2008 BMW 535Xi complaints

PASSENGER RESTRAINT MALFUNCTION LIGHT IS ON IS THERE A RECALL. *TR

I WAS DRIVING MY FANTASTIC (EXPENSIVE) 535XI AND ALL OF A SUDDEN WHEN I WOULD IMPLEMENT ANY PRESSURE ON THE THROTTLE I EXPERIENCED A JERKING/STUTTERING SENSATION. *TR

ON JANUARY 5, 2014 DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY APPROX. 55 MPH THE VEHICLE'S DISPLAYED ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION MALFUNCTION DROPPED MY RATE OF SPEED TO APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH (SAFETY MODE) ALMOST SUSTAINED A REAR END COLLISION I THEN PULLED OVER ONTO THE SHOULDER I TURNED THE CAR OFF WAITED 10 MINUTES AND TURNED IT ON WITHOUT ANY ISSUES. I TOOK THE CAR TO BMW OF TENAFLY, NJ THEY INSPECTED THE VEHICLE MADE SOME ADJUSTMENTS AND SAID THE CAR WAS GOOD TO DRIVE ON THE WAY HOME TRAVELING APPROX. 45 MPH THE CAR AGAIN DISPLAYED ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION MALFUNCTION DROPPED MY RATE OF SPEED TO APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH (SAFETY MODE) I PULLED OVER I TURNED THE CAR OFF WAITED 10 MINUTES AND TURNED IT ON THE MALFUNCTION CONTINUED THE NEXT DAY I BROUGHT THE VEHICLE BACK TO BMW OF TENAFLY, NJ THEY CHANGED THE CONTROL MODULE AND SOME OTHER COMPONENT IN THE ENGINE. ON JUNE 10, 2014 DRIVING ON I95 TRAVELING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH THE CAR ONBOARD DISPLAY SHOWED A TRANSMISSION MALFUNCTION AND DROPPED MY RATE OF SPEED TO APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH (SAFETY MODE), I PULLED OVER ONTO THE SHOULDER I TURNED THE CAR OFF WAITED 10 MINUTES AND TURNED IT ON WITHOUT ANY ISSUES. TRAFFIC CONDITIONS WERE LIGHT, BUT COULD POTENTIALLY BE A SERIOUS ISSUE (ACCIDENT OR FATALITY) DURING NORMAL TRAFFIC CONDITIONS. ON JUNE 9, 2014 I FILED A REPORT WITH BMW USA AND I HAVE SCHEDULED AN APPOINTMENT WITH THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT BMW OF TENAFLY, NJ. *TR

FUEL INJECTORS WERE REPLACED ON THIS VEHICLE IN 05/2011 DUE TO A FAULTY DESIGN UNDER A RECALL THROUGH BMW. THE SAME INJECTORS HAVE SUBSEQUENTLY FAILED AGAIN LESS THAN 3 YEARS SINCE THEY WERE REPLACED. THIS RESULTED IN A LOSS OF POWER WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE PUTTING ME AT RISK. BMW FAILS TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY SAYING WARRANTY ON PARTS HAS EXPIRED ON PARTS THAT HAVE BEEN PREVIOUSLY RECALLED WITH KNOWN ISSUES. *TR

E61 WAGON, REAR HATCH: I DISCOVERED FAILURES OF MULTIPLE WIRES IN THE TAILGATE/REAR WINDOW WIRING HARNESSES. THROUGH RESEARCH ONLINE I HAVE FOUND THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS VEHICLE OVER SEVERAL MODEL YEARS - SEARCH FOR BMW E61 TAILGATE WIRING PROBLEMS. THE FAILURES ARE CAUSED BY A POOR DESIGN WHERE THE WIRES ENTERING THE HINGE GUIDES (4) FOR THE GLASS AND TAILGATE ARE REPEATEDLY FLEXED AT A SHARP ANGLE UNTIL THE INSULATION, THEN THE COPPER WIRE BREAKS. SAFETY ISSUES - POSSIBLE ELECTRICAL SHORT CIRCUIT LEADING TO FIRES (HIGHEST LOAD IS FOR REAR DEFROSTER); LIGHTING FAILURES (REAR HIGH BRAKE LIGHT, LICENSE PLATE LAMPS AND OTHERS); REDUCED VISIBILITY DUE TO LOSS OF WIPER/WASHER/DEFROSTER; REAR GLASS LATCH OPENING WHILE UNDERWAY, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN LOSS OF CARGO OR INGRESS OF EXHAUST FUMES. THIS IS NOT AN EASILY REPAIRED PROBLEM. IT WOULD BE BEYOND THE CAPABILITIES OF ALL BUT A SKILLED MECHANIC WITH PROPER TOOLS. I DISCOVERED IT WHEN THE REMOTE LOCK/UNLOCK USING THE KEY FOBS FAILED. AS I INVESTIGATED I FOUND THE BROKEN WIRE, ALONG WITH SEVERAL OTHERS WITH BROKEN INSULATION, SOME WITH BROKEN COPPER STRANDS. *TR

