDIATELY CONTACTED THE PERILLO BMW DEALERSHIP IN CHICAGO (1035 NORTH CLARK STREET, CHICAGO, IL 60610, (312) 981-0000) WHERE WE PURCHASED THE CAR. OVER THE FOLLOWING SIX MONTHS, WE CALLED MONTHLY TO INQUIRE ABOUT WHETHER THEY HAD THE REPLACEMENT SEAT TO FIX THE CAR. PERILLO ACTUALLY HAD US BRING THE CAR IN TWO SEPARATE TIMES ONLY TO TELL US EACH TIME THAT THEY DIDN'T HAVE THE PART NEEDED FOR OUR TYPE OF REPAIR. WE HAPPENED TO HAVE THE WORST POSSIBLE OUTCOME WHERE THE SENSOR MAT IS BROKEN AND THE AIR BAG IS DISABLED ON THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONDITION OF THE CAR MAKES IT VERY DANGEROUS FOR ANYONE TO SIT IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT. WE LIVE IN CHICAGO AND THEREFORE DRIVE ON HIGHWAYS AND IN HEAVY TRAFFIC FREQUENTLY. I AM NOW PREGNANT WITH OUR SECOND CHILD SO WE ABSOLUTELY HAVE TO HAVE THIS FIXED BEFORE THE NEW BABY COMES IN APRIL 2015. SINCE WE LAST BROUGHT THE CAR IN THIS FALL, WE HAVE CALLED PERILLO NON STOP TO INQUIRE AND EACH TIME THEY SAY THEY DON'T HAVE THE PART. IT IS NOT ONLY A TERRIBLE CUSTOMER SERVICE EXPERIENCE BUT IT PUTS OUR FAMILY AT RISK EVERY TIME WE DRIVE THE CAR. PERILLO REMAINS UNHELPFUL AND UNRESPONSIVE SO WE ARE FILING A REPORT NATIONALLY. *TR

I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER OF A 2006 BMW X5, VIN: [XXX]. IN THE EARLY YEARS OF OWNERSHIP THE PASSENGER SEAT OCCUPANCY DETECTION MAT WAS FAULTY AND WAS REPLACED. THIS AUGUST THE AIRBAG LIGHT ON THE INSTRUMENT DISPLAY WENT ON AGAIN AND AS A RESULT MY VEHICLE FAILED THE MASSACHUSETTS STATE INSPECTION SAFETY INSPECTION. IN SEPTEMBER OF THIS YEAR I BROUGHT MY X5 TO BMW TO HAVE BMW REVIEW THE AIRBAG ISSUE . THE TECHNICIANS AT BMW DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM AS A FAILING PASSENGER SEAT OCCUPANCY MAT. THE TOTAL COST TO ME FOR REPLACEMENT OF THE FAILED PASSENGER SEAT OCCUPANCY MAT WAS $1,460.89 + MA SALES TAX OF $39.15. I RECENTLY FOUND THAT ON 11/18/2013 BMW ISSUED A RECALL RELATING THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT OCCUPANT DETECTION MAT. THE RECALL CAMPAIGN FOR THE X5 PASSENGER SEAT OCCUPANCY DETECTION MAT IS IDENTIFIED AS #13V564000 I NEVER RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF THIS SAFETY RECALL IN JANUARY OF 2014. I CALLED BMW THIS MORNING TO EXPLAIN MY ISSUE AND THEY ADVISED THAT THE NHTSA DID NOT INCLUDE THE VIN OF MY VEHICLE IN THE RECALL AND THEREFORE THEY WOULD NOT REIMBURSE ME. MY RESPONSE WAS THAT PERHAPS THE REPLACEMENT PASSENGER SEAT OCCUPANCY MAT THAT FAILED MANY YEARS AGO THAT BMW INSTALLED AS A REPLACEMENT WHEN MY VEHICLE WAS UNDER WARRANTY WAS IN FACT A PART THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN INCLUDED IN THE RECENT RECALL. THEY TOLD ME THAT I HAD A VERY GOOD POINT, AND THAT MAY BE THE CASE, BUT I WOULD HAVE TO WRITE TO NHTSA TO REQUEST THAT MY VEHICLE BE INCLUDED IN THE RECALL, OTHERWISE THEY WOULD NOT REIMBURSE ME. SINCE THE PASSENGER SIDE OCCUPANCY MAT HAS FAILED TWICE IN THIS VEHICLE IT IS QUITE OBVIOUS TO ME THAT THERE IS AN ISSUE WITH THIS PART IN MY VEHICLE. IT IS AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE SAFETY SYSTEM OF MY VEHICLE AND WITH THIS E-MAIL REQUEST THE CONSIDERATION AND ASSISTANCE OF NHTSA IN CONNECTION WITH THIS MATTER. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

