High Severity Issue
This component has been associated with crashes, fires, or deaths.
This Problem Across All Years
I WAS DRIVING ON MY WAY TO WORK AND STARTED SMELLING SOMETHING BURNING. ALL ELECTRICAL WARNING LIGHTS STARTED LIGHTING UP THE DASH AND THEN DISPLAYS GO BLANK. PASSENGER COMPARTMENT WAS FILLING UP WITH SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER GLOVE BOX. I PULLED OVER AND CALLED FIRE DEPARTMENT. WE DISCONNECTED BATTERY AND TOOK TO BMW. THEY SAID MICRO-PROCESSOR LOCATED IN SPARE TIRE STORAGE AREA HAD SHORTED OUT DUE TO WATER. I DON'T CARRY COOLERS AND DON'T LEAVE MY TRUNK OPEN WHEN IT RAINS. HOW DID WATER GET THERE. BULLETINS SHOW THAT SUNROOF DRAINS GET CLOGGED AND WATER GETS INTO TRUNK AND SHORTS OUT ELECTRICAL. SERVICE BULLETIN SAYS IF THIS HAPPENS, CUSTOMER PAY BUT MOVE ELECTRICAL TO WHERE IT CAN'T GET WET. SO BMW KNOWS IT'S A PROBLEM AND CAN CAUSE A FIRE BUT DOESN'T CARE TO COVER REPAIR. NOW I'M STUCK WITH $1000 REPAIR FOR MICRO-PROCESSOR JUST TO BE ABLE TO TELL WHAT ELSE IS BURNED UP. I HAVE TO PAY BEFORE I WILL KNOW IF IT WILL COST AN ADDITIONAL $5,000 TO REPAIR. I'M LUCKY ELECTRICAL DIDN'T CATCH FIRE AND BURN UP ENTIRE CAR. *TR
I WAS DRIVING ON MY WAY TO WORK AND STARTED SMELLING SOMETHING BURNING. ALL ELECTRICAL WARNING LIGHTS STARTED LIGHTING UP THE DASH AND THEN DISPLAYS GO BLANK. PASSENGER COMPARTMENT WAS FILLING UP WITH SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER GLOVE BOX. I PULLED OVER AND CALLED FIRE DEPARTMENT. WE DISCONNECTED BATTERY AND TOOK TO BMW. THEY SAID MICRO-PROCESSOR LOCATED IN SPARE TIRE STORAGE AREA HAD SHORTED OUT DUE TO WATER. I DON'T CARRY COOLERS AND DON'T LEAVE MY TRUNK OPEN WHEN IT RAINS. HOW DID WATER GET THERE. BULLETINS SHOW THAT SUNROOF DRAINS GET CLOGGED AND WATER GETS INTO TRUNK AND SHORTS OUT ELECTRICAL. SERVICE BULLETIN SAYS IF THIS HAPPENS, CUSTOMER PAY BUT MOVE ELECTRICAL TO WHERE IT CAN'T GET WET. SO BMW KNOWS IT'S A PROBLEM AND CAN CAUSE A FIRE BUT DOESN'T CARE TO COVER REPAIR. NOW I'M STUCK WITH $1000 REPAIR FOR MICRO-PROCESSOR JUST TO BE ABLE TO TELL WHAT ELSE IS BURNED UP. I HAVE TO PAY BEFORE I WILL KNOW IF IT WILL COST AN ADDITIONAL $5,000 TO REPAIR. I'M LUCKY ELECTRICAL DIDN'T CATCH FIRE AND BURN UP ENTIRE CAR. *TR
TRANMISSION FAILURE ON THIS CAR. HAD TRANSMISSION REBUILT TO NO AVAIL (OVER $3000). WOUND UP GETTING OUR $$ BACK, THANK GOODNESS. APPARENTLY, IN READING ALL THE INFO ONLINE, THE 2004 525I TRANSMISSION FAILURES IS VERY COMMON. ONLY REMEDY IS A FULL-BLOWN BMW REPLACEMENT WITH THE CLUTCH ALREADY SET.
TRANMISSION FAILURE ON THIS CAR. HAD TRANSMISSION REBUILT TO NO AVAIL (OVER $3000). WOUND UP GETTING OUR $$ BACK, THANK GOODNESS. APPARENTLY, IN READING ALL THE INFO ONLINE, THE 2004 525I TRANSMISSION FAILURES IS VERY COMMON. ONLY REMEDY IS A FULL-BLOWN BMW REPLACEMENT WITH THE CLUTCH ALREADY SET.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS 2004 BMW 525I. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH THE TRANSMISSION WOULD NOT SHIFT AND WHEN IT DID SHIFT IT LUNGED FORWARD. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE FAILURE OCCURRED SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE BUT HE WAS UNABLE TO BE DUPLICATE IT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE MECHATRONIC SLEEVE WAS LEAKING TRANSMISSION FLUID AND AS A RESULT IT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE BUT DID NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 20,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 120,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS 2004 BMW 525I. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH THE TRANSMISSION WOULD NOT SHIFT AND WHEN IT DID SHIFT IT LUNGED FORWARD. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE FAILURE OCCURRED SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE BUT HE WAS UNABLE TO BE DUPLICATE IT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE MECHATRONIC SLEEVE WAS LEAKING TRANSMISSION FLUID AND AS A RESULT IT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE BUT DID NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 20,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 120,000.
I OWN A 2004 BMW 525I WITH 119,000 MILES ON THE ENGINE. I EXPERIENCED MY CAR MAKING A THUMP SOUND AND THEN THE I WOULD LOSE ACCELERATION. I CALLED THE MECHANIC AND THEY COULD NOT FIND THE PROBLEM BECAUSE IT DID NOT SHOW THE DASH ERRORS. THIS HAD BEEN GOING ON FOR 3 WEEKS AND THEN THE MECHANIC TOLD ME MY TRANSMISSION NEEDED REPLACING. I AM DISAPPOINTED THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM AND NOTHING IS BEING DONE ABOUT THIS. I WILL NEVER BUY A BMW AGAIN. *TR
I OWN A 2004 BMW 525I WITH 119,000 MILES ON THE ENGINE. I EXPERIENCED MY CAR MAKING A THUMP SOUND AND THEN THE I WOULD LOSE ACCELERATION. I CALLED THE MECHANIC AND THEY COULD NOT FIND THE PROBLEM BECAUSE IT DID NOT SHOW THE DASH ERRORS. THIS HAD BEEN GOING ON FOR 3 WEEKS AND THEN THE MECHANIC TOLD ME MY TRANSMISSION NEEDED REPLACING. I AM DISAPPOINTED THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM AND NOTHING IS BEING DONE ABOUT THIS. I WILL NEVER BUY A BMW AGAIN. *TR
I OWN A 2004 BMW 525I WITH 92,000 MILES ON THE ENGINE. I EXPERIENCED MY CAR CUTTING BACK AND THOUGHT I NEEDED A TUNE UP. I CALLED MY MECHANIC WHO STATED I DIDN'T NEED A TUNE UP. HE REQUESTED THAT I BRING THE CAR IN TO THE SHOP. THE NEXT WEEK I WAS DRIVING ALONG AND THE CAR SLOWED DOWN LOSING ACCELERATION. THE MESSAGE ON THE DIAGNOSTIC SCREEN STATED "TRANSMISSION FAULT". CAR WILL LOSE ACCELERATION AND YOU MAY NOT BE ABLE TO GO INTO "REVERSE". FAILSAFE STATUS..DRIVE MODERATELY. I TOOK MY CAR TO MY MECHANIC. HE PUT THE CAR ON THE DIAGNOSTIC MACHINE AND STATED NO CODE WAS INDICATED. IT DID NOT SHOW ANY PROBLEMS WITH THE TRANSMISSION. I FOLLOWED UP BY MAKING A CALL TO A LOCAL BMW DEALER. I TOOK THE CAR IN TO HAVE THE PROBLEM CHECKED. I WAS INFORMED THAT I NEEDED A NEW TRANSMISSION. I WAS DEVASTATED. I CALLED BMW NA AFTER I READ THAT NUMEROUS BMW OWNERS HAVE AND ARE STILL EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEM. BMW NA WAS NOT WILLING TO OFFER ME ANY ASSISTANCE TO REPLACE MY TRANSMISSION. I WAS TOLD THE WARRANTY HAS EXPIRED AND THE ENGINE'S AT BMW DID NOT AGREE THAT THE "NO REVERSE" TRANSMISSION PROBLEM WAS A RECALL ISSUE. I RECEIVED A FOLLOW UP CALL ON 9/22/09 FROM BMW NA RESTATING THE FACT THAT THEY COULD NOT OFFER ME ANY ASSISTANCE. I FEEL THEIR IS A PROBLEM WITH THE ENGINEERING OF ALL BMW TRANSMISSIONS. *TR
I OWN A 2004 BMW 525I WITH 92,000 MILES ON THE ENGINE. I EXPERIENCED MY CAR CUTTING BACK AND THOUGHT I NEEDED A TUNE UP. I CALLED MY MECHANIC WHO STATED I DIDN'T NEED A TUNE UP. HE REQUESTED THAT I BRING THE CAR IN TO THE SHOP. THE NEXT WEEK I WAS DRIVING ALONG AND THE CAR SLOWED DOWN LOSING ACCELERATION. THE MESSAGE ON THE DIAGNOSTIC SCREEN STATED "TRANSMISSION FAULT". CAR WILL LOSE ACCELERATION AND YOU MAY NOT BE ABLE TO GO INTO "REVERSE". FAILSAFE STATUS..DRIVE MODERATELY. I TOOK MY CAR TO MY MECHANIC. HE PUT THE CAR ON THE DIAGNOSTIC MACHINE AND STATED NO CODE WAS INDICATED. IT DID NOT SHOW ANY PROBLEMS WITH THE TRANSMISSION. I FOLLOWED UP BY MAKING A CALL TO A LOCAL BMW DEALER. I TOOK THE CAR IN TO HAVE THE PROBLEM CHECKED. I WAS INFORMED THAT I NEEDED A NEW TRANSMISSION. I WAS DEVASTATED. I CALLED BMW NA AFTER I READ THAT NUMEROUS BMW OWNERS HAVE AND ARE STILL EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEM. BMW NA WAS NOT WILLING TO OFFER ME ANY ASSISTANCE TO REPLACE MY TRANSMISSION. I WAS TOLD THE WARRANTY HAS EXPIRED AND THE ENGINE'S AT BMW DID NOT AGREE THAT THE "NO REVERSE" TRANSMISSION PROBLEM WAS A RECALL ISSUE. I RECEIVED A FOLLOW UP CALL ON 9/22/09 FROM BMW NA RESTATING THE FACT THAT THEY COULD NOT OFFER ME ANY ASSISTANCE. I FEEL THEIR IS A PROBLEM WITH THE ENGINEERING OF ALL BMW TRANSMISSIONS. *TR
2004 525I BMW WITH 70,000 MI HAD TRANSMISSION GO OUT SUDDENLY. I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER AND HAVE HAD ALL SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE AT THE DEALER WHERE THE CAR WAS PURCHASED. I WAS TOLD THE TRANSMISSION IS A TOTAL LOSS AND IT IS NOTHING THAT I DID OR COULD HAVE PREVENTED, BUT THE REPAIR BILL IS ~7,000.00. *TR
2004 525I BMW WITH 70,000 MI HAD TRANSMISSION GO OUT SUDDENLY. I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER AND HAVE HAD ALL SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE AT THE DEALER WHERE THE CAR WAS PURCHASED. I WAS TOLD THE TRANSMISSION IS A TOTAL LOSS AND IT IS NOTHING THAT I DID OR COULD HAVE PREVENTED, BUT THE REPAIR BILL IS ~7,000.00. *TR
MY 2004 BMW 525I TRANSMISSION HAS FAILED. I WAS DRIVING AND HAD STOPPED AT A STOP SIGN AND ATTEMPTED TO PROCEED AND THE CAR INCHED OUT AND JUST STOPPED.. I ALMOST HAD AN ACCIDENT AT THAT TIME BECAUSE THE CAR WOULD NOT PROCEED IN THE INTERSECTION.. A MESSAGE ON THE DASH READ THAT THE "TRANS DRIVE SAFE DRIVE MODERATELY" OR SOMETHING TO THAT EFFECT. WHEN I GOT TO MY DESTINATION I TURNED THE CARE OFF. THE NEXT TIME I STARTED THE CAR THE MESSAGE WAS GONE UNTIL ABOUT TWO WEEKS LATER. I LOOKED UP ANY INFORMATION THAT I COULD FIND ON BMW TRANSMISSIONS AND FOUND OUT THAT THERE ARE NUMEROUS CONSUMERS WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED OR ARE EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEMS AND ARE DESPERATE FOR HELP. THE MAIN MALFUNCTION AT THIS POINT IS THAT THE CAR IS SLUGGISH AT TAKE OFF AND DEFINITELY WILL NOT GO INTO REVERSE AND THE DEALER HAS TOLD ME THAT THE TRANSMISSION IS SHOT. DRIVING THIS VEHICLE IS VERY DANGEROUS AND AT ANY TIME, UNKNOWINGLY THE TRANSMISSIONS ON THESE CARS CAN FAIL. PEOPLE DRIVING THESE BMW'S WITH FAULTY TRANSMISSIONS SHOULD BE MADE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM BEFORE SOME ONE IS SERIOUSLY HURT. I AM STILL PAYING ON THIS AUTOMOBILE IT'S FOUR YEARS OLD AND IT HAS FAILED WITH A MAJOR PROBLEM. PLEASE GO TO CONSUMER AFFAIRS ON THE INTERNET AND YOU WILL SEE THE NUMEROUS PEOPLE WHO HAVE THE SAME COMPLAINT ABOUT THIS EXPENSIVE AUTOMOBILE THAT HAS FAILED AND CONSUMERS HAVE TO PAY THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS TO GET REPAIRS DONE. MY CAR IS IN THE SHOP AS WE SPEAK, I HAVEN'T RECEIVED A QUOTE ON THE COST AS OF YET, BUT THE MECHANIC HAS ADVISED ME THAT THE TRANSMISSION IS NO GOOD. *TR
MY 2004 BMW 525I TRANSMISSION HAS FAILED. I WAS DRIVING AND HAD STOPPED AT A STOP SIGN AND ATTEMPTED TO PROCEED AND THE CAR INCHED OUT AND JUST STOPPED.. I ALMOST HAD AN ACCIDENT AT THAT TIME BECAUSE THE CAR WOULD NOT PROCEED IN THE INTERSECTION.. A MESSAGE ON THE DASH READ THAT THE "TRANS DRIVE SAFE DRIVE MODERATELY" OR SOMETHING TO THAT EFFECT. WHEN I GOT TO MY DESTINATION I TURNED THE CARE OFF. THE NEXT TIME I STARTED THE CAR THE MESSAGE WAS GONE UNTIL ABOUT TWO WEEKS LATER. I LOOKED UP ANY INFORMATION THAT I COULD FIND ON BMW TRANSMISSIONS AND FOUND OUT THAT THERE ARE NUMEROUS CONSUMERS WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED OR ARE EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEMS AND ARE DESPERATE FOR HELP. THE MAIN MALFUNCTION AT THIS POINT IS THAT THE CAR IS SLUGGISH AT TAKE OFF AND DEFINITELY WILL NOT GO INTO REVERSE AND THE DEALER HAS TOLD ME THAT THE TRANSMISSION IS SHOT. DRIVING THIS VEHICLE IS VERY DANGEROUS AND AT ANY TIME, UNKNOWINGLY THE TRANSMISSIONS ON THESE CARS CAN FAIL. PEOPLE DRIVING THESE BMW'S WITH FAULTY TRANSMISSIONS SHOULD BE MADE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM BEFORE SOME ONE IS SERIOUSLY HURT. I AM STILL PAYING ON THIS AUTOMOBILE IT'S FOUR YEARS OLD AND IT HAS FAILED WITH A MAJOR PROBLEM. PLEASE GO TO CONSUMER AFFAIRS ON THE INTERNET AND YOU WILL SEE THE NUMEROUS PEOPLE WHO HAVE THE SAME COMPLAINT ABOUT THIS EXPENSIVE AUTOMOBILE THAT HAS FAILED AND CONSUMERS HAVE TO PAY THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS TO GET REPAIRS DONE. MY CAR IS IN THE SHOP AS WE SPEAK, I HAVEN'T RECEIVED A QUOTE ON THE COST AS OF YET, BUT THE MECHANIC HAS ADVISED ME THAT THE TRANSMISSION IS NO GOOD. *TR