WHILE DRIVING THE 2008 BMW 535XI, THERE WAS A LOUD SOUND FROM THE ENGINE. A MESSAGE APPEARED "CAR OVERHEATED" AND THE CAR STOPPED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD. THE WATER PUMP FAILED WITH ABSOLUTELY NO WARNING. THE ACCELERATION WOULD NOT WORK AT ALL AND THE CAR WAS ESSENTIALLY INOPERABLE. IT WAS A VERY DIFFICULT SITUATION WITH VEHICLES APPROACHING ME FROM BEHIND ESPECIALLY WITH NO SHOULDER SPACE AVAILABLE TO PULL THE CAR OVER. I MANAGED TO TURN ONT HE HAZARD LIGHTS AND BARELY MANAGED TO ESCAPE THIS SITUATION WITHOUT AN INCIDENT. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER AND I WAS INFORMED THAT THE AUXILIARY WATER PUMP HAD FAILED AND WILL HAVE TO REPLACE IT, THE COST OF WHICH WOULD BE AT LEAST $1,200. WHEN I LOOKED UP ON THE INTERNET REGARDING THIS ISSUE, I HAVE SEEN MANY INDIVIDUALS COMPLAINING ABOUT THE WATER PUMP IN LESS THAN AS LITTLE AS 30,000 MILES. I ALSO STUMBLED ONTO A NHTSA RECALL CAMPAIGN (NO. 11V-521: "ELECTRIC AUXILIARY WATER PUMP") ON CERTAIN 2008 BMW 5-SERIES. I WAS SHOCKED TO KNOW THAT MY VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THIS CAMPAIGN NUMBER. WHAT TYPE OF QUALITY CHECKS ARE THESE PUMPS SUBJECTED TO? I HAVE HEARD OF MANY SUCH INSTANCES WITH THIS YEAR, MAKE AND MODEL. MOST OTHER VEHICLES HAVE WATER PUMPS LASTING OVER 100,000 MILES AND WELL BEYOND. WHY HASN'T BMW ISSUED A RECALL? *TR

THE CAR HAS BEEN REPLACED A PUMP SENSORS 40 DAYS AGO BECAUSE OF THE ENGINE MALFUNCTION ,AND TWO WEEKS AGO WHILE STARTED IN COLD WEATHER, IT WAS SHAKING AND THE ENGINE LIGHT ON. THE DEALER CHECKED AND SAID THAT IT IS THE INJECTOR PROBLEM AND RECOMMEND TO CHANG ALL 6 INJECTORS. BUT THE INJECTORS HAVE BEEN CHANGED AT THE MILEAGE OF 27,000 IN 2010. *TR

I DISCOVERED MULTIPLE SEVERED WIRES IN THE TAILGATE/REAR WINDOW WIRING HARNESSES. THROUGH RESEARCH ONLINE I HAVE FOUND THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS VEHICLE OVER SEVERAL MODEL YEARS - SEARCH FOR BMW E61 TAILGATE WIRING PROBLEMS. THE FAILURES ARE CAUSED BY A POOR DESIGN WHERE THE WIRES ENTERING THE HINGE GUIDES (4) FOR THE GLASS AND TAILGATE ARE REPEATEDLY FLEXED AT A SHARP ANGLE UNTIL THE INSULATION, THEN THE COPPER WIRE BREAKS. SAFETY ISSUES - POSSIBLE ELECTRICAL SHORT CIRCUIT LEADING TO FIRES (HIGHEST LOAD IS FOR REAR DEFROSTER); LIGHTING FAILURES (REAR HIGH BRAKE LIGHT, LICENSE PLATE LAMPS AND OTHERS); REDUCED VISIBILITY DUE TO LOSS OF WIPER/WASHER/DEFROSTER; REAR GLASS LATCH OPENING WHILE UNDERWAY, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN LOSS OF CARGO OR INGRESS OF EXHAUST FUMES. THIS IS NOT AN EASILY REPAIRED PROBLEM. IT WOULD BE BEYOND THE CAPABILITIES OF ALL BUT A SKILLED MECHANIC WITH PROPER TOOLS. I DISCOVERED IT WHEN THE REAR WIPER AND REAR WINDOW DEFROSTER STOPPED WORKING. AS I INVESTIGATED I FOUND THE BROKEN WIRES, ALONG WITH SEVERAL OTHERS WITH BROKEN INSULATION, SOME WITH BROKEN COPPER STRANDS." *TR

THE REAR RIGHT TAIL LIGHT STOPPED FUNCTIONING CORRECTLY, AND THE BRAKE LIGHT, THE RUNNING LIGHT, THE REVERSE LIGHT, AND THE BLINKER STOPPED WORKING. THIS CREATED MANY POTENTIAL ACCIDENTS AS ONCOMING DRIVERS COULD NOT PROPERLY SEE ME REVERSING OR TURNING RIGHT. THERE IS AN ACTIVE RECALL FOR THE ISSUE AND BMW IS REPLACING THE REAR TAIL LIGHTS FOR VIN'S THAT THE GOVERNMENT HAS IDENTIFIED AS HAVING THE ISSUE. MY VEHICLE HAS THE ISSUE. BMW REFUSED TO REPLACED THE TAIL LIGHT THAT HAS PERMANENT LOSS OF FUNCTIONALITY. I WAS FORCED TO PAY OUT OF POCKET FUNDS FOR THE ITEM THAT HAS A RECALL AND BMW NORTH AMERICA HAS REFUSED TO ASSIST IN THIS MATTER. I SPOKE TO [XXX] AT BMW NORTH AMERICA, HE IS A CUSTOMER RELATIONS SUPERVISOR, AND HIS CONTACT INFORMATION IS IN THE BMW CASE FILE WITH ID LAST 7 DIGITS OF MY VIN. HE INDICATED THAT BMW WILL NOT DO ANYTHING UNLESS THE GOVERNMENT FORCES THEM TO BY PROVIDING THE VIN NUMBER TO THEM AS AN EFFECTED VEHICLE. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON WHILE DRIVING THE CAR. WINDSHIELD WIPERS STARTED GOING ON (WITHOUT BEING TURNED ON). BRAKE AND TAIL LIGHTS FAILED INTERMITTENTLY. GAUGES ALL WENT TO ZERO INTERMITTENTLY WHILE DRIVING. SUNROOF WOULDN'T CLOSE. DROVE TO DEALER. DIAGNOSED AS ELECTRICAL SYSTEM COMPONENTS SUBMERGED IN REAR OF CAR DUE TO BLOCKED SUNROOF DRAIN. THE SAME ISSUE WAS REPAIRED A YEAR PRIOR. THIS TIME TO LIABILITY ASSUMED BY MANUFACTURER OR DEALER BECAUSE OF "OUTSIDE FORCE" (RAIN). $9,500 REPAIR ESTIMATE. APPEARS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM/ FLAW WITH THE MODEL. DEALER DID NOT APPEAR TO DO A CHECK OF THE DRAINAGE SYSTEM WHILE CAR WAS IN FOR ROUTINE SERVICE A MONTH BEFORE THE INCIDENT. NO LOSS OF STEERING OR ENGINE WHILE DRIVING. *TR

THE REAR RAIL LIGHT WARNING STARTED FLASHING INTERMITTENTLY AND THEN REAR TAIL LIGHT PERMANENTLY FAILED. INSPECTION OF REAR TAIL LIGHT SHOWED MELTING OF PLASTIC AROUND GROUND WIRE CONNECTION TO LIGHTING ASSEMBLY AND DAMAGE TO BOTH LIGHT ASSEMBLY AND THE WIRING. QUICK INTERNET SEARCH REVEALED THAT THIS WAS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM IN BMWS DUE TO INADEQUATE CAPACITY OF GROUND WIRING. *TR

I NOTICED THAT WHEN I DRIVE WITH THE SUNROOF COVER OPEN, NOT THE ACTUAL WINDOW, THERE IS A LOUD WHISTLING SOUND IN THE CAR. IT SOUNDS LIKE AN AIR GAP OR SOMETHING. WHEN I CLOSE THE SUNROOF COVER, IT IS NOT AS LOUD, BUT YOU CAN STILL HEAR WIND HOWLING. I KNOW THERE AREN'T ANY LEAKS BECAUSE WHEN IT RAINS, THERE IS NO WATER COMING INTO MY CAR. I'M CONFUSED ABOUT WHAT IS GOING ON. *TR

I HAVE THREE FAULTS, 1- TRUNK OPENS RANDOMLY, 2 - RDC UNIT IN TRUNK FLOODED BECAUSE TRUNK OPENED, 3 - BATTERY DISCHARGES. I NOTICED A FEW TIMES AFTER RETURNING TO MY CAR, THE TRUNK OPENED ON ITS OWN. I ALWAYS LOCK MY CAR AND WHEN I WALK AWAY, I MAKE SURE THAT THE TRUNK IS CLOSED. WHEN I RETURN TO MY CAR, THE TRUNK IS RANDOMLY OPENED. ONE DAY, WHEN IT WAS RAINING, THIS OCCURRED AND DRENCHED MY ENTIRE TRUNK. I DRIED THE TRUNK OUT AND STARTED DRIVING THEN I NOTICED THE TPMS STARTED FAILING. AFTER CHECKING ALL THE TPMS ANTENNAS ON MY CAR, I FOUND OUT THAT THERE WAS A UNIT IN THE TRUNK. THIS UNIT WAS IN THE BASE OF THE TRUNK WITH NO VENTILATION. MY RDC UNIT WAS SUBMERGED IN WATER ALONG WITH MY BLUETOOTH SYSTEM. THE RDC UNIT FAILED AND I NOTICE THE BLUETOOTH SYSTEM HAS BEEN GOING IN AND OUT NOW. MY BATTERY ALSO SHOWS HIGH DISCHARGE AND I HEAR RANDOM BEEPING WHEN I AM DRIVING. THIS IS A HUGE DESIGN FLAW ON SO MANY LEVELS. I HAVE PAID MONEY TO FIX THE RDC UNIT, BUT IT IS HARD TO REPLICATE THE TRUNK RANDOMLY OPENING AND THE BEEPING SOUND HAPPENS RANDOMLY WHEN I AM DRIVING. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 BMW 535XI. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS ENGAGED AND THE EXTERIOR BRAKE WARNING INDICATOR DISPLAYED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL INDICATING THE PASSENGER'S SIDE BRAKE LIGHT WAS INOPERABLE. ON A SEPARATE OCCASION BOTH THE LEFT TURN SIGNAL AND PASSENGER'S SIDE EXTERIOR BRAKE LIGHT FAILED TO OPERATE WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS ENGAGED AND A WARNING MESSAGE DISPLAYED AT THE SAME TIME. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THE ELECTRICAL CONTACT ASSEMBLY WAS REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 56,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 BMW 535XI. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT UNKNOWN SPEEDS, THE ENGINE HIGH TEMPERATURE WARNING MESSAGE APPEARED AND THE VEHICLE LOST ACCELERATION POWER. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE AUXILIARY WATER PUMP HAD FAILED. THE CONTACT WAS ALSO INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 11V521000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING). THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 50,056.

THE GROUND CONNECTION TO THE RIGHT REAR LIGHT ASSEMBLY FAILED. THIS RESULTED IN THE RIGHT REAR LIGHTS AND TURN SIGNAL NOT OPERATING. THE CONNECTOR TO THE WIRING HARNESS WAS MELTED AND THE TAB ON THE LAMP SOCKET HOUSING (WHERE THE CONNECTOR PLUGS IN) WAS DAMAGED. *TR

I OWN A 2008 BMW 535XI. ONLY MONTHS AFTER THE BUMPER-TO-BUMPER FACTORY WARRANTY EXPIRED, THE WATER PUMP FAILED. A CAR IS RENDERED INOPERABLE WITHOUT THIS CRITICAL COMPONENT. BECAUSE OF THIS FAILURE, I WAS LEFT STRANDED ON THE SIDE OF A MAJOR HIGHWAY, WITH MY WIFE AND KIDS IN THE CAR, UNABLE TO DRIVE THE CAR TO THE NEAREST EXIST. THE WATER PUMP FAILED IMMEDIATELY AND COMPLETELY WITH LITTLE-TO-NO WARNING. I WAS EXTREMELY SURPRISED AND DISAPPOINTED THAT THE ORIGINAL BMW WATER PUMP COULD NOT EVEN LAST FOR 50,000 MILES. HOW COULD THIS BE? WHAT TYPE OF BMW QUALITY CHECKS WAS THIS CRITICAL COMPONENT SUBJECTED TO? I HAVE ALSO HEARD THAT THIS FAILURE IS NOT UNCOMMON FOR MY MODEL VEHICLE. IT'S A KNOWN ISSUE. WOW! MOST OTHER VEHICLES HAVE WATER PUMPS LASTING OVER 100,000 MILES AND WELL BEYOND. GIVEN THE CRITICALLY OF THIS POTENTIAL PREMATURE COMPONENT FAILURE, WHY HASN'T BMW ISSUED A RECALL? AFTER BEING LEFT STRANDED ON THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY AND OUT MORE THAN $1,200 FOR THE REPAIR (PLUS TOWING), I AM LEFT WITH A MUCH LOWER OPINION OF BMW QUALITY AND SAFETY. *TR

A COOLER LEAKED IN THE TRUNK OF MY WAGON AND UNDER THE FLOOR THERE LIES EXPOSED UNPROTECTED HIGHLY VALUABLE ELECTRONICS, WHICH SHORTED OUT MY CAR AND CREATED A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE WITH THE ELECTRONICALLY CONTROLLED SHOCKS AMONGST OTHER IMPORTANT SYSYTEMS, MY DEALER SAYS HE HAS SEEN "MANY OF THESE" AND CLEARLY THERE ARE MANY PEOPLE ON THE WEB THAT HAVE HAD A SIMILAR PROBLEM, THE NEXT YEAR ACCORDING TO BMW THIS EXTREMELY DUMB DESIGN WAS CHANGED. CLEARLY THE TRUNK SHOULD BE A PLACE TO PUT ITEMS THAT MAY BE WET [FISHING TACKLE, SCUBA, SNOW BOOTS, SKIIS, COOLERS, MILK AND GROCERIES....] AND ONE SHOULD NOT BE PENALIZED A $1700 DOLLAR BILL EVERYTIME SOMETHING SPILLS. MY DEALER REPLACED THE MALFUNCTIONING ELECTRONICS THEN COVERED THE ELECTRONICS IN PLASTIC BUT THIS IS CLEARLY A JURY-RIGGED FIX. PLEASE HELP! *TR

CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS UNRESOLVED FIRE SAFETY ISSUES WITH A 2008 BMW 535XI *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED ON FEB 14, 2012, THE BATTERY WAS REPLACED. HOWEVER, SIX DAYS LATER, A SPARK OF FIRE AND BALL OF SMOKE OCCURRED AS THE CONSUMER WAS DRIVING. THE DEALER INFORMED THE CONSUMER THE ALTERNATOR WAS FAULTY AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. AN INSPECTION ALSO REVEALED AN OIL LEAK. *JB THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE BURST INTO FLAMES AND EXPLODED, TOTALING THE VEHICLE. THE ENTIRE FRONT HOOD AND ENGINE COMPARTMENT WERE MELTED AND DESTROYED, AS WELL AS THE FRONT DRIVER AND PASSENGER AREAS WERE AFFECTED BY THE FIRE. THE CONSUMER AND HIS PASSENGER SUFFERED MINOR INJURIES. THE CONSUMER STATED HE HAD TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER IN DECEMBER 2013, AND JANUARY 2014 AFTER COMPLAINING ABOUT ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS. HE COMPLAINED OF LOW COOLANT, THE TRUNK RANDOMLY OPENING, THE KEY NOT STARTING THE VEHICLE RIGHT AWAY, AND THE CLOCK SUDDENLY SHOWING A THE WRONG TIME. BOTH TIMES, THE DEALER STATED THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG. UPDATED 03/10/14

THE WIRE HARNESS CONNECTOR TO THE RIGHT REAR LIGHTS BURNED AND MELTED OUT FOR NO REASON. THE FUSE DID NOT PROTECT THE WIRES CONNECTOR FROM BURNING. ALL THE REAR RIGHTS ARE NON OPERATIONAL. *TR

I WAS CHANGING A FLAT TIRE AND THE JACK JUST FAILED ON ME LAST NIGHT AND ALMOST BUT MY ARM OFF. THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THE JACK WAS BEING USED. IT WAS A FLAT ROAD AND IT WASN'T WINDY. THE CAR WAS ON A STABLE SURFACE WITH NO STONES OR ANYTHING ELSE. THE CAR ALMOST LANDED ON MY HANDS AND BENT THE ROTOR BACK PLATE !!!! I THEN NOTED THAT THE JACK WAS VERY UNSTABLE AND MAYBE A LITTLE BENT. I GOT HELP FROM A TRUCK WHO STOPPED BY. I CHECKED WITH THE DEALER TODAY TO SEE IF THEY CAN REPLACE IT UNDER WARRANTY (3 YRS OLD BASICALLY) BUT THEY JUST SAID NO. *TR