BMW

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BMW • Airbags • "Certified, pre-owned" BMWs • Cooling fan failure • Flaming seats • Flooded trunk • Paint problems • Steering failure • Transmission problems • Warranties • BMW Financial Services • Miscellaneous problems • 740 Series • 740 cell phones --- News • BMW Owners Suffer Reversal of Fortune • BMW Plans Price Hike • Transmission Failures Plague BMW Owners • New BMW to Burn Hydrogen and Gasoline • Gay Automotive Website Takes on BMW

Big Money Wasted? We think that's going a little far. The BMW is a great car -- if you like high-strung racing cars in street garb. Unfortunately, lots of everyday consumers buy these things thinking that because they're expensive, they must be reliable and trouble-free, which is about as far from the truth as Stuttgart is from Santa Monica.

All cars require maintenance and high-performance cars require lots and lots of very expensive routine maintenance. Also they're notorious for being afflicted with all kinds of exotic problems. If you're really into cars, understand them and are willing to lavish time, money and attention on one, the BMW may be for you. If you're looking to raise your self-esteem by buying something really expensive, we recommend real estate.

A few of the more recent complaints ...

Gwendolyn of BALTIMORE, MD November 20, 2009

When I select reverse. I must hit the brake and my car goes backward. I have always thought it was a safety feature.

anand of houston, TX November 2, 2009

I had taken my car for service to the dealership. They gave me a loaner vehicle as per their policies. The loaner vehicle is given to the customers as a free service and they dont have to pay for it. They have to sign the papers and use the insurance to cover for the same. On returning the loaner vehicle, I was told that the vehicle had a bubble in one tire and a nail in the other. The tires are run flat so they cannot be repaired.

The charges for changing the tires are almost 1000. I didnt argue as I understand it may have been my fault. The service representative mentioned that they see a lot of these every week. As many as 3 cars returned on a daily basis have the same problem. This was verified by the service manager over the phone. i recommended using different tires if the ones which they were using were so delicate but he didnt seem to agree.

I spoke to a colleague of mine and she ran into the same problem with them. This seems to be a good revenue stream for them. The tires are sold at a premium price at the dealership and labor is expensive there aswell. They can very easy clear the error on the car and rent the loaner out to other customers.

After driving for sometime, the error reappears as it is on a certain loss of pressure. Plus the bubble on the front tire couldnt be seen or noticed by me. But the dealership service representative who is an "EXPERT" could see the bubble. This is just a big scheme to ask inoocent people to pay for using the car without charging them upfront but using these cheap antics to swindle money from them when they return the car.

On speaking to the corporate office they asked me to complain to the highway authority about the road conditions. I would appreciate any help I can get from you or at the bare minimum request my case be registered and investigated further. I am willing to provide any additional information you may need on the same.

Mickael of stuart, FL October 29, 2009

I own a BMW E46 M3 SMGII CIC. It s a 2003 model with only 35000 miles on it. I brought my car in july 2009 with 33000 miles at the time for a service. They told me then that there was a recall on the DME software. They never told me that it was a voluntary recall for gas emissions. When I went to pick up the car,I noticed while driving that the car was lacking power, the engine was running different, and that sometimes the SMG transmission was suddenly refusing the shifting command.

I went back to the dealership 3 times, and they said to me that everything was normal, except maybe replacing the Air Mass sensor? I had my car diagnosed by a friend ( who is an engineer in designing race car engines, and computer mapping, he s also known worlwide and worked with the most prestigious sport car name), he told me that the car was running lean and will break down if proper action wasn t taken. I need to underline that everytime I was starting the car ( warm or cold engine, the RPM was surging, the RPM was raising up to 2000 RPM back to 1000, for about 45 sec before finally stabilizing to 1200 RPM on idle, while it was 900 RPM prior the recall)

I returned to the dealership asking for the removing of this software and have the old one put back. The answer was that BMW NA refuses to do so. Later on, while sitting at the redlight, the engine stalled on me. I restarted the car, and I noticed a loud noise and an engine shaking. I stopped the car and had it towed to the dealership. They diagnosed my car with an OVER-REV?

Well, the SMG II transmission doesnt allow you in any conditions to over rev the engine. I even sent them the technical data and design of the bmw SMG stating that over revving the engine is totally impossible. I requested a DME download in order to get the data of the engine, and how the engine was running at the time of the breakdown. It has been refused by BMW NA.

They then asked me the right to open the engine to diagnose the cause of the breakdown. They found a broken valve, at the guide, not at the mushroom, which proves that it wasn t an over rev.Had the head sent to a machine shop, that concluded that it wasn t an over rev as well, but had as an opinion that the car was running too lean or it was a defective valve. Now, after requesting the data from the computer of the car by BMW NA in order to define the cause of the breakdown, it is still being refused to me for the reason that the car is no longer under warranty.

So far, they cannot tell me why I have a broken valve! I talked with different technicians from different dealership, and they all told me the same thing. It s not an over rev, and or the valve was defective or the car was running too lean which caused the valve to get stuck in the guide and break down.

BMW NA offered me a discount to fix the car, which bring the bill to 6100.00 USD with a 45% discount, and even accepted to reload the old software to my surprise. Which will erase all the data in it and will then make the disappearance of the cause of the breakdown. Also, a lot of M3 owners complained of the behavior of their car since the recall.

I still after over a month no answer on the breakdown. They refused to let me speak with a real engineer. Their answer was you have a broken valve and we do not know why, but your car is no longer under warranty. I own a low milleage car, which has been maintained to the highest standards possible only by BMW. They have no idea about how the SMG work, have no clue about the system and cannot even answer you simple questions. All they do is lie to you and jerk you around.

I ended up calling BMW Germany for help. I do not understand when everyone is stating the causes of the breakdown, why BMW knowing that the answer is in the DME, why are they refusing to download it and read the cause. The DME will tell if the car was running lean, or any other causes.

A brand new engine cost 17000.00 USD, my bill for repairs is about 6100.00 USd including a discount otherwise it would had been about 10.000,00 USD. It doesn t make sense on a 35.000 miles car. The valves of this car cost about 200.00 USd each, and are sodium valves, made especially for high rev engines with a high tolerance to abuse. Then how can you get one broken valve while you are idling? BMW NA is refusing to find out the cause, and I am wondering how can you fix the car the proper way if you don t know why did it break down at the first place?

I have enough proofs showing that it was a computer mismanagement of the engine that induced a mechanical failure. This mismanagement started from the day they loaded a new software into the car. I have the statement of a lot of M3s owners complaining about the same problem as well.

Now, BMW is hidding behind the expired warranty, and refuses to give me a logical answer to the problem, all they are saying is you have a broken valve? why? they do not know? I don t buy it. I studied thermo-dynamics and mechanics, and I know that those parts don t break for no reason. But so far, no help on their side. I have a broken car and no reason why. I never received any written statement, nothing in my hands from BMW NA or the dealership up to today, after over a month.

I can proove that their is a problem with the software that manages the engine, but it s in the computer that they refuse to read. The machine shop recommanded to replace all the exhaust valves ( 200.00/each*12) Why if only one valve is broken, unless the valves are defective. And why accpeting to reload the old software back in the car? obviously, they do know that there is a problem with it. i am looking for help to fix this problem and that wall I am facing.

I can tell this, their supposely technicians don t even know the car or how the system work. I am shocked by the misrepresentation of a such good car and the lack of knowledge by their so called "technicians". The economic damage result is one month of stress, time spent on trying to fix the problem taking time on my work, i had to rescheddule an oversaeas trip 3 times, which cost me fees in changing my airfare ticket. waking up in the middle of the night to call BMW germany. And a car stuck at a dealership for over a month.Spent time and money on doing research. I m mentaly tired of the situation and it s affecting my job

SANDEEP of PLANO, TX October 27, 2009

I bought a 2006 Pre-owned Certified BMW 325 in June 2009 from Moritz BMW in Arlington, TX. So much for a Pre-Owned Certified and the premium I paid, the car has been in the shop 4 times in the past 4 months - broken vents, worn-our rubber molding, drive-shaft noise, replacement of actuator on front doors (the car would not lock or unlock).

The car currently has 48500 miles and I am dreading reaching 50000 miles when the warranty runs out (not sure how good the 100k mile pre-owned warranty will be, since it is exclusions). Regret my decision to switch from an 11 year old Maxima that never had any problems. First and last BMW for me and my family.

Vincent of Melkbosstrand, South Africa October 23, 2009

I took my vehicle (BMW 318i Executive E46) in to BMW Forsdicks Tyger Valley about 5 months ago as it was cutting out whilst driving and the battery light kept coming on. The vehicle also had a terrible sound coming from the engine. Forsdicks had my vehicle for the day and called me to say their is nothing wrong with it. They said they tested the alternator and the battery and picked up no faults. I collected the vehicle and left only to find the vehicle was still cutting out and the battery light was still going on and off.

The following day i called Forsdicks and spoke to the service agent who had assisted me (Geraldine Buchannon) and told her that there definately is a problem with the vehicle and what should i do, she then told me to book it in again or to DRIVE THE VEHICLE UNTIL IT COMPLETELY BREAKS DOWN. As the vehicle was cutting out more frequently i booked it in for a second time. After they inspected the vehicle the second time she contacted me and said they are not sure what the problem is and that the engine was making a terrible noise. She then told me that it would cost R550 per hour to strip the vehicle and diagnose the problem.

I then took my vehicle elsewhere for a second opinion. Due to the LACK OF SERVICE FROM FORSDICKS AND THE INCOMPETANT STAFF, I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE TENSIONER AS WELL AS THE RAILS AND CHAIN. Due to the worn tensioner not beeing replaced, the chain was stretched and the rails were damaged, further more is that it has caused damage to the intake varnos'd which had to be replaced as the vehicle was still making a noise.

It has costed me R17651.00 to repair my vehicle. This would never have caused damage to this extent should they have changed the tensioner in time. My vehicle is on 135313 km and have been told by the people who worked on my vehicle that this should have been done at 100,000km. They had to take the vehicle into Forsdicks to put on the computers to see why it was still making a noise, they told him it was the Varnos's and they also told him that this particular model came out with faulty timing tensioners.

I had a meeting with the service manager Clinton C. and he denies this. He also told me their was nothing he could do as i had it repaired elsewhere. I am seriously 1 UNHAPPY CUSTOMER and this will be the last time i EVER buy a BMW. They are great vehicles to drive but the service department is the WORST i have ever experienced. Should they have changed the timing tensioner in the first place it would have cost me no more than R2000-R3000. I feel BMW Forsdicks Tygervalley should be liable for the full amount or at least for the varnos's which cost R4000.00 each and i had to replace both.

jane of tell city, IN October 18, 2009

i have a 1987 bmw and tried to replace the tires for the 2nd time since my ownership and found that there is only one tire that will fit the european rims that came with the car (several years ago the tires were readily available and ~100 each). Currently, the tires are very rare and now cost 417 each! I requested assistance from bmw with either replacing the rare rims or offsetting the cost of the tires since they specified only micheline trx tires for the car when it was produced. Only coker tire supplies these tires as Michelin told me that they sold the moulds for the tire to them -coker told me that michelin still makes them and that they did not sell the moulds. bmw has told me they are not responsible for the tire price and refused to help me. my only choice now is to pay the ridculous price for tires or try to sell the car! Not the customer service i expected from a "luxury " car dealer!

the economic damage is that I would have to pay ~1700- 1900 for new tires or sell the car as it is no longer safe to drive w. the current tires. In this tough economic time I am not in a position to pay this amount and I do not think it is reasonable. Also, I now am limited in the usage of the car. This was a design flaw to specify only one tire manufacturer and tire size for a car.

mickalla of coral springs, FL October 7, 2009

My seatbelt and airbag light keeps coming on when I am driving and have my seat belt on. I took the car to the dealership in newport news virginia they said I must pay 760.00 because some wire was corided because something got spilt on the battery. they also said my airbag was not working if i was to get into an accident the airbag would not work. So i am suppose to drive with no airbags working. please help me

gloria of weston, FL October 6, 2009

I have gon to the BMW service department to get my 10 month old BMW service. They told me I had a screw in my rigth front tire. I took my car to another place MY TIRES WERE FINE. they made a dent on the hood. brought it back to get it fix, They made bigger dent in the bumper. I lost confidence in the BMW, I am affraid of being misled again. I dont know how much it will cost me to get it fix. The GM is aware of the wrong doing.

Raymond of Bloemfontein, South Africa October 2, 2009

I am a US citizen currently residing in South Africa. I ordered and purchased a BMW 323i new in early 2006. Within a few months the interior trim began to peel. The local dealership in Bloemfontein, (Sovereign BMW) resisted repairing it at first until the problem became more widespread. Then they reluctantly replaced the parts with new, but some of the new parts peeled as well.

They eventually began repainting the parts through an outside sub-ontractor who came to the dealership when there were 'enough people' with the same problem. I know that I am not unique in this. Are you aware of any significant problem with this in BMW's esp. the 3 series? The car has never been in a saleable or trade-in condition

Richard of Simpsonville, SC September 29, 2009

I am following a compliant on my 740il because I can no longer read the digital dash information. It is a safety hazard that I can no longer be given any warning information when something is going wrong with the car. I was told by another 740 driver that you assist with this problem and I am requesting your assistance. I have had many other repairs done and I understand the car is no longer under warranty but I feel this is a problem that should be assisted with by BMW. I hope that BMW stands behind this problem. I am also requesting you send me a new sales brochure on the One Series Convertible.

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