2003 BMW 5-SERIES

TAKATA RECALL. MORE THAN A YEAR AGO, I RECEIVED INFORMATION IN THE FORM OF A WARNING THAT MY CAR HAD AIRBAGS THAT SHOULD BE REPLACED. I CONTACTED THE BMW CENTER ON S.DIXIE HIGHWAY NEAR 160 STREET IN MIAMI AND WAS TOLD THAT THEY WILL GET BACK TO ME. AFTER A LONG ENOUGH WAIT, I CALLED AGAIN AND WAS TOLD THE SAME THING. AFTER ANOTHER PERIOD OF TIME, I TOOK MY CAR TO THEM. THEY TOLD ME THAT THE AIRBAG HAD BEEN ORDERED AND THAT I WILL BE NOTIFIED AS SOON AS IT COMES IN. AFTER ANOTHER LONG WAIT, I CALLED AND LATER WENT BACK WITH MY CAR BUT STILL GOT THE SAME RUN-AROUND. IT HAS BEEN ALMOST 2 YEARS SINCE I CONTACTED BMW. I AM LUCKY THAT NOTHING BAD HAS HAPPENED TO ME WHILE DRIVING MY CAR. WHAT ELSE AM I SUPPOSED TO DO IN ORDER TO GET THE SERVICE THAT I NEED? THANK YOU FOR YOUR HELP. *TR

I'M GETTING THE RUN AROUND ABOUT REPLACING THE DRIVER'S AIRBAG IN MY CAR. I RECEIVED THE INITIAL NOTICE OVER 6 MONTHS AGO AND WAS TOLD THE AIR BAGS WERE RELEASED OVER A MONTH AGO BUT I STILL HAVEN'T GOTTEN A SECOND NOTICE. THE BMW DEALERSHIP SAYS THERE ISN'T AN ISSUE WITH THE BMW IT'S JUST PRECAUTIONARY BUT THEY STILL DON'T HAVE THE AIRBAGS IN.

TAKATA RECALL - I RECENTLY FOUND OUT THAT MY VEHICLE, WHICH HAS BEEN MINE SINCE IT WAS NEW IN 2003, IS PART OF THE TAKATA RECALL AND HAS BEEN SINCE ALMOST A YEAR AGO. I NEVER RECEIVED A SINGLE NOTIFICATION IN THE MAIL. I HAVE LIVED AT THE SAME ADDRESS SINCE 2003, SO THERE SEEMS TO BE ABSOLUTELY NO EXCUSE FOR THIS. WHEN I CALLED MY BMW DEALERSHIP TO FIND OUT WHAT TO DO ABOUT THE RECALL, I WAS TOLD THERE IS NO CURRENT REMEDY BUT THAT SOMEONE WOULD CALL ME BACK ABOUT MY OPTIONS. IT HAS BEEN ALMOST TWO WEEKS AND NO ONE HAS CALLED ME. I THEN SENT AN E-MAIL TO BMW, WHICH RESULTED IN A FORM RETURN MESSAGE. WHAT ARE THE OPTIONS FOR SOMEONE WITH THIS RECALL AND NO REMEDY? I CAN'T SAY THAT I FEEL AT ALL SAFE DRIVING MY CAR, ESPECIALLY NOT WITH MY CHILDREN IN IT, BUT I APPARENTLY HAVE NO ALTERNATIVE AS I'M NOT IN A POSITION TO PURCHASE A NEW VEHICLE OR TO RENT A VEHICLE.

I WAS DRIVING APPX 40MPH WHILE ON A LOCAL ROAD SLIGHTLY UPHILL, ENGINE SHUT OFF WITHOUT WARNING, LOST POWER STEERING AND BRAKE ASSIST. LUCKILY NO CARS AROUND ME SO I WAS ABLE TO BARELY ROLL OVER TO THE ROADSIDE. CAR WOULD NOT START AGAIN, WAS TOWED TO DEALERSHIP. REPLACED ECU FOR A TOTAL COST OF $2K. *TR

