VERY POORLY MANAGED BMW RECALL WITH THE RISK OF MAJOR INJURY OR DEATH FOR MALFUNCTIONING AIR-BAG. I CALLED THE MANUFACTURER AT THE CUSTOMER SERVICE NUMBER PROVIDED IN THE RECALL NOTICE. I WAS TOLD THAT THERE NO ESTIMATED TIME FOR HAVING THE CAUSE OF THE RECALL SOLVED AND IT COULD BE ANYTIME AROUND OR PAST DECEMBER 2016. THEY REFERRED TO ME TO MY DEALER TO DISCUSS AVAILABLE ALTERNATIVES TO DRIVE THE RECALLED VEHICLE. THE DEALERS HAVE LIMITED RESOURCES TO PROVIDE A SOLUTION FOR THEIR CLIENTS TO THIS RECALL. THE CONSEQUENCE IS THAT DEALERS ARE INFLUENCING THE CLIENTS TOWARD KEEPING THEIR RECALLED VEHICLES AND TO BE EXPOSED TO THE RISK TO SUFFER MAJOR INJURY OR DEATH. THE DEALER TOLD ME THAT THE RECALL RESOLUTION MAY TAKE MORE THAN ONE YEAR AND BROUGHT THE EXAMPLE THAT MOST OF THE BMW EMPLOYEES ARE KEEPING THEIR RECALLED VEHICLE. THE SOLUTION THAT THE DEALERS OFFER IS A LIMITED NUMBER OF LOANER VEHICLE (ONLY 10 IN THE CASE OF THE LARGEST DEALERS IN MIAMI) AND THEY HAVE ALREADY RUN OUT OF THEM. THE OTHER OPTION FOR THE CLIENT IS TO RENT A VEHICLE FROM A RENT-A-CAR COMPANY AND THE CLIENT WILL BE REIMBURSED OF THE EXPENSE UNDER A DAILY BUDGET WHEN THE RECALLED VEHICLE WILL BE REPAIRED. THIS MEANS THAT THE CLIENT WILL HAVE TO PAY BOTH LEASE/LOAN OF HIS/HER RECALLED VEHICLE AND THE RENTAL OF ANOTHER VEHICLE FOR PROBABLY ONE YEAR. THE MANUFACTURER IS PUTTING THE LIVES OF BWM DRIVERS AT RISK BY DISCHARGING THE RESPONSIBILITY TO SOLVE THE RECALL TO THE DEALERS THAT HAVE NO ENOUGH RESOURC
2013 BMW X1 Sav complaints
Owner reports filed with NHTSA about this vehicle, newest first and reproduced as filed. They are unverified accounts: one proves nothing, and a pattern across many is the thing worth reading. Back to the full 2013 record →
TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 BMW X1 SAV. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V071000 (AIR BAGS); HOWEVER, THE PART NEEDED TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.
SINCE I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE, I COMPLAINED TO BMW ABOUT A FILMY FOG COLLECTING INSIDE THR WINDSHIELD OF THE VEHICLE. YOU COULD THOROUGHLY CLEAN THE WINDSHIELD, AND WITHIN 2-3 DAYS, THE FILM WOULD RETURN. THIS WOULD CAUSE DIFFICULTY SEEING THROUGH THR WINDSHIELD, ESPECIALLY AT DUSK AND DAWN. I CLEANED MY WINDSHIELD CONTINUOUSLY FOR APPX 1.5 YEARS, ALL THE WHILE COMPLAINING TO MY DEALER AND BMW CORPORATE. I WAS TOLD NUMEROUS TIMES THAT THERE WAS NO WAY TO MEASURE HOW MUCH BUILDUP ON A WINDSHIELD CAUSED A SAFETY HAZARD, SO THERE WAS NO RECALL OR ANYTHING BMW COULD OR WOULD . SINCE I MAINLY DRIVE AT THISE HOURS, IT WAS A DAILY ISSUE FOR ME. SO, WITH RELUCTANCE WE WERE FORCED TO LOSE MONEY AND TRADE THE VEHICLE IN FOR ANOTHER BRAND.........AFTER NUMEROUS ATTEMPTS TO HAVE BMW TO LOOK INTO THE ISSUE.
WROTE LAST YEAR TO EXPLAIN THAT DUE TO FOG/FILM GATHERING ON THE INTERIOR WINDSHIELD, VISIBILITY WAS REDUCED. SINCE THAT TIME, VISIBILITY HAS BEECOME SEVERELY LIMITED AND, BECAUSE THIS FOG/FILM COULD NOT BE REMOVED, WE HAD THE SUBSTANCE TESTED. BIS(2-ETHYLHEXYL) PHTHALATE (DEHP) WAS FOUND. THIS TEST WAS DONE IN FEBRUARY 2015 AND CONFINED TO THE DRIED ON SUBSTANCE. THE FOG/FILM CONTINUES TO LEAK INTO THE CABIN AND FURTHER TESTING WILL BE DONE TO DETERMINE IF THERE ARE ADDITIONAL SUBSTANCES DETECTED.
BMW X1 LEASED IN MAY 2013: SDRIVE 28I *1ST DEFECT NOTICED: NAV SCREEN & INTERIOR LIGHTING WOULD CUT OFF. COULD NOT BE RESTARTED.CONTINUED THROUGHOUT THE OTHER DEFECTS/*ENGINE FAILURE AT HWY SPEEDS:GENERALLY FOLLOWING NAVIGATION BLACK-OUTS- ENGINE, WITHOUT WARNING, CUT OFF WHILE TRAVELING DOWN THE INTERSTATE. /*ENGINE FAILURE WITH FULL ELECTRICAL & LIGHTING FAILURE- NO POWER STEERING- NIGHT TIME/*AUTO START STOP-VEHICLE WOULD NOT RESTART WHEN DEPRESSING THE BRAKES IN TRAFFIC/*UNPROMPTED ACCELERATION /*BRAKE FAILURE 100% /*GEAR SHIFTER WOULD NOT REMAIN IN SELECTED P, D, N, R UPON SELECTION/*GEAR SHIFTER-"RANDOMLY" SHIFT INTO OTHER GEAR SELECTIONS WHILE DRIVING AT ALL SPEEDS./*POWER SURGES- VEHICLE WOULD RANDOMLY CHARGE THEN NOT CHARGE IPHONE ( COMPATIBLE MODEL) / WOULD ALSO SEND POWER SURGES TO HEATED SEATS WHEN NOT ON, HEATED SEAT BUTTON NOT LIT UP- WOULD CAUSE SEATS TO BECOME EXTREMELY HOT TO WHERE, IF I COULDN'T EXIT THE VEHICLE, I WOULD HAVE TO TURN ON THE AIR (WOULD ONLY BLOW HOT AIR DURING SURGE) AND SIT ON JACKET./*ENGINE LIGHT ALWAYS ON/*VEHICLE WOULD SPELL OF "BURNING"/*POWER SEATS- RANDOMLY STOP WORKING/*HEADLIGHTS/FOG LIGHTS- RANDOMLY BLEW OUT SHORTLY AFTER LEASING/*VEHICLE WIPERS (FRONT AND REAR)- WOULDN'T WORK "TOGETHER"- WOULD SOMETIMES HIT EACH OTHER DURING HEAVY RAIN/*LOSS OF GPS ALONGSIDE RANDOM CURRENT LOCATION FAILURE(WOULD SAY I WAS IN KANSAS, CA, ETC. WHILE I WAS IN GEORGIA.- DIRECTIONS INTO DEAD ENDS/ NON- EXISTENT ROADS/*BLUETOOTH FAILURE CONSTANTLY/*REAR
I STARTED THE ENGINE, THE CAR STARTED SHAKING AND: "ENGINE MALFUNCTION: REDUCED ENGINE POWER. SAFE TO CONTINUE, DRIVE WITH CAUTION. PLEASE TAKE VEHICLE TO NEAREST SERVICE CENTER." I OPENED THE HOOD AND THE ENGINE WAS CLEARLY SHAKING PERIODICALLY. I CALLED A FRIEND AND THEY SAID IT MIGHT BE AN INJECTION PROBLEM, AMONG SEVERAL OTHER POTENTIAL ISSUES. I DECIDED TO DRIVE IT ON THE HIGHWAY TO TRY AND GET TO THE NEAREST BMW DEALERSHIP (45 MILES AWAY), AND AFTER ABOUT 10 MILES (GOING ABOUT 50 MPH) IT GOT REALLY BAD. IT STARTED TO SHAKE SO MUCH I HAD TO PULL OVER QUICKLY - AS A PRECAUTIONARY MEASURE, I STAYED IN THE RIGHT LANE KNOWING THAT I MIGHT HAVE TO PULL OVER. I COULD HAVE EASILY GOTTEN INTO AN ACCIDENT WERE I IN THE LEFT OR MIDDLE LANES BECAUSE OF THE DRASTIC REDUCTION IN SPEED. I THEN GOT THE CAR TOWED TO THE NEAREST DEALERSHIP (BMW OF WEST SPRINGFIELD, MA), AND THEY TOLD ME IT HAD A FAULTY INJECTOR AND SO THEY REPLACED ALL OF THEM. I ASKED THEM WHY THE FUEL INJECTORS FAILED - THEY SAID: "SOMETIMES YOU JUST GET A BAD CAR OUT OF THE BATCH." TODAY, I GOT BACK IN THE CAR AND THE SAME PROBLEM HAPPENED AGAIN. IT STARTED SHAKING BADLY, ENGINE MALFUNCTION ERROR, ETC. I HAD IT TOWED TO BMW OF MANHATTAN. ONE OF THE SERVICE REPS OVER THERE SAID, WHEN ASKED HOW THIS COULD HAPPEN AGAIN, SAID THAT "SOMETIMES INJECTORS FAIL OUT OF THE BOX. WE'LL SEND THE PARTS TO GERMANY AND THEY'LL DISSECT THEM TO FIND OUT WHAT HAPPENED." BMW OF MANHATTAN IS CURRENTLY REPLACING ALL FUEL INJECTORS AND SPAR
PROBLEM DETECTED AUGUST 2013. CREEPING STICKY-FOG ACROSS LOWER PORTION OF WINDSHIELD WHICH WAS "DIAGNOSED" MARCH-JUNE 2014 AS FUMES RESULTING FROM GLUE AND SUBSTANCES ON/IN DASH, SEATS, ETC.,INTERIOR VEHICLE COMPARTMENT. BEGAN IN AUGUST 2013 AS "FOG" ON PASSENGER SIDE WINDSHIELD. EVENTUALLY SPREAD TO DRIVER'S SIDE, OBSTRUCTING DRIVING VISIBILITY. BMW ENGINEER TOLD SERVICE MANAGER AT MY DEALERSHIP, 6/17/14, ALL VEHICLES PURCHASED IN US, PAST YEAR, HAVE SAME SUBSTANCES AND RESULTING VAPORS. BESIDES VISIBILITY ISSUES, I NEED TO KNOW IF THESE "FUMES" ARE A HEALTH RISK! BMW ENGINEER BLAMED THE CONTINUED VISIBILITY/VAPOR ISSUE ON ME-OWNER/DRIVER BECAUSE VEHICLE NOT PARKED IN A GARAGE AND VEHICLE HAS LOW MILEAGE. COULD NOT STATE IF FUMES/VAPORS WERE TOXIC. *TR
ON 4/26/14 THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT OF THIS VEHICLE WAS STUCK IN A RETRACTED POSITION. DRIVER WAS UNABLE TO PULL SEAT BELT OUT OF RETRACTED POSITION TO USE. CONTACTED BMW ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE AND WAS TOLD THAT ANY MALFUNCTION WITH THE SEAT BELT WAS A SERIOUS SAFETY CONCERN AND THAT VEHICLE SHOULD NOT BE OPERATED. REQUESTED THAT WE TRY PULLING HARDER ON THE SEAT BELT, DRIVER APPLIED WHAT HE FELT WAS ENOUGH FORCE TO POTENTIALLY BREAK THE LOCKING MECHANISM, THE SEAT BELT RELEASED. NO FURTHER ISSUES THAT EVENING. NEXT DAY, 4/27/14, THE SEAT BELT WARNING LIGHT AND AUDIBLE ALARM CONTINUED TO SOUND AFTER THE SEAT BELT WAS ENGAGED. SEAT BELT WAS TAKEN OFF AND ALLOWED TO RETRACT AND THEN REBUCKLED, WARNING LIGHT AND AUDIBLE ALARM CONTINUED TO SOUND AFTER THE SEAT BELT WAS ENGAGED. CAR WAS TURNED OFF AND THEN ON AGAIN. SAME SITUATION. DROVE TO DEALER AND LEFT CAR TO HAVE ISSUE ADDRESSED WHEN DEALER OPENED ON MONDAY. DEALER WAS UNABLE TO REPLICATE ISSUES, INSTRUCTED LEASE HOLDERS TO PICK UP VEHICLE WITH NO CORRECTION OF ISSUE MADE. LEASE HOLDERS REFUSED, CALLED BMW NORTH AMERICA TO SEE IF THEY WOULD INTERVENE, AS LEASE HOLDERS WERE AFRAID TO OPERATE VEHICLE WITH MALFUNCTIONING SEAT BELT. BMW NORTH AMERICA ALSO INDICATED VEHICLE SHOULD BE PICKED UP. AFTER SEVERAL CONVERSATIONS WITH SERVICE ADVISOR AND THEN A LAWYER, ASKED THAT THE VEHICLE BE KEPT FOR A FEW MORE DAYS OF TESTING OR THAT THE LEASE BE TERMINATED BECAUSE LEASE HOLDERS DID NOT FEEL IT WOULD BE SAFE TO OPERATE. AFTER THIS REQ
