2009 BMW 335XI Recalls, Complaints & Safety

BMW ISSUED A RECALL - SI B13 14 10 - AND IT COVERS REPLACING INJECTORS, IF THE CAR FALLS UNDER A CERTAIN DATE AND HAS A CERTAIN BATCH OF INJECTOR. MOST IMPORTANTLY, ON THE BOTTOM OF THE RECALL BULLETIN STATES: "WARRANTY INFO" - AND IT SPECIFICALLY SAYS, "THE REPAIR DESCRIBED IN THIS BULLETIN IS COVERED UNDER WARRANTY REGARDLESS OF TIME OR MILEAGE." THE CAR HAD THE INJECTOR(S) FAIL A FEW WEEKS AGO, AND VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY AT STEVENS CREEK BMW. THE DEALERS/MANUFACTURER ARE REFUSING TO HONOR THE RECALL NOTICE THAT I HANDED TO THEM - EVEN THOUGH IT SPECIFICALLY STATES THERE IS NO TIME LIMIT OR MILEAGE LIMIT TO REPLACING THE INJECTORS... 3 OF THE INJECTORS WERE REPLACED SEVERAL YEARS AGO, BUT 3 WERE NOT, AND THE INJECTOR THAT FAILED IS PART OF THE BATCH THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN REPLACED BUT THE TECHNICIAN DECIDED NOT TO YEARS AGO. THEY ARE SAYING THIS IS NOT A RECALL - ALTHOUGH IT CLEARLY SAYS "VOLUNTARY RECALL". BECAUSE THERE IS NO TIME LIMIT AND THE MILES DO NOT COUNT AGAINST THE RECALL (ACCORDING TO THE BULLETIN) THE INJECTORS SHOULD BE REPLAECD (AND SHOULD HAVE ALREADY BEEN) WITHOUT ANY CUSTOMER NEEDING TO PAY ANYTHING, BECAUSE THAT IS WHAT THE RECALL IS FOR AND THAT IS WHAT IT DIRECTLY SAYS. BUT THE DEALERSHIP (STEVENS CREEK BMW) AND BMW NA OR SAYING THEY WON'T HONOR THE RECALL OR TELL ME WHY. I'M NOT SURE WHAT TO DO BECAUSE MY CAR IS STRANDED OVER THERE AND THEY WANT $3500 TO REPLACE SOMETHING THAT BMW SAYS SHOULD ALREADY BE REPLACED (REGARDLESS OF TIME OR MILEAGE).

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 BMW 335XI. WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH, AN ABNORMAL NOISE WAS HEARD AND THE REDUCE ENGINE POWER INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND IT FISHTAILED INTO A DITCH. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THERE WERE NO INJURIES AND A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 108,000.

Crash

VEHICLE IN STRAIGHT, FORWARD MOTION AT HIGHWAY SPEED (APPROX. 60MPH) AND ENGINE POWER IS REDUCED DRAMATICALLY. REACHING A SAFE RESTING AREA POSED SIGNIFICANT RISK DUE TO LACK OF WARNING OR DESCRIPTIVE VEHICLE FAULT. SMOKE AND/OR STEAM EMITTING FROM ENGINE COMPARTMENT. CAUSE APPEARS TO BE FAULTY ELECTRIC WATER PUMP AT 56,000 MILES/5 YEARS IN SERVICE. SECOND OCCURRENCE.

TIMING BELT SHREDDED AFTER HITTING A SPEED BUMP FOR THE SECOND TIME AT LOW SPEEDS.

CAR TAKEN TO DEALER FOR ROUGH IDLE AND POOR PERFORMANCE. TOLD THAT ISSUE WAS WITH FUEL COILS. PAPERWORK STATES THAT COILS NEED TO BE REPLACED. DEFERRED AS ONE OF THE COULD HAD ALREADY BEEN REPLACED. ON WAY HOME CAR BEGAN TO EMIT WHITE SMOKE. CAR UNABLE TO ACCELERATE. HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP ALREADY REPLACED. HIGH RISK FOR ACCIDENT FOR ULTIMATELY TURNED OUT TO BE 5 FAILED FUEL INJECTORS. BMW KNOWS ABOUT THIS ISSUE BUT WILL NOT ADDRESS FOR RECALL. THIS IS NOT AN UNCOMMON OCCURRENCE PER MULTIPLE WEB SEARCHES. *TR

INTERMITTENT FAILURE OF LED'S IN THE DRIVER SIDE REAR TAIL LIGHT FOR THE TURN SIGNAL. FIRST STARTED ABOUT 7 MONTHS AGO. NOW NEARLY FULL TIME FAILURE. CREATES A SERIOUS SAFETY CONCERN WHEN CHANGING LANES AND MAKING TURNS IN TRAFFIC. THIS IS A VERY COMMON COMPLAINT WITH NUMEROUS POSTS ON THE WEB. *TR

VEHICLE OIL TEMP WAS JUST UNDER 250. VEHICLE SHAKES WHEN ACCELERATING ON THE HIGHWAY OR ON AN INCLINE. ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON AND YOU CAN FEEL THE VEHICLE MISFIRING IN THE GAS PEDDLE. VEHICLE CONTINUES TO SHAKE IN PARK. DEALER ADVISED TO TURN THE VEHICLE OFF AND LET IT SIT FOR 30 MIN BEFORE DRIVING AGAIN. SEEMS TO BE A TEMPORARY FIX UNTIL THE ENGINE TEMP INCREASES TO JUST UNDER 250 OR DRIVING ON A INCLINE ON THE HWY. PREVIOUSLY HAD NO ISSUES WITH THIS VEHICLE UNTIL DEALER REPