2007 BMW 3 SERIES Electrical System Problems

31 complaints about Electrical System

31
Complaints
1
Crashes
2
Fires
0
Deaths

High Severity Issue

This component has been associated with crashes, fires, or deaths.

This Problem Across All Years

All Electrical System Complaints (31)

Dec 18, 2018 Fire

I WAS GOING BETWEEN 30 AND 35 MPH THROUGH CITY STREETS AT ROUGHLY 3AM ON MY WAY BACK FROM MY COMMUTE WHICH IS ROUGHLY 60 MILES. I NOTICED IT STARTED TO SMELL LIKE BURNING PLASTIC AND IMMEDIATELY AFTER SMOKE WAS VISIBLE COMING FROM HOOD VENTS, I PARKED THE CAR AS SOON AS I COULD AND POPPED THE HOOD AND THE HEAT COVER FOR THE HOOD WAS ON FIRE ALONG WITH MOST OTHER COMPONENTS IN THE ENGINE BAY. MY FRIEND IMMEDIATELY CALLED 911 FOR ASSISTANCE AS I RAN AND TRIED TO WARN NEIGHBORS , WITHIN 7 MINUTES THE CAR WAS COMPLETELY CHARD. NO MAITNANCE LIGHTS WERE ON AND NOTHING SEEMED TO BE A PROBLEM. THE TWO RECALLS I NEVER RECEIVED BOTH WOULD EXPLAN THIS INCEDENT NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 17V683000 NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 17V676000

Mileage: 100,000

Nov 29, 2018

DEALER REFUSED TO MAKE THE REPAIRS ON MY ENGINE THAT WAS CAUSED BY THE RECALL PRODUCT THE PCV VALVE. DEALER SAYS THEIR NOT REQUIRED TO MAKE ANY REPAIRS, THEIR JOB IS TO REPLACE THE RECALL PART

Nov 11, 2018

STATIONARY IN PARKING LOT. FRONT PASSENGER DOOR WILL NOT LOCK/UNLOCK WITH ANY METHOD ATTEMPTED. DRIVERS DOOR WILL ONLY UNLOCK USING EMERGENCY KEY FROM EXTERIOR.

Mileage: 73,000

Nov 6, 2018

DESPITE REPEATED PHONE CALLS TO BMW CUSTOMER SERVICE, AND STOPPING AT THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP, NO ACTION HAS BEEN TAKEN BY BMW FOR A RECALL REGARDING A SPONTANEOUS FIRE THAT CAN OCCUR WITH MY VEHICLE DUE TO AN ELECTRICAL ISSUE, EVEN WHEN THE CAR IS GARAGED AND NOT IN USE. CUSTOMER SERVICE REPEATEDLY TELLS ME THEY DON'T HAVE THE PARTS TO FIX THE ISSUE. I LEARNED ABOUT THIS PROBLEM A YEAR AND A HALF AGO FROM THE NEWS. I HAVE NEVER RECEIVED A RECALL LETTER FROM BMW, ALTHOUGH I VERIFIED WITH THEM THEY HAVE MY VIN NUMBER AND MY CAR IS PART OF THE RECALL. I HESITATE TO EVEN DRIVE MY CAR AND HAVE SERIOUS CONCERNS ABOUT A SPONTANEOUS FIRE SPARKED BY AN ELECTRICAL ISSUE. IT SEEMS UNACCEPTABLE AS A CONSUMER NO ACTION HAS BEEN TAKEN TO REMEDY WHAT COULD BE A VERY SERIOUS ISSUE (MY HOUSE BURNING DOWN FOR ONE). I AM GETTING NOWHERE WHEN I CONTACT BMW.

Sep 7, 2018

REPLACED BLOWER MOTOR TWICE 4 MONTHS 1ST ONE MADE NOISE AND STOP BLOWING AIR OUT VENTS NOW SECOND ONE IS MAKING LOUD RATTLING NOISE. CONSTANT TAIL LIGHT BULB ISSUES DISPLAY TAIL LIGHT MALFUNCTION.

Aug 22, 2018

PASSENGER AIRBAG RESTRAINT FAILURE - BMW'S, IN PARTICULAR 3 SERIES AND E90 MODELS, HAVE A KNOWN AND COMMON FAILURE WHERE THE SEAT BASED ELECTRICAL MAT FAILS IN THE PASSENGER SEATS. THIS IS NOT RELATED TO WEAR AND TEAR AS THE SEATS OFTEN GO UNUSED BUT SIMPLY FAIL AFTER A CERTAIN PERIOD OF TIME. THE ERROR CAUSES THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG TO DEFAULT TO ALWAYS ON, WHICH CAN CAUSE INJURY OR DEATH TO CHILDREN OR SMALL PASSENGERS IN THAT SEAT. THE COST TO REPAIR THIS IS USUALLY $200 FOR PARTS AND $400 FOR LABOR WHICH MEANS MANY DRIVERS SIMPLY DON'T FIX IT CREATING A VULNERABILITY. THE ISSUE HAS BEEN RECURRING WITH BMWS FOR SEVERAL GENERATIONS AND ACROSS MODEL TYPES AND SHOULD BE ADDRESSED BY THE MANUFACTURER AS ITS A POORLY MADE PART AND SET UP. THERE ARE NUMEROUS DOCUMENTED CASES ON BMW FORUMS AND A PARTIAL RECALL FOR SOME MODELS WAS IMPLEMENTED. A FULL RECALL IS NEEDED ON ALL CARS AFFECTED, INCLUDING 2007 3 SERIES MODELS. THE ISSUE DOES NOT APPEAR FIXED UNTIL THE F MODEL 3 SERIES CAME OUT. HTTPS://WWW.BIMMERFEST.COM/FORUMS/SHOWTHREAD.PHP?P=4746508#POST4746508 HTTPS://WWW.BIMMERFEST.COM/FORUMS/ARCHIVE/INDEX.PHP/T-496444.HTML

Mileage: 90,000

Jan 16, 2018

WHEN DRIVING, THE SMELL OF BURNING OR MELTING PLASTIC IS SO STRONG, I HAVE TO ROLL DOWN THE WINDOWS. THE SMELL OCCURS ABOUT 5 TIMES A WEEK AND CAN BE SMELLED BOTH INSIDE AND OUTSIDE THE CAR. IT OCCURS AT VARIOUS TIMES...ON THE FREEWAY, ON SURFACE STREETS, STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT ETC. THERE IS A SAFETY RECALL, FOR POSITIVE CRANKCASE VENTILATION(PCV) VALVE HEATER, BUT THEY DON'T HAVE A PLAN OR METHOD OF FIXING THIS. SINCE IT CAN LEAD TO A FIRE, IT NEEDS TO BE FIXED, BUT THE DEALERSHIP HAS NO INFORMATION ABOUT EVEN HOW TO FIX THE PROBLEM. THE WEBSITE AND LETTER TELLS YOU TO CALL THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP BUT THEY TELL YOU TO CONTACT BMW NORTH AMERICA, HOWEVER THEY DON'T ANSWER THE PHONE. THE SERVICE SUPERVISOR AT THE LOCAL BMW DEALER SHIP IN GLENDALE CA HAS NOT RETURNED MY MESSAGES AND THE NUMBER THEY REFER ME TO, BMW NORTH AMERICA AT 800.831.1117 JUST KEEPS RINGING...NO ANSWER. I DON'T FEEL SAFE INHALING THE PLASTIC FUMES AND IT COULD LEAD TO MY CAR CATCHING ON FIRE. BMW NEEDS TOANSWER QUESTIONS AND PROVIDE CUSTOMER SERVICE RATHER THAN REFERRING ME TO ADVERTISEMENTS TO PURCHASE A NEW BMW. (THAT IS WHAT HAPPENS ON THEIR "RECALL" WEBSITE). I WOULD LIKE THEM TO PROVIDE A CAR AND KEEP MY CAR AT THE DEALERSHIP UNTIL THEY FIGURE THIS OUT. I THINK THEY WOULD FIND A SOLUTION VERY QUICKLY IF THEY HAD TO PROVIDE ALTERNATOR TRANSPORTATION. THANK YOU FOR YOUR HELP!

Dec 7, 2017

TAKATA RECALL THE FIRST COMPLAINT IS THAT I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE OR ALLOW ANYONE TO DRIVE A CAR WITH THIS AIRBAG RECALL WHICH HAS IN SOME CASES RESULTED IN SERIOUS INJURIES OR DEATH. THE CAR IS THUS PARKED IN THE GARAGE WHILE THE DEALER TELLS ME THEY CAN'T GET THE CAR IN FOR REPAIRS FOR 6 WEEKS AT LEAST WHICH IS UNACCEPTABLE. SECONDLY, THERE ARE TWO ADDITIONA RECALLS THAT HAVE NO "FIX" AT THIS POINT WHICH COULD ALSO RESULT IN SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH. I AM AT A LOSS FOR WHAT TO DO WITH THIS VEHICLE. IT IS A HAZARD AND COMPLETELY USELESS FOR THE PURPOSE FOR WHICH IT WAS INTENDED. THE TWO ADDITIONAL RECALLS ARE BOTH FIRE HAZARDS AND ARE NOT CORRECTABLE AT THIS JUNCTURE. THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE.

Nov 23, 2017

BOTH PUGET SOUND AREA DEALERS WERE TOTALLY INDIFFERENT ABOUT LIFE TREATING RECALL NOTICES, UPON CALLING IN IN MID 2017' I WAS ASKED WHAT RECALLS ARE YOU CALLING ABOUT AND BOTH DID NOT GIVE ANY IN FORMATION WHEN I SAID I HEARD THERE WAS A RECALL. NOTHING WE CAN DO TO HELP YOU NOW CHECK BACK LATER I WAS TOLD. IN NOVEMBER WHEN I CALLED BACK I WAS AGAIN GREETED WITH SURPRISE THAT THAT THERE WAS A RECALL AT SEATTLE DEALERSHIP AND ASKED ME TO BE SPECIFIC ON A EXACT RECALL THAT MAYBE IN EFFECT. AFTER GIVING EXACTE REQUIRED DETAILED RECALL INFO ON THIS LIFE TREATING DEFECTIVE RECALLI WAS TOLD THEY DON'T HAVE ANY PARTS AND TO CHECK BACK NEXT YEAR! WHERE THE HELL IS THE WASHINGTON STATE ATTORNEY GENERAL? THIS IS A DISGRACE AND BMW IN MY VIEW SHOULD BE SPENDER FROM SELLING CARS IN WASHINGTON STATE UNTIL THEY MAKE THIS RIGHT. ONE DEATH WOULD COST FAR MORE THAN ALL THE JERKING AROUND AND BAD WILL THEY ARE CAUSING TODAY! I'M WRITING THIS BECAUSE I'M CONCERNED ABOUT LIVING ,AND HAVE NO PICTURES TO POST. CAN NOT ALLOW HOW THE GOVERNMENT ALLOWS A MAJOR CAR COMPANY TO GET AWAY WITH THIS, TOTAL DISGRACE!

Mileage: 22,000

Jul 31, 2017

2 COMPLAINTS: 1ST COMPLAINT ADDRESSES "TAKATA RECALL" DATED FEB. 5, 2016 RECALL CAMPAIGN NO.16V-071 DRIVER'S FRONT AIR BAG. *BMW SERVICE CENTER "OTTO'S" IN WEST CHESTER, PA STILL HAS NOT RECEIVED THE PARTS GOING ON 2YRS. * 2ND COMPLAINT ENGINE SHUT OFF WHILE DRIVING (55MPH) ON A BUSY INTERSTATE HIGHWAY DURING HEAVY TRAFFIC WITH NO WARNING THE ENGINE JUST SHUT OFF- NO POWER! . IT WAS A HUMID SUMMER (JULY) MORNING BMW FAULT COULD HAVE KILLED MANY, A VERY DANGEROUS PUBLIC SAFETY HAZARD. I WAS STRANDED FOR HOURS UNABLE TO DRIVE BMW. *ADDING INSULT TO INJURY THE HIGH HUMIDITY COULD HAVE SET-OFF THE AIRBAG FAULT UNRESOLVED BY BMW 18 MONTHS & COUNTING. OTTO'S SERVICE CENTER WANTED ALMOST $4K TO REPAIR PLUS AN ADDITIONAL HEFTY SUM UNDER ADVISEMENT FOR REPAIRS TO REPAIR THE WORK THEY COMPLETED LESS THAN A YEAR AGO (>$3K) FOR ENGINE LEAKING OIL - CAR OVER-HEATING

Mileage: 60,000

Mar 28, 2017

WIRING INSULATION CRACKING DEGRADING LEAVING EXPOSED BARE WIRING CAUSING SHORTS AND POSSIBLE FIRE IN HEADLIGHT WIRING HARNESSES, WIRES ARE STATIONARY DO NOT MOVE. INSULATION IS CRAKED AND FALLING OFF WIRES. NOTICED FAILURE DURING BULB REPLACEMENT. MADE THIS COMPLAINT AFTER READING ABOUT NUMEROUS OTHER BMW OWNERS NOTICING SAME FAULT

Mileage: 40,000

Feb 6, 2017

GAS GAUGE DOESN'T REGISTER FULL VS. EMPTY TANK. MY GAS GAUGE ALWAYS SAYS EMPTY EVEN RIGHT AFTER I FILL IT UP. SEEMS TO BE A BIGGER ISSUE, PER MY GOOGLE SEARCH AND THINK IT NEEDS A RECALL.

Mileage: 75,000

Jan 31, 2016

RED ELECTRIC STEERING WHEEL LOCK ICON ON SCREEN AND CAR WILL NOT START OR TURN OVER. RADIO WORKS AND EVERYTHING ELSE BUT CAR WILL NOT START. WHEN BATTERY DIED, AND I CHARGED IT FULL, THEN WENT TO START THE CAR AND THIS RED ELECTRIC STEERING WHEEL LOCK CAME ON. HAD TO GET CAR SERVICED

Jan 14, 2016

NO STAR NO LIGHT NO POWER ONLY LIGHT FOR STEERING LOCK

Mileage: 120,000

Sep 17, 2015

BATTERY DIED. JUMPSTARTED, DROVE FOR A BIT. TURNED OFF, TURNED BACK ON DROVE HOME. PARKED THE CAR. TRIED TO RESTART AND THE RED ELECTRONIC STEERING WHEEL LOCK INDICATOR WAS ON. PLENTY OF JUICE IN THE BATTERY, CAR WILL NOT EVEN ATTEMPT TO TURN OVER. CAN NOT GET INTO NEUTRAL TO TOW OUT. CAR IS DEAD WHERE IT SITS BECAUSE OF THE ELECTRONIC STEERING LOCK. THANK GOODNESS WE WEREN'T IN THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE.

Mileage: 75,000

Oct 14, 2014

APPARENTLY, THE ELECTRONIC KEY IS DEFECTIVE, LEADING TO AN ENGINE SHUTDOWN. FORTUNATELY, I WAS ABLE TO STEER OFF THE HIGHWAY WITHOUT POWER AND RESTART THE ENGINE. PRIOR TO THE INCIDENT, THE CAR WOULD INTERMITTENTLY FAIL TO START. I NOTIFIED BMW CUSTOMER RELATIONS AFTER THE INCIDENT. I WAS TOLD THAT THESE KEYS HAVE A NON-REPLACEABLE RECHARGEABLE BATTERY, THAT MAY "WEAR OUT", AND THEREFORE NOT HOLD A CHARGE! THEY INFORMED ME THAT AS MY VEHICLE WAS OUT OF WARRANTY, THEY WOULD NOT PROVIDE ME WITH A REPLACEMENT KEY UNLESS I PURCHASED A NEW ONE ($250), I POINTED OUT THAT NOWHERE IN THE OWNER'S MANUAL IS IT STATED THAT KEYS NEED REPLACEMENT, NOR THE HAZARD OF DRIVING WITH A "WORN OUT" KEY. THE REPRESENTATIVE ([XXX], EMP.#[XXX]) STATED "THERE IS NOTHING BMW CAN DO IN THIS CASE." INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

Mileage: 46,234

Jul 25, 2014

THE LEFT PASSENGER DOOR LOCK HAS CEASED TO OPERATE ON MY 2007 BMW 328I. IT DOES NOT UNLOCK WITH EITHER THE KEY FOB OR THE MAIN UNLOCK SWITCH. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS IF THERE WERE ANY KIND OF EMERGENCY INVOLVING THIS DOOR NEEDING TO BE OPENED. *TR

Mileage: 144,500

Jul 2, 2013

MY WIFE WAS ATTEMPTING TO EXIT CAR WHEN SHE NOTICED THAT SHE WAS NOT ABLE TO OPEN ANY OF CAR DOORS - ALL THE LOCKS WOULD NOT OPERATE ! ALSO, THE DOOR HANDLES WOULD NOT OPEN THE DOORS FROM THE INSIDE THE VEHICLE. THIS ISSUE IS SAFETY ISSUE THAT NEEDS TO BE LOOKED AT ASAP. I WAS ABLE TO SEE ON LINE THAT NUMBER OF LIKE AND KIND COMPLAINTS WITH THE 2007 328 XI MODELS ... *TR

Mileage: 50,311

Jun 28, 2013

REFERENCE NHTSA CAMPAIGN: 13V044000 MY VEHICLE HAS BEEN EXPERIENCING ISSUES AS EXACTLY OUTLINED IN THIS RECALL NOTICE SUCH AS THE STARTING ROUGH, NOT STARTING, BATTERY INDICATOR LAMP LIT, AND OTHER ELECTRICAL ISSUES. I HAVE EXPERIENCED A LOSS OF POWER & DEGRADED PERFORMANCE WHILE DRIVING ALTHOUGH IT HAS NOT RESULTED IN A CRASH BECAUSE I WAS ABLE TO SAFELY PULL MY CAR OVER. I SPOKE WITH BMW CUSTOMER RELATIONS AND THEY SAID MY VIN WAS NOT SPECIFIED BY THIS RECALL AND TO FILE A COMPLAINT WITH THE NHTSA TO GET THIS RESOLVED. I HAVE RESEARCHED MANY OTHER 2007 3-SERIES OWNERS HAVING SIMILAR ISSUES AND WOULD EXPECT THIS TO BE COVERED BY THE RECALL. *TR

Jun 11, 2013

DOORS WILL NOT UNLOCK USING THE KEY FOB OR CENTRAL LOCKING BUTTON. LOCKED DOORS WILL NOT OPEN FROM INTERIOR OF VEHICLE, NO WAY TO UNLOCK THE REAR DOORS AND FRONT PASSENGER DOOR WHEN THEY ARE LOCKED. ONLY WAY TO EXIT VEHICLE IS THROUGH DRIVER'S DOOR IF MANUALLY UNLOCKED WITH KEY. PASSENGER DOORS WILL NOT OPEN AND GAS DOOR WILL NOT OPEN. *TR

Mileage: 85,000

Feb 20, 2013 Crash

MY WIFE WAS DRIVING IN THE LEFT CENTER LANE OF INTERSTATE 384 IN MANCHESTER CT. THE CAR STALLED AND SHE WAS HIT FROM BEHIND BY 3 OTHER VEHICLES. SHE SUFFERED BACK AND NECK INJURIES. THIS IS RELATED TO THE RECENT RECALL OF BMWS FOR A FAULTY BATTERY CABLE. BMW WOULD NOT ACKNOWLEDGE ANYTHING WAS WRONG WITH THE CAR. WE TRADED THE CAR IN BECAUSE WE DID NOT FEEL IT WAS SAFE OR RELIABLE. *TR

Jan 8, 2013

THE DOORS WILL NOT UNLOCK; FROM THE EXTERIOR, ONLY THE DRIVER'S DOOR CAN BE OPENED WITH THE KEY. FROM THE INTERIOR, ONLY THE DRIVER'S DOOR CAN BE OPENED; NONE OF THE OTHER 3 DOORS CAN BE OPENED MANUALLY OR BY USING THE UNLOCK BUTTONS EITHER ON THE DASH OR ON THE KEY. I THINK THAT THIS CREATES A VERY HAZARDOUS SITUATION-IF THIS FAILURE OCCURRED WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS OCCUPIED, PASSENGERS WOULD ONLY BE ABLE TO EXIT THROUGH THE WINDOWS OR THROUGH THE DRIVER'S DOOR. THIS COULD RESULT IN INJURY OR LOSS OF LIFE IN SOME ACCIDENT SITUATIONS. I SPOKE TO BMW NORTH AMERICA ABOUT THIS PROBLEM AND THEY SAID THAT THEY "PROBABLY WOULD NOT BE RESPONSIBLE FOR REPAIRS" TO THIS POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS SITUATION. *TR

Mileage: 21,000

Aug 14, 2012

DOORS WILL NOT UNLOCK OR OPEN. I WAS LITERALLY TRAPPED INSIDE MY CAR IN A PARKING LOT. DROVE VEHICLE HOME, HAD TO PUT DOWN WINDOW AND HAVE SOMEONE USE VALET KEY AT MY HOUSE TO OPEN THE DRIVER DOOR. NONE OF THE OTHER THREE PASSENGER DOORS CAN BE UNLOCKED. LUCKILY NO PASSENGERS IN MY VEHICLE. WAS TOLD THERE IS A TSB RELATED TO THIS, HOWEVER IT IS NOT RECOGNIZED AS A SAFETY ISSUE. CANNOT UNDERSTAND HOW THIS IS CONSIDERED "SAFE" WHEN IF MY VEHICLE WAS ON FIRE AND I HAD MY CHILDREN IN THEIR CAR SEATS IN THE BACK SEAT, THERE WOULD BE NO WAY TO OPEN THE DOORS TO GET THEM OUT. BMW IS AWARE THAT THE ACTUATORS ARE PULLING TOO MUCH CURRENT THROUGH THE FUSES AND THAT THE ACTUATORS NEED REPLACED. THEY ARE MAKING TONS OF MONEY OFF OF CHARGING PEOPLE TO REPAIR THIS KNOWN PROBLEM AS THIS IS NOT SOMETHING YOU CAN AVOID HAVING REPAIRED UNLESS YOU ARE WILLING TO GAMBLE ON YOUR OWN LIFE OR THOSE OF FAMILY/FRIENDS WHO MAY BE IN YOUR VEHICLE WHEN THIS OCCURS. THERE REALLY NEEDS TO BE A SAFETY RECALL ON THIS ISSUE BEFORE SOMEONE LOSES THEIR LIFE AS A RESULT. I FIND IT QUITE ABSURD THAT THE NHTSA DOES NOT RECOGNIZE THIS. DOES SOMEONE NEED TO DIE FOR THIS TO BE REMEDIED? JUST BECAUSE I DRIVE A USED BMW DOES NOT MEAN I HAVE THE MONEY TO HAVE THIS REPAIRED, YET I'VE GOT TWO VERY YOUNG CHILDREN WHO RIDE IN THE BACKSEAT OF THIS CAR ON A DAILY BASIS. LOOKING AT THE NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS THAT HAVE ALREADY BEEN FILED, OBVIOUSLY IT APPEARS THAT NEITHER BMW NOR THE NHTSA SEEM TO CARE ABOUT MY SAFETY, MY FAMILY'S SAFETY OR THAT OF ANY OF THE OTHER THOUSANDS OF BMW OWNERS WHO ARE HAVING THE SAME ISSUE. *TR

Mileage: 68,000

Mar 18, 2012

MY 2007 BMW 335I BECAME VERY HARD TO STEER DURING A DRIVE DOWN A STEEP GRADE. A BATTERY NOT CHARGING ERROR WOULD APPEAR ON DASH SHORTLY AFTER... HERE IS WHAT HAPPENED. WHILE DRIVING DOWN A STEEP HILL AND NEEDING TO BREAK HARD ON A TURN TO AVOID HITTING A DEAD ANIMAL ON THE ROAD I SMELLED BURNING RUBBER AND THEN HEARD A NOISE THIS NOISE I DISCOVERED LATER IN THE DAY WAS MY POWER STEERING BELT BREAKING. I LOST ALL POWER STEERING WENT OFF THE ROAD OUT OFF CONTROL DUE TO LOSE OF POWER STEERING AND ALMOST HIT A BIKE RIDER AND CAME VERY CLOSE TO GOING OFF THE SIDE OF ROAD. LATER THAT DAY I DECIDED TO GOOGLE MY PROBLEM AND SEE IF THERE WOULD BE AN EASY FIX TO THIS PROBLEM. I DISCOVERED THERE IS NOT AN EASY FIX FOR A BROKEN BELT ON MY MODAL OF CAR. I DISCOVERED THIS IS COMMON ON MANY BMW MODELS AND BMW IS AWARE OF IT SEE SIB 11-09-08. I QUICKLY DISCOVERED THAT I AM NOT THE ONLY OWNER OUT THERE WITH THIS PROBLEM. THERE ARE MANY OTHERS. BMW KNOWS OF THE PROBLEM AND HAS NOT RECALLED ANY CARS. THERE DOCUMENTATION OF THE PROBLEM IS UNDER SIB 11-09-08. I WILL BE BRINGING MY CAR BACK TO DEALER TO HAVE THIS PROBLEM RESOLVE AND HOPE THEY FOLLOW THE SIB 11-09-08 WHICH NOTES NEW STYLE SUB FRAME REPLACEMENT WILL BE REQUIRED. I BELIEVE AN INVESTIGATION NEEDS TO BE MADE REGARDING POWER STEERING BELTS BREAKING. THESE BELTS SHOULD NOT BE BREAKING UNDER THE CONDITION I WAS DRIVING AND SHOULD BE CONSIDERED A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE. I HOPE TO SEE THIS RESOLVED SOON BEFORE SOMEONE IS KILLED. AT THIS TIME I DON'T FEEL THE CAR WILL BE SAFE TO DRIVE. *TR

Mileage: 65,000

Feb 12, 2012 Fire

AFTER BEING SERVICE BY DEALER FOR 4 DAYS WHICH INCLUDED THE REPLACEMENT OF RIGHT HEADLIGHT AND ABS AND BRAKE SYSTEM THE CAR CAUGHT FIRE WHICH SEEM TO BE RELATED TO ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. WHILE DRIVING THE CAR HEAVY TOXIC SMOKE STARTED COMING OUT OF VENTILATOR OF AC SYSTEM. I IMMEDIATELY STEP OUT OF THE CAR AND IN A FEW MINUTES SMOKE AND FLAMES LOCATED IN THE ENGINE IN FRONT OF PASSENGER SEAT BURN THE CAR. FLAMES AND BLACK PLASTIC WERE COMING ALSO UNDER THE GLOVE COMPARTMENT RIGHT IN FRONT OF PASSENGER SEAT. DEALER QUOTED $25000 FOR REPAIR AND INSURANCE COMPANY DECLARED IT TOTAL LOSS. CAR WAS DELIVERED TO DEALER WHO HAS KEPT IT FOR A MONTH, ENGINEER FROM BMW NORTH AMERICA CAME AND INSPECTED BUT NO REPORT HAS BEEN ISSUED BY THEM OR DEALER. THIS COMPANY HAS NO CONCERN FOR SAFETY OF CONSUMERS AND SHOULD BE PENALIZE. AFTER HAVING OWNED SIX BMW'S I FEEL THESE AUTOS ARE NOT SAFE. *TR

Mileage: 45,000

Dec 4, 2011

ELECTRIC DOOR LOCKS FAILED ON ALL FOUR DOORS WITH NO SYMPTOMS PRIOR TO COMPLETE SYSTEM FAILURE. KEY FOB AND CENTRAL LOCKING SYSTEM BUTTON INSIDE CAR WOULD NOT UNLOCK ANY DOOR. DOORS WOULD NOT OPEN BY PULLING ON INTERIOR DOOR LATCH HANDLES. THE ONLY WAY TO ENTER/EXIT VEHICLE WAS BY USING KEY ON EXTERIOR DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR TO UNLOCK THE DOOR, OR THROUGH THE WINDOWS. THIS SEEMS LIKE AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS SINGLE POINT EGRESS FAILURE THAT COULD RESULT IN UNNECESSARY INJURY OR LOSS OF LIFE IN EMERGENCY SITUATIONS. I REPLACED THE BLOWN 15A FUSE (#57) WITH A 20A FUSE PER SI B51 19 07 TWICE. FIRST FUNCTIONAL TEST BY PRESSING THE CENTRAL LOCK SYSTEM BUTTON RESULTED IN THE NEW FUSE BLOWING IMMEDIATELY EACH TIME. FURTHER TROUBLESHOOTING AND REPAIR WILL BE NECESSARY TO RESOLVE ISSUE (LIKELY BY REPLACING FAULTY ELECTRO/MECHANICAL DOOR LATCH/LOCK/ACTUATOR MECHANISM). *TR

Mileage: 53,000

Nov 15, 2011

DOOR LOCKS WOULD NOT OPEN ON 3 OF THE DOORS; HAD TO CRAWL FROM BACKSEAT TO FRONT SEAT TO START CAR. ONCE GOT HOME, HAD TO CRAWL BACK OUT VIA THE BACK SEAT. EXTREMELY HAZARDOUS SAFETY CONDITION DUE TO IF THERE WAS AN ACCIDENT, MYSELF NOR MY PASSENGERS, ESPECIALLY YOUNG CHILDREN, WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO ESCAPE. TOOK VEHICLE TO LOCAL BMW DEALER AND HE STATED THIS WAS NOT THE "1ST" TIME HE HAD SEEN THIS TYPE OF ISSUE. APPROXIMATE COST IS BETWEEN $700 TO $1,000 TO FIX. CONTACTED BMW CUSTOMER RELATIONS AND THEY ARE INVESTIGATING ISSUE. *TR

Mileage: 20,000

Nov 9, 2011

USING THE KEY REMOTE WOULD ONLY LOCK THE DRIVER'S DOOR. THEN WHEN USING THE KEY REMOTE TO UNLOCK THE DOOR, THE LIGHTS FLASH AND THE LOCK "CLICKS" BUT THE DRIVER'S LOCK WOULDN'T UNLOCK. I USED THE METAL KEY IN THE KEY FOB TO MANUALLY UNLOCK THE DOOR AND TRIED IT ALL OVER AGAIN. SAME THING HAPPENED...KEY REMOTE WOULD LOCK ONLY THE DRIVER'S DOOR LOCK...KEY REMOTE TO UNLOCK WOULD FLASH THE LIGHTS BUT NOT UNLOCK THE DOOR...REQUIRING ME TO USE THE PHYSICAL KEY IN THE DRIVER'S DOOR TO UNLOCK THE DRIVER'S DOOR. THINKING THAT THE CAR WAS NOT REGISTERING THAT THE OTHER THREE DOORS WERE NOT LOCKED, I PHYSICALLY LOCKED THE DOORS WHILE INSIDE THE CAR BY DEPRESSING THE LOCKS ON THE TOP OF EACH DOOR. BAD IDEA! NOTHING WOULD WORK TO UNLOCK THE CAR (WITH ME INSIDE!)...UNLOCK BUTTON ON THE KEY REMOTE...NOPE...LOCK/UNLOCK BUTTON ON THE DASH NEAR THE VENTS...NOPE....PULL ON THE DOOR HANDLES OF ALL THE DOORS FROM THE INSIDE (MULTIPLE TIMES)...NOPE. ULTIMATELY, TO GET MYSELF OUT OF THE CAR I HAD TO ROLL DOWN THE DRIVER'S SIDE WINDOW AND USED THE PHYSICAL KEY IN THE DRIVER'S DOOR LOCK TO MANUALLY UNLOCK THE DRIVERS SIDE DOOR ONLY. *TR

Mileage: 55,000

Sep 12, 2011

BMW 2007 328 XI DOOR LOCK FUSE #57 BLEW. NONE OF THE INTERIOR DOORS WOULD OPEN FROM THE INSIDE. I HAD TO ROLL THE WINDOW DOWN FROM THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR, USE THE KEY FOB TO UNLOCK THE DOOR FROM THE OUTSIDE. I THEN HAD TO PULL MY KIDS FROM THE CAR THROUGH THE WINDOWS AS THE OTHER THREE OF THE FOUR DOORS WOULD NOT OPEN. FORGET THE TOYOTA "ACCELERATOR"; THIS SEEMS LIKE A REAL SAFETY ISSUE. *TR

Mileage: 52,000

Aug 1, 2011

REGULAR USAGE. ONE DAY, THE CENTRAL LOCKING SYSTEM SIMPLY DIED WITHOUT WARNING AND THERE IS NO ALTERNATIVE WAY OF UNLOCKING THE PASSENGER DOORS AFTER THE CENTRAL LOCKING SYSTEM DIED. *KB

Mileage: 40,000

Sep 7, 2010

BMW E90 3 SERIES SEDAN, AFTER THE DOOR LOCK FUSES BLOW THERE IS NO WAY TO EXIT THE VEHICLE EXCEPT BY A WINDOW. IS A FAILING IN ALL THESE MODELS AND HAS HAD PROBLEMS WITH BAD LATCHES THAT ARE BEING REPLACED AS THEY FAIL UNDER WARRANTY, THERE SHOULD BE A BACKUP SYSTEM FOR EXITING THE VEHICLE IF THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM FAILS. *TR

Mileage: 22,156