2001 BMW X5 complaints

FAILURE OF PASSENGER DOOR WIRING HARNESS, CONNECTIONS WERE CORRODED, CAUSING THE DOOR TO STOP FUNCTIONING I.E. DOOR OPENING, DOOR LOCK, WINDOW WOULD NOT WORK. THE DOOR HAD PREVIOUSLY BEEN REPAIRED FOR A BROKEN DOOR LOCK HANDLE. THERE WERE 3-X5'S AT THE SHOP WITH SAME PROBLEM THAT WEEK.*AK

DRIVER DOOR WOULD NOT CLOSE/LATCH IN WEATHER OF 25 DEGREES. DOOR FINALLY CLOSED, BUT HANDLE WOULD NOT OPEN THE DOOR. LATCH/MECHANISM IN DOOR FROZEN. WEATHER WARMED UP TO OVER 32F AND THE DOOR FINALLY OPENED.*AK

NORMAL DRIVING, RADIATOR RESERVOIR CRACKED DURING NORMAL DRIVING, LEAKING VERY HOT RADIATOR FLUID, CAUSING SMOKING, STOPPED VEHICLE, AND HAD IT TOWED. *AK

VEHICLE EXPERIENCED UNEXPECTED ACCELERATION. CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO ACCELERATE LIKE A ROCKET. CONSUMER SUSTAINED BURNS VEHICLE CRASHED INTO WALL. *AK THE CONSUMER RECEIVED BURNS ON RIGHT FROM BLACK POWDER UNKNOWN FROM WHERE IT ORIGINATED FROM. HAND WAS NEAR THE CRUISE CONTROL. *TC

FUEL TANK LEAKING. TOOK TO DEALERSHIP. NEEDED FUEL TANK AND LINES REPLACED. OVER $4,000 IN REPAIRS FOR A 2001? ASKED ABOUT RECALL ON FUEL TANKS TSB 165200.. SAID DOES NOT PERTAIN TO MY VEHICLE. WHATEVER?*AK

STEERING COLUMN BINDS WHEN TURNING IN EITHER DIRECTION. *AK THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TOT THE DEALER WHO DETERMINED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS OPERATING WITHIN SPECS. *NM

CONSUMER NOTICED FUEL LEAKING FROM UNDERNEATH THE FUEL TANK. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK

WHILE DRIVING 10 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE DRIVER TRIED TO RESTART BUT WAS UNABLE TO START. THE DRIVER NOTICED THAT THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT FLASHED ON THEN OFF. THE DRIVER HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE MECHANIC INFORMED THE DRIVER THAT THE ENGINE NEEDED REPLACING DUE TO HEAD GASKET FAILURE. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. *JB

CONSUMER STATED VEHICLE MADE A GRINDING NOISE NEAR THE FRONT LEFT AREA. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A MECHANIC, WHO DETERMINED THAT THERE WAS SOMETHING LOOSE IN THE FRONT END. *AK

THE CONSUMER PARKED AND TURN THE VEHICLE OFF. AFTER EXITING THE VEHICLE THE CONSUMER TURNED AROUND AND NOTICED SMOKING COMING FROM THE STEERING WHEEL. THE CONSUMER THEN RE-ENTER THE VEHICLE AND THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED. THIS RESULTED IN THE CONSUMER HAVING A CONTUSION, EYE ABRASION AND 2 DISC IN THEIR NECK. *MR

VEHICLE WAS PARKED, CONSUMER STARTED UP THE VEHICLE, AND IT DID NOT NOT MOVE. CONSUMER HAD VEHICLE TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC PLACED THE VEHICLE ON THE DIAGNOSTIC MACHINE. MECHANIC COULD NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK

2001 BMW X5 4.4I V8 ENGINE HAS A DEFECTIVE OIL SEPARATOR. THIS DEVICE IS DESIGNED TO RELEASE INTERNAL ENGINE PRESSURE. IN COLD CLIMATES THE UNIT FREEZE'S UP AND DOES NOT RELEASE PRESSURE. THE RESULT IS THE ENGINE OIL COMES OUT THE TOP SIDE ENGINE OIL CAP AND/OR THE DIPSTICK. THIS CAUSES A VERY HIGH POTENTIAL FIRE RISK AS WELL AS A COMPLETE ENGINE SIEZE CONDITION FROM LOSS OF OIL. WHEN THIS HAPPENED TO ME THE OUTSIDE TEMPERATURE WAS -14 F AND IF MY FREIND DID NOT HAVE HIS VEHICLE CLOSE BY, MY FAMILY WOUILD HAVE FROZE.*AK

2001 AND LATER BMW X5'S HAVE A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH THE OIL SEPARATOR FREEZING IN VERY COLD WEATHER, CAUSING THE ENGINE TO SIEZE SUDDENLY. THIS IS A MAJOIR ISSUE BMW NEEDS TO RECALL!!!

I TOOK DELIVERY OF MY NEW X5 4.4, ON AUGUST 28, 2000. THERE WERE LIGHT BROWN SPOTS ON THE ENTIRE VEHICLE. BECAUSE OF THE LATE HOUR IN THE EVENING, I WAS TOLD THAT I COULD BRING THE CAR BACK AT MY CONVENIENCE TO BE CLEANED. I DID THIS AND MANY OF THE SPOTS WERE REMOVED. UNFORTUNATELY THE SPOTS BETWEEN THE PANELS COULD NOT BE REMOVED. I TRIED TO HAVE THE CAR PRIVATELY DETAILED (AS I USUALLY DO) AND THE DETAILER SAID THAT HE COULD NOT GET BETWEEN THE PANELS TO REMOVE ALL OF THE SPOTS. THE ORIGINAL SPOTS WERE GONE ON MOST OF THE CAR, AND NEW SPOTS APPEARED. THIS HAS BEEN A CRONIC PROBLEM. THE SPOTS CAN FOR THE MOST PART BE REMOVED, BUT THEY DO COME BACK AND IF THEY ARE NOT REMOVED THEY GROW LARGER AND IN SOME CASES DARKER. BMW OF NORTH AMERICA HAS SENT THE REGIONAL REP TO LOOK AT MY CAR AND HE (STEVE) DEEMED IT AND EXTERNAL FACTOR. POSSIBLY ROAD TAR. IT WAS DELIVERED TO ME WITH SPOTS, AND THERE WERE SPOTS EVERYWHERE ON THE VEHICLE. MOST ARE REMOVABLE, BUT THEY COME BACK AND GROW. RANGE ROVER HAD A RUST PROBLEM ON THEIR VEHICLES AND THEY COULD NOT FIX THE PROBLEM, THEY REPLACED THE VEHICLE. BMW IS IGNORING THE PROBLEM. PLEASE EMAIL ME IF YOU HAVE A SIMILAR DEFECT ON YOUR BMW ([email protected])

STEERING COLUMN WAS REPAIRED FIVE TIMES DUE TO STEERING STICKING OR BINDING IN POSITION.*AK *MR

FRONT TURN SIGNAL SOCKET FAILURE. FIRST THE RIGHT SIDE FAILED, THEN A FEW WEEKS LATER THE LEFT. DEALER SAYS THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM. THE UNITS SHOULD BE REPLACED VIA RECALL ON ALL AFFECTED VEHICLES SINCE THIS IS A LEGALLY REQUIRED SAFETY FEATURE. *LA

CONSUMER CALLED COMPLAINING ABOUT REAR BRAKE LIGHTS STAYING ON ALL THE TIME. BRAKE LIGHTS WOULD STAY ON ,AND CONSUMER WAS ALMOST REAR ENDED THREE TIMES.MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED, AND STATED THAT THEY COULD NOT FIND THE CAUSE OF PROBLEM, BUT WILL STILL TRY TO FIND IT. *AK *TS

CONSUMER STATED HER VEHICLE HAS CAUGHT FIRE TWICE, AND IT LOCKED HER INSIDE. SHE ALSO STATED THAT HER AUX. FAN WAS THE CAUSE OF THE FIRES. SHE STATED THE FAN WAS CHANGED 4 TIMES. IT WAS TOLD TO HER AND HER HUSBAND THAT THESE WERE ELECTRICAL FIRES. SHE STATED THAT SHE HAD AN APPOINTMENT WITH THE CUSTOMER SVC REP OF BMW, AND THEIR SVC REP THE FOLLOWING WEEK TO TRY TO FIX HER VEHICLE. *PH

ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS. SUCH AS RIGHT REAR BRAKE LIGHT KEEPS GOING OUT AND VEHICLE BRAKES FEEL LIKE THIER NOT STOPPING, LEFT TURN SIGNAL FAST, STEERING WHEEL DOESN'T EXTEND FULLY, DURING WINTER MONTHS THE FRONT AND REAR THERMOSTAT DO NOT WORK. DOOR HANDLES FREEZES. *AK

ABS BRAKE SYSTEM PROBLEM. WHILE DRIVING A NOISE WAS HEARD WHEN BRAKING. ABS LIGHT ILLUMINATED EVEN AFTER THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN FIXED BY THE DEALER. THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING FOR ABOUT A YEAR AND A HALF. VEHICLE HAS BEEN TO THE DEALER SIX TIMES. *AK

WHILE DRIVING, A SPRING FELL OUT FROM THE BRAKE PEDAL AREA. *JB

NAR 04/28/2003. MR IN THE COLD WEATHER THE DOOR FREEZES UP MAKING IT IMPOSSIBLE TO SECURE THE DOOR SHUT. *CB

WHILE TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY THE STEP LADDER IS ELECTRONIC. IT PROVIDES THE MOTION TO THE VEHICLE. PLEASE FILL IN ADDITIONAL INFORMATION DEALER IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM.

THE DEALERSHIP REFUSED TO HONOR RECALL # 03 V 001 000. REGARDING THE BRAKE LINE. *JB

THE WIRE HARNESS FAILED, WHICH CAUSED THE CONSUMER TO PULL OVER. *JB

THE DOOR LOCKS FAILED.*JB

DRIVER'S SEAT HEATER MALFUNCTIONED. I FIRST NOTICED A BURNING ODOR AND ULTIMATELY FOUND 2 SCORCH MARKS IN THE LEATHER...1 ON EACH SIDE OF THE SEAT BACK NEAR THE BASE. THE MARKS WERE DARK BROWN AND HARD (FROM THE DRIED LEATHER). *JB

VEHICLE WAS "TOTALED" DUE TO A COLLISION, BY ANOTHER VEHICLE ON PASSENGER'S SIDE OF CONSUMER'S CAR. CONSUMER'S VEHICLE WAS TRAVELING APPROXIMATELY 40-50MPH AT TIME OF IMPACT. PASSENGER "SIDE AIR BAG" DID NOT DEPLOY. HOWEVER, THE DRIVER'S FRONT, SIDE AND PASSENGER FRONT AIR BAGS DID DEPLOY.*AK

WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AT 55 MPH, CONSUMER WAS EXITING. THE STEERING WHEEL FREE WHEELED WITH VEHICLE CONTINUING FORWARD. PRIOR TO THIS INCIDENT, THERE WAS A SQUEAKING NOISE FROM THE STEERING WHEEL, BUT THE DEALERSHIP KEPT LUBRICATING THE WHEELS. TS

EXTERNAL MIRRORS WILL INTERMITTANTLY WONDER IN ANY DIRECTION AT ANY SPEED. BMW CAN NOT FIX THEM. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE. DT

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE, CONSUMER STATES THERE IS A VIBRATION IN STEERING WHEEL. VEHICLE WILL STALL ON THE HIGHWAY, AND CONSUMER FEELS HER FAMILY IS NOT SAFE. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY INFORMATION. TS

CONSUMER STATES WHILE IN REVERSE THE VEHICLE UNEXPECTANTLY ACCELERATED AND RESULTING INTO A VEHICLE COLLISION. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFED . VEHICLE WAS ALSO INSPECTED BY THE DEALER ON SEVERAL OCCASION PRIOR TO THIS INCIDENT. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.

CONSUMER STATES A PROBLEM EXISTED WHERE THE VEHCLE WOULD SUDDENLY CUT OFF WHEN IN A TURN AND WHEN FIRST STARTING. THE FAN BLOWER MOTOR AND THE COOLANT THERMOSTAT HAD TO BE REPLACED TO CORRECT IMPROPER HEATER OPERATION. *TT

RECALL ON ENGINE COOLING FAN WAS DONE. VEHICLE HAS BEEN TAKEN BACK TO DEALER 4 TIMES BECAUSE OF STALLING AND SMOKING. DEALER UNABLE TO REMEDY THE PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.*AK

DSC, BRAKES, ABS, CHECK ENGINE LIGHTS ON. VEHICLE LOSES POWER, ENTERS LIMP MODE.

VEHICLE WAS PARKED, THEN SAW THAT HATCBACK WINDOW HAS SHATTERED. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK

TRANSMISSION CHIP KEEPS FAILING, CAUSING TRANSMISSION TO LOOSE FIRST, SECOND THE FIFTH GEARS. VEHICLE HAS BEEN TAKEN TO DEALER 4 TIMES FOR THIS PROBLEM. *AK *SCC

QUOTE FROM DEALER'S REPAIR NOTES: "DRIVERS HEATED SEAT BECAME VERY HOT, BURNING ODER IN VEHICLE, BACK OF SEAT WAS VERY HOT AND LEATHER WAS BURNED". WIFE WAS DRIVING AT TIME. SEAT WAS VERY HOT TO TOUCH,SHE HAD SKIN BURN SENSATION. WE WERE TOLD THAT THERE HAVE BEEN OTHER SIMILAR FAILURES, AND WERE FORTUNATE THAT SITUATION WAS NOT WORSE BUT FEEL VERY STRONGLY THAT BMW SHOULD HAVE ADDRESSED THIS PROACTIVELY, NOT ON THE AD-HOC BASIS THAT SEEMS TO BE ITS POLICY.*AK

THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE WINDOWS RATTLE WHEN GOING UP DUE TO WINDOW REGULATOR FAILURE. *YH

THE VEHICLE ROLLED BACKWARDS FROM SECURELY PARKED PLACE AND STRUCK PARKED VEHICLES DUE TO PARKING BRAKE FAILURE. *YH

DRIVING ON THE EXIT RAMP FROM FDR DRIVE TO THE 49TH STREET EXIT, WHEN SUDDENLY... ALL AIR BAGS ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE BEGAN TO POP. FRONT, REAR, 5 IN ALL. NO ACCIDENT. DID NOT HIT ANYTHING. NO APPARENT/OBVIOUS REASON. CAR GROUND TO A HALT; WILL NOT MOVE - RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD. CAR WAS PUSHED ASIDE TO ALLOW OTHERS TO PASS. CONTACTED BMW ROAD ASSISTANCE. CAR WAS TOWED TO BMW OF MANHATTAN. THEY ARE LOOKING IT OVER, AND WILL TELL ME THEIR FINDINGS. CURSORY INSPECTIONS SUGGESTS NOTHING COULD HAVE CAUSED IT. NO SCRATCHES, NO BUMPS, NO NICKS, NO NOTHING! ARRRRRGH! NLM

THE RIGHT SIDE MIRROR IS SUPPOSED TO TILT DOWNWARD WHEN THE CAR IS PUT IN REVERSE, TO AID THE DRIVER IN BACKUP OF THE CAR. WHEN THE CAR IS PLACED IN FORWARD GEAR, THE MIRROR IS SUPPOSED TO MOVE IN THE FORWARD DRIVING DIRECTION. THE PROBLEM IS THAT EITHER THE RIGHT MIRROR DOES NOT MOVE BACK TO THE FRONT DRIVING POSITION AND/OR THE DRIVER SIDE MIRROR ALSO MOVES, WHEN IT IS NOT SUPPOSED TO AT ALL. THUS, YOU MUST THEN USE THE BUTTONS TO ADJUST EACH MIRROR WHEN YOU TRY TO DRIVE FORWARD. SOMETIMES YOU FORGET TO DO THIS AND DRIVE FORWARD AND REALIZE ONCE IN THE STREAM OF TRAFFIC, THE MIRROR(S) ARE IN A DANGEROUS POSITION BECAUSE THEY DON'T LET YOU SEE BEHIND YOU. THIS IS ESPECIALLY HARD IN PARALLEL PARKING IN TRAFFIC. BMW HAS KNOWN OF THIS PROBLEM IN ITS CARS FOR 18 MONTHS AS SHOWN IN THEIR PRINTOUT TO ME. THE DEALER SAID AT LEAST 10 OF THEIR CARS HAVE THIS PROBLEM AND BMW DOESN'T KNOW HOW TO FIX IT AFTER 18 MONTHS. BMW SAID THEY COULD TOTALLY DEACTIVATE THE MIRRORS, BUT THEN THEY COULD NOT BE ADJUSTED FOR A DRIVER OF DIFFERENT HEIGHT, ALSO LEADING TO A DANGEROUS SITUATION. I WROTE THE PRESIDENT OF BMW AND THEY SAID THEY ARE LOOKING INTO IT, BUT AFTER 18 MONTHS, THEY EITHER CAN'T FIX IT OR WON'T SPEND THE MONEY TO FIND OUT HOW TO FIX IT.*AK

THER VEHICLE CANNOT BE SAFE IN ICY CONDITION BECAUSE SNOW CHAINS CANNOT BE FITTED ON THE VEHICLE. THE DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM.

FAILS TO START AFTTER MULTIPLE STOPS AND HOT ENGINE ON SEVERAL OCCATIONS EVEN AFTER TWO REPAIR AT SEATTLE BMW DEALER. FAILURE LAST FROM 2 -40 MINUTES WITH MULTIPLE ATTEMPTS TO START. TAILGATE REMOTE LOCATED "ON KEY" OPENS TAILGATE AT TOUCH ATTEMPT TO START OR BUNP ON KEY. LETTER TO BMW DATED 1/6/02*AK

RECALL 01 V 206 003/ENGINE AUXILIARY COOLING FAN: UNABLE TO GET DEALER ; GLOBAL IMPORT; ATLANTA, GA; PHONE# 770/951-9382 TO HONOR RECALL, PARTS WERE UNAVAILBLE. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

CONSUMER HAD JUST GOTTEN OUT OF VEHICLE WHEN FRONT END WAS SMOKING/SPARKS FLYING, AND ASHES COMING FROM ENGINE. DEALER DIAGNOSED AUXILLARY FAN AS THE CAUSE. VEHICLE WAS PART OF RECALL 01V20600, BUT CONSUMER DID NOT RECEIVE A NOTICE. *AK

TIRES WERE WEARING OUT PREMATURELY. DEALER NOTICED REAR SUSPENSION CONTROL ARM WAS BENT, CAUSING TIRES TO WEAR OUT PREMATURELY. DEALER REPLACED PART.*AK

MY AUX FAN IS NOT PART OF BMW'S CURRENT RECALL DUE TO FIRES HOWEVER, I DO HAVE THE "BAD" FAN AND IT IS SCHEDLUED TO BE REPLACED AS SOON AS THEY CAN GET A PART. MY CONCERN IS THAT BMW HAS NOT EXPANDED THE RECALL TO INCLUDE ALL VEHICLES WITH THE BAD FAN THAT STARTS FIRES UNDER THE HOOD.*AK

FUEL LEAKING FROM FUEL PUMP SEAL INTO PASSENGER'S COMPARTMENT AND OUTSIDE . PRIOR TO THE PROBLEM, DEALER REPLACED FUEL PUMP. SINCE THEN, DEALER HAS INSPECTED VEHICLE AND REPLACED FUEL TANK. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.*AK

THE VEHICLE LOOSES ALL POWER TO TRANSMISSION AND GOES INTO A NEUTRAL STATE CAUSING SUDDEN STOP ON ACCELERATION, THIS POSES A THREAT WHILE PASSING VEHICLES OR TURNING OUT NOT THE HIGHWAY. NLM