RECALL NO 13V-454 BRAKES/VACUUM PUMP OIL SUPPLY MY COMPLAINT CONCERNS THE FAILURE OF BMW TO COMPLETE ITS LEGAL OBLIGATION TO REPAIR MY VEHICLE (AND ABOUT 76000 OTHERS APPARENTLY) UNDER RECALL NO 13V-454. I RECEIVED A LETTER IN DECEMBER (DATED NOVEMBER 2012) INFORMING ME THAT MY VEHICLE WAS BEING RECALLED AS PART OF THIS CAMPAIGN TO FIX A POTENTIALLY SERIOUS BRAKE PROBLEM. THE LETTER INDICATED THAT WE WOULD BE TOLD WHEN TO BRING THE CAR IN FOR REPAIRS. TO DATE, I HAVE RECEIVED NO ADDITIONAL INFORMATION FROM BMW NA. I HAVE CALLED BOTH MY LOCAL DEALER AND BMW NA, BUT SO FAR HAVE RECEIVED NO ANSWER TO MY QUESTIONS. I'M FILING THIS COMPLAINT ON BEHALF OF ALL AFFECTED OWNERS WHO HAVE NOT HAD THEIR VEHICLES REPAIRED/CHECKED AND WHO HAVE APPARENTLY NOT RECEIVED ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION FROM BMW. BMW HAS A RESPONSIBILITY TO COMPLETE THE REPAIRS IN A TIMELY MANNER AND IF NEED BE REPLACE THE DEFECTIVE N20/N60 CAMSHAFT WITHOUT FURTHER DELAY, IF THEY CANNOT PROVIDE DEALERS WITH A LESS EXPENSIVE REPAIR SOLUTION. BRAKE DEFECTS SHOULD BE REPAIRED IN A TIMELY MANNER (I NOTE THAT BMW REPLACED CAMSHAFTS IN MANY VEHICLES SLATED FOR SALE LAST SUMMER). BMW KNEW ABOUT THIS PROBLEM LAST SUMMER, ISSUED A RECALL IN SEPTEMBER 2012 AND YET STILL HAS NOT REPAIRED THE VEHICLES IN QUESTION. I'M FORMALLY ASKING BMW TO OPEN AN INVESTIGATION OF THE MATTER AND DO WHAT IT IS NECESSARY TO MAKE SURE THAT THE VEHICLES UNDER RECALL ARE REPAIRED BEFORE THERE IS A SERIOUS ACCIDENT. BMW HAS IDENTIFIED THE PROBLEM. P
AFTER REPLACE BRAND NEW TIRE FROM BMW OF ROCKVILLE MD, EVERYDAY I DROVE TO WORK THE CAR VARIATION WILL INCREMENT LITTLE BY LITTLE. I HAVE CONTACT BMW OF ROCKVILLE MD AND BMW NORTH AMERICAN CASE #[XXX]. BOTH BMW OF ROCKVILLE MD AND BMW NORTH AMERICAN STATED HAVE TO WAITING UNTIL THE INCIDENT HAPPEN OR BECOME WORSE ISSUES IN ORDER TO FIX IT. THE STEPS I DID AT THE BMW OF ROCKVILLE MD REPLACE 4 BRAND NEW TIRE 4 WHEEL ALIGNMENT TIRE BALANCING AND ROTATION RAM TEST. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
I WAS GOING 50 MPH ON THE SAWMILL PARKWAY. THERE WAS A RED LIGHT AHEAD AND I TOUCHED THE BRAKES TO STOP. THE CAR DID NOTHING SO I PUSHED HARDER ON THE PEDAL. IT TOOK A LOT OF STRENGTH TO BRING THE CAR TO A STOP. I CONTINUED 20 MINUTES TO MY GARAGE IN MANHATTAN WITH NO INCIDENT. I ARRIVED HOME TO FIND A RECALL LETTER FROM BMW INFORMING ME OF A POSSIBLE PROBLEM WITH THE POWER BRAKES: "RECALL CAMPAIGN NO. 13V-454: VACUUM PUMP OIL SUPPLY". WHEN I CALLED THE DEALER THEY HAD NO IDEA OF THIS RECALL. WHEN I GO ON BMW'S WEBSITE AND INPUT MY VIN, IT SAYS THERE ARE NO RECALLS. THE LETTER FROM BMW STATES, "IF YOU NOTICE A DECREASE OF POWER BRAKE ASSIST, DO NOT CONTINUE TO DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE". THE LETTER ALSO STATES THAT THERE ARE NO PARTS YET IN THIS COUNTRY TO REPAIR THE PROBLEM. WHEN I PHONE THE NUMBER TO CONTACT BMW REGARDING THIS MATTER, THERE IS A RECORDING THAT TALKS ABOUT A "BRAKE LIGHT" PROBLEM WITH THE X5 AND NOTHING ABOUT THE BRAKES OF THE X1. MY DEALER TOWED THE CAR AND GAVE ME ANOTHER X1 AS A LOANER. WHEN I INQUIRED IF THE LOANER WAS ALSO PART OF THE RECALL, THEY COULD NOT ANSWER MY QUESTION. THE FACT THAT BMW KNOWS THERE IS A PROBLEM BUT HAS NOT INFORMED THEIR DEALERS IS RIDICULOUS. ALSO RIDICULOUS IS THE LACK OF INFORMATION COMING FROM GERMANY REGARDING THIS RECALL. *TR
THE BRAKES POWER ASSIST FAILED WHILE APPROACHING A STOP SIGN IN A LOW SPEED RESIDENTIAL AREA. BRAKES REQUIRED MORE EFFORT BUT THEY DID EVENTUALLY GRAB, ALTHOUGH NOT BEFORE MOMENTUM CARRIED THE VEHICLE PARTIALLY INTO CROSS-TRAFFIC. AN ALERT DRIVER SOUNDED HIS/HER HORN AND SWERVED SLIGHTLY TO AVOID ME. TO DATE THIS WAS A ONE-TIME INCIDENT, BUT I HAVE BEEN KEEPING UNNECESSARY DRIVING TO A MINIMUM. UPON LEARNING THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH MY MODEL AND THAT A RECALL IS PENDING, I CONTACTED THE LOCAL DEALER WHO INFORMED ME THERE IS NOTHING HE CAN DO UNTIL A FORMAL RECALL IS ISSUED. I'M DISAPPOINTED THAN AN ISSUE AS SERIOUS AS BRAKES ISN'T SUFFICIENT FOR BMW TO PARK AFFECTED MODELS AND PROVIDE LOANERS OR RENTALS UNTIL A RESOLUTION IS FOUND AND IMPLEMENTED. *TR
BMW X1 28I. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO VEHICLE DEFECTIVE AIR BAG SYSTEM. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED A CARELESS DRIVER RAN A STOP SIGN AND SHE AND THE OTHER DRIVER HIT EACH PERPENDICULARLY AT MODERATE TO HIGH SPEED. SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE WAS DONE TO BOTH VEHICLES. THE CONSUMER STATED SHE WAS DRIVING 30 MPH, AND NONE OF THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. THE VEHICLE WAS DECLARED TOTALED. *JB
2013 BMW X1. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO SPONTANEOUS SHATTERING OF SUN ROOF IN VEHICLE. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED AS HE WAS MAKING A RIGHT TURN, THE SUN ROOF SUDDENLY FELL APART IN TINY FRAGMENTS OF GLASS ALL OVER HIS SEAT, FLOOR, CLOTHING AND SKIN. NOTHING HIT THE CAR, THERE WERE NO ENVIRONMENTAL INTERFERENCES SUCH AS TRESS, OR ANYTHING ELSE THAT WOULD IMPEDED, CONSTRICT OR IN ANY WAY COME IN CONTACT WITH THE VEHICLE.
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NHTSA publishes every complaint as the owner wrote it and investigates only a fraction. Spelling, capitalisation and judgement are the filer’s own. What carries weight is repetition: the same component failing the same way across many filings, and whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.
Full record for the 2013 BMW X1 Sav → · Every X1 Sav year → · How the figures are calculated →