THE AIRBAG INDICATOR ON DASH CAME ON INITIALLY AND THEN AFTER ABOUT A MONTH THE OVERHEAD CONSOLE "PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF" LIGHT CAME ON. BOTH LIGHTS CAME ON EVER SINCE AND 2 ATTEMPTS WERE MADE TO CLEAR CODE BY PROFESSIONAL AND SEEMS TO BE THE PROBLEM WITH THE PASSENGER SENSOR MAT BEING FAULTY. MY VEHICLE WAS EQUIPPED WITH A SPORT SEATS FROM MANUFACTURER AND ESTIMATED COST WAS FROM $800-$1200 FOR THAT SENSOR. I HAVE RECEIVED A LETTER FOR THIS RECALL SHOWING MY VIN AS AN AFFECTED VEHICLE IN 12/2013, HOWEVER, IT'S NOW 6/2014 AND STILL NO FEEDBACK FROM NHTSA OR BMW NA. *TR

I REC'D A RECALL NOTICE FROM BMW ABOUT 30 DAYS AGO AND HEARD NOTHING. I CALLED THEM AND THEY SAID THE RECALL WAS VIN SPECIFIC. THIS INVOLVES AIR WARNING THAT GOES ON AND OFF INTERMITTENTLY. I AM HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THIS AND AM CONCERN IF IN AN ACCIDENT WILL AIR DEPLOY. I DO BELIEVE THE RECALL IS MORE WIDE SPREAD THEN WHAT THEY ARE ADMITTING TO. *TR

I RECEIVED A RECALL NOTIFICATION FROM BWM A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO; 'RECALL CAMPAIGN NO. 13V-564: FRONT PASSENGER AIR BAG SEAT OCCUPANCY SENSOR MAT'. THE RECALL NOTICE SAID THAT THE PARTS WERE NOT YET AVAILABLE TO FIX THE ISSUE BUT THAT THEY WOULD BE SHORTLY AND BMW WOULD SEND OUT A NOTICE ONCE THEY WERE AVAILABLE. MY VEHICLE WAS EXPERIENCING THE EXACT ISSUE DESCRIBED IN THE RECALL LETTER WHICH WAS 'THE AIR BAG WARNING LAMP ON THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER AND THE FRONT "PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF" LAMP IN THE OVERHEAD CONSOLE ARE ILLUMINATED AT THE SAME TIME'. I TOOK MY CAR INTO A SERVICE CENTER (CENTER BMW IN SHERMAN OAKS, CA); THEY ACKNOWLEDGED THE RECALL AND TOLD ME TO COME BACK IN MARCH WHEN THE PARTS WOULD BE AVAILABLE. NOT ONLY ARE THE PARTS STILL UNAVAILABLE, BUT THE RECALL NOTICE HAS BEEN CANCELLED FOR SOME REASON. MY FRONT PASSENGER SEAT AIR BAG IS STILL NOT FUNCTIONING THOUGH. I AM FORCED TO HAVE PASSENGERS TRAVEL IN THE FRONT SEAT AT TIMES AND AM VERY CONCERNED THAT IF AN ACCIDENT HAPPENS THEY WILL BE SERIOUSLY HURT. WHO CAN I CONTACT TO HELP WITH THIS??? *TT