Mileage: 100,000

I WAS DRIVING APPX 40MPH WHILE ON A LOCAL ROAD SLIGHTLY UPHILL, ENGINE SHUT OFF WITHOUT WARNING, LOST POWER STEERING AND BRAKE ASSIST. LUCKILY NO CARS AROUND ME SO I WAS ABLE TO BARELY ROLL OVER TO THE ROADSIDE. CAR WOULD NOT START AGAIN, WAS TOWED TO DEALERSHIP. REPLACED ECU FOR A TOTAL COST OF $2K. *TR

Mileage: 100,000

I WAS DRIVING APPX 40MPH WHILE ON A LOCAL ROAD SLIGHTLY UPHILL, ENGINE SHUT OFF WITHOUT WARNING, LOST POWER STEERING AND BRAKE ASSIST. LUCKILY NO CARS AROUND ME SO I WAS ABLE TO BARELY ROLL OVER TO THE ROADSIDE. CAR WOULD NOT START AGAIN, WAS TOWED TO DEALERSHIP. REPLACED ECU FOR A TOTAL COST OF $2K. *TR

Mileage: 100,000

I BACKED MY 2003 BMW M5 OUT OF THE DRIVE WAY AND HEARD A TERRIBLE SOUND, I ATTEMPTED TO DRIVE THE CAR FORWARD, AND THE NOISE GOT WORSE. I RETURNED THE CAR TO THE DRIVE WAY AND PUT IT ON JACKS AND STANDS TO FIND THE NOISE. I DISCOVERED THAT THE REAR SUBFRAME WAS BROKEN (I HAVE PICTURES AND WILL BE GETTING THE ORIGINAL PARTS BACK FOR TESTING) FROM THE MOUNT HOLDING IT TO THE FRAME. I HAVE RESEARCHED FORUMS FOR 1999-2004 BMW 5 SERIES CARS AND HAVE LOCATED 14 MORE PEOPLE THAT HAVE SUFFERED THE SAME FATE (IS HAS HAPPENED IN 528, 540, AND M5 MODELS FROM 1999-2004). THE REPAIR IS COSTING ME APPROXIMATELY $4000.00. IF THIS BREAK HAD OCCURRED AT HIGHWAY SPEED THE DRIVE SHAFT AND DIFFERENTIAL WOULD HAVE SEPARATED AND WOULD BEEN FREE TO FLY AROUND AND CAUSE SEVERE DAMAGE TO THE CAR AND ANYONE IN IT. *TR

Mileage: 140,000

I BACKED MY 2003 BMW M5 OUT OF THE DRIVE WAY AND HEARD A TERRIBLE SOUND, I ATTEMPTED TO DRIVE THE CAR FORWARD, AND THE NOISE GOT WORSE. I RETURNED THE CAR TO THE DRIVE WAY AND PUT IT ON JACKS AND STANDS TO FIND THE NOISE. I DISCOVERED THAT THE REAR SUBFRAME WAS BROKEN (I HAVE PICTURES AND WILL BE GETTING THE ORIGINAL PARTS BACK FOR TESTING) FROM THE MOUNT HOLDING IT TO THE FRAME. I HAVE RESEARCHED FORUMS FOR 1999-2004 BMW 5 SERIES CARS AND HAVE LOCATED 14 MORE PEOPLE THAT HAVE SUFFERED THE SAME FATE (IS HAS HAPPENED IN 528, 540, AND M5 MODELS FROM 1999-2004). THE REPAIR IS COSTING ME APPROXIMATELY $4000.00. IF THIS BREAK HAD OCCURRED AT HIGHWAY SPEED THE DRIVE SHAFT AND DIFFERENTIAL WOULD HAVE SEPARATED AND WOULD BEEN FREE TO FLY AROUND AND CAUSE SEVERE DAMAGE TO THE CAR AND ANYONE IN IT. *TR

Mileage: 140,000

CAR SHUT DOWN WHILE DRIVING APPX 35MPH WITHOUT WARNING, NEARLY CRASH DUE TO LOSS OF STEERING ASSIST AND INSTRUMENT. DEALER REPLACED BOTH DME AND BATTERY WHICH WAS SUSPICIOUS SINCE TWO UNRELATED COMPONENT FAILED AT SAME TIME? EXTREMELY DANGEROUS WHEN IT HAPPENED IN TRAFFIC, ENDANGERING BOTH MY PASSENGERS AND OTHER DRIVERS NEARBY. RECALL TO THE DME AND BATTERY SHOULD BE ISSUED. REPAIR COST $2500. *TR

Mileage: 108,000

MY 2003 BMW 530I SEDAN CAUGHT FIRE DUE TO AN ELECTRICAL FAULT WHILE PARKED IN NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND POLICE WERE CALLED. CASE #[XXX] WAS ASSIGNED BY OFFICER [XXX] OF THE NEW HAVEN PD. THE CAR, TOO BADLY DAMAGED TO REPAIR, WAS HAULED AWAY FOR EVENTUAL SCRAPPING. I WAS CLOSE TO THE CAR WHEN THE FIRE STARTED. FLAMES WERE ERUPTING FROM THE DASH, WHERE THE CLIMATE CONTROL SWITCHES ARE LOCATED. I TRIED SMOTHERING THE FLAMES WITH A SWEATER. THIS DID NOT INTERRUPT THE PROGRESS OF THE FIRE. THERE WAS NO PERSONAL INJURY OR PROPERTY DAMAGE OTHER THAN TO THE CAR AND ITS CONTENTS. ITEMS SITUATED IN THE FRONT SEAT AREA WERE NOT RECOVERED, DUE TO THE INTENSITY OF THE FIRE. THE APPARENT CAUSE OF THE FIRE WAS AN ELECTRICAL FAULT. IN 2010 NEW COUNTRY BMW IN HARTFORD TWICE REPLACED THE CLIMATE CONTROL FAN FINAL STAGE RESISTOR, ONCE IN APRIL AND AGAIN IN OCTOBER, AT NO CHARGE FOR THE SECOND REPLACEMENT. IN THE DAYS BEFORE THE FIRE THE CLIMATE CONTROL WAS AGAIN ACTING ER

Mileage: 125,000

WHILE DRIVING, THE CAR SUDDENLY SHUT DOWN AND LOST ALL POWER. HAD TO PULL OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD QUICKLY TO AVOID AN ACCIDENT; HAD THIS BEEN AT HIGH SPEED, THE SITUATION MIGHT HAVE BEEN WORSE. SUBSEQUENTLY WHEN TRYING TO START, THE CAR SHOWS A MYRIAD OF WARNING LIGHTS AND FAULTS. A FUSE FOR THE MAIN COMPUTER (DME) HAD BLOWN, DUE TO A WIRING SHORT BETWEEN THE ELECTRONIC THERMOSTAT AND THE MAIN COMPUTER. REPLACING THE FUSE IS NOT A PERMANENT FIX, AS IT BLOWS SHORTLY AFTER EACH TIME THE CAR IS STARTED, RENDERING THE CAR UNDRIVEABLE. THIS FIX TO REPLACE SHORTED WIRING IS IN THE THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS. THE CAR HAD BEEN METICULOUSLY MAINTAINED AND HAD NEVER SUFFERED ANY RELATED ISSUE BEFORE. THERE IS A POOR CONNECTION, FAULTY WIRING, DESIGN FLAW, OR THE LIKE IN THIS SYSTEM. *TR

Mileage: 107,000

INSTALLED TWO NEW BRIDGESTONE POTENZA POLE POSITION RE 960AS IN JULY 2010(PURCHASED FROM THETIRE RACK),ON MY 2003 BMW 540I(AT BRIDGESTONE TIRE DEALER).REAR,275R1835.TWO MONTHS LATER WHILE DRIVING 40MPH ON A VERY WELL MAINTAINED ROAD(LAKE SHORE DRIVE,IN CHICAGO),LOUD BANG WAS HERD FROM THE BACK AND GOT FLAT WITHOUT RUNNING OVER ANY DEBRIS ON THE ROAD.CLAIMED THROUGH THE SELLER(THE TIRERACK),THE TIRE WAS SENT TO THE MANUFACTURER FOR INSPECTION(SINCE THE CUT AND THE DISINTEGRATION SEEMED CONSISTENT WITH MATERIAL DETECT) BUT RECEIVED A COLD SHOULDER FROM THEM CITING THAT THE BLOWN TIRE DID NOT HAVE A DEFECT. THE SELLER REFUSED TO HONOR MY WARRANTY(THE TIRE WAS REGISTERED FOR THAT). WHAT TO DO? *TR

Mileage: 83,000

THE 2003 BMW 540I POWER STEERING PUMP SPOOL VALVE WAS FOUND (DISASSEMBLED AND JUDGED BY BMW TECHNICIAN) TO JAM AT LOWER RPM THUS CAUSING COMPLETE LOSS OF POWER STEERING ASSIST, ESPECIALLY IN REDUCED RPM TURNS OFF HIGHWAYS. ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS I NEARLY CRASHED INTO THE MEDIAN-WALL BECAUSE OF IT. I SENT A LETTER TO BMW BUT ALL THEY TOLD ME IS THAT IT WOULD BE FORWARDED BUT THAT I WOULD NEVER HEAR BACK FROM THEM AGAIN. I CONSIDER THIS A MATERIAL/PART FLAW THAT BMW HAS TO CONSIDER AS SERIOUS AND OFFER SOME FORM OF REPAIR/REPLACE PLAN OR CUSTOMER-DIRECTED ACTION AS IT CAN LEAD TO SERIOUS CRASHES DURING TURNING MANEUVERS! *TR

Mileage: 68,500

INTERMITTENT ENGINE SHUT-DOWN. ENGINE SHUTS OFF WHILE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION AT ANY SPEED. "ENGINE FAILSAFE" WARNING LIGHT COMES ON. VEHICLE MUST BE STOPPED, KEY TURNED OFF AND RE-STARTED. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE THAT BMW IS AWARE OF AND HAS ISSUED A RELATED TSB. $2000 PLUS REPAIR BILL FOR A NEW "ENGINE WIRING HARNESS". BMW SHOULD BE RECALLING THESE VEHICLES. *TR

Mileage: 90,000

INTERMITTENT ENGINE SHUT-DOWN. ENGINE SHUTS OFF WHILE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION AT ANY SPEED. "ENGINE FAILSAFE" WARNING LIGHT COMES ON. VEHICLE MUST BE STOPPED, KEY TURNED OFF AND RE-STARTED. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE THAT BMW IS AWARE OF AND HAS ISSUED A RELATED TSB. $2000 PLUS REPAIR BILL FOR A NEW "ENGINE WIRING HARNESS". BMW SHOULD BE RECALLING THESE VEHICLES. *TR

Mileage: 90,000

BMW 530I 2003. DRIVER DOOR WILL NOT UNLOCK, EITHER ELECTRONICALLY OR MANUALLY. DOOR LOCK ACTUATOR FAILURE. NO MANUAL OVERRIDE. FORCED TO CRAWL OVER CONSOLE AND EXIT FROM ANOTHER DOOR. *TR

Mileage: 90,000

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 BMW 540. WHILE THE CONTACT'S DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, SHE HEARD A LOUD NOISE. THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR AIR BAG AND REAR DOOR AIR BAGS DEPLOYED, INJURING HER LEFT ARM AND LEG. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO A BMW DEALER. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 68,000.

Mileage: 68,000

FUEL GUAGE FAILED, INDICATED HALF TANK GAS WHEN TANK WAS EMPTY, AND CAR RAN OUT OF GAS ON FREEWAY. *AK

Mileage: 35,000

MY 2003 BMW 5 SERIES CAR WAS STOPPED IN TRAFFIC AND REAR-ENDED. THE COLLISION PUSHED THE CONTENTS OF THE TRUNK INTO THE BACK SEAT AREA BY BREAKING THE LATCHES THAT HOLD THE FOLD-DOWN SEATS. ANYONE IN THE BACK SEAT WOULD HAVE BEEN PUSHED FORWARD BY THE SEAT BACKS, AND SIMULTANEOUSLY HELD IN PLACE BY THE SEATBELTS.*AK

Mileage: 28,000