PRODUCTION DATE 03/2006 FRONT PASSENGER SEAT OCCUPANT DETECTION MAT MALFUNCTION. VEHICLE WAS BROUGHT TO INDEPENDENT SHOP FOR CODE READING TO VERIFY THAT 'AIRBAG LIGHT OFF' ILLUMINATED WAS TRIGGERED FROM SEAT SENSOR. LIGHT STAYS ILLUMINATED (INDICATING AIRBAG IS OFF) WITH ADULT OCCUPANT ON PASSENGER SEAT,APPROXIMATELY LESS THAN 1,000-MILES AFTER, DRIVER DASH AIRBAG LIGHT ILLUMINATED PERMANENTLY ALSO. VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED AS A CPO. AIRBAG/SEAT SENSOR CODE BEGAN AFTER CPO WARRANTY EXPIRED. DURING THE PERIOD OF MY OWNERSHIP, VEHICLE WAS NEVER INVOLVED IN ANY COLLISIONS. VEHICLE WAS LAST BROUGHT IN FOR BRAKE AND OIL SERVICE AT BMW DEALERSHIP. SOME RESEARCH SEEM TO INDICATE A RECALL REGARDING VERY SIMILAR SITUATION (NHTSA CAMPAIGN # 08V384000) WAS AVAILABLE FOR CERTAIN MODEL BMW. SUMMARY OF THE CAMPAIGN LETTER DOES NOT INCLUDE 2006 X5, HOWEVER, EXTRA NOTES DOES STATE THAT IT INCLUDES "MY 2006 X5." BOTH BMW DEALERSHIP AND BMW OF NA WERE NOT ABLE TO FIND ANY RECALL ASSOCIATED WITH MY VIN. THERE WERE MADE AWARE OF THE LETTER AND WERE FIRM THAT VEHICLE WAS NOT PART OF THE RECALL AND REPAIR/REPLACEMENT COST AT OWNER'S EXPENSE. *TR

PASSENGER SIDE SEAT SENSOR HAS FAILED, LEAVING AIRBAG IN PERMANENTLY DEACTIVATED STATE. THIS DEFECT WAS PREVIOUSLY SUBJECT OF RECALL IN OTHER VEHICLES IN SAME MODEL YEAR, BUT NOT PARTICULAR MONTH OF MANUFACTURE OF MINE ACCORDING TO VIN. HAVE REPORTED TO BMW DEALER AND BMW NA; CUSTOMER SERVICE AGENT AT BMW NA INITIALLY INDICATED THEY MIGHT COVER IT BUT THEN REQUEST WAS DENIED BY MANAGEMENT. I HAVE REQUESTED THEY SIMPLY DEACTIVATE THE SENSOR AND LEAVE THE AIRBAG ON, WHICH WOULD SEEM TO BE A LOW-COST REPAIR. THEY HAVE STATED THERE IS NO SAFETY ISSUE IN DOING SO. THE STATED PURPOSE OF THE SENSOR IS TO PREVENT UNNECESSARY COST FOR AIRBAG REPLACEMENT AFTER AN ACCIDENT. THIS SEEMS TO BE A CLEAR DESIGN DEFECT: IF THE SENSOR FAILS, THE AIRBAG SHOULD BE LEFT IN THE ACTIVE CONDITION, NOT A DISABLED CONDITION. THE DEALER IS REQUESTING $1276 TO REPLACE THE DEFECTIVE SEAT SENSOR. BMW KNOWS THEY ARE MAKING MONEY OFF THIS REPAIR AND HAS NO INCENTIVE TO FIND A LOW COST REPAIR THAT WOULD SAVE LIVES. SOFTWARE DEACTIVATION OF THE SENSOR WOULD INCREASE SAFETY SINCE SOME WILL BE UNABLE TO AFFORD A REPAIR OF THIS EXPENSE AND DRIVING WITHOUT A PASSENGER SIDE SRS PUTS OCCUPANTS AT SIGNIFICANT RISK. I AM A UNIVERSITY PROFESSOR AND I HAVE NOTIFIED BMW NA OF THIS AND IF BMW CONTINUES TO REFUSE TO PROVIDE A LOW-COST REPAIR FOR THIS CONDITION I WILL BE WILLING TO TESTIFY AT TRIAL ATTESTING TO THE FACT THAT BMW WAS INFORMED OF THIS ISSUE AND ADVISED OF THEIR POSSIBLE LIABILITY IF ANYONE HAS AN ACCIDENT IN A 2006 X5 AND THE PASSENGER AIRBAG DOES NOT DEPLOY RESULTING IN INCREASED PASSENGER INJURY; CONTACT ME AT [XXX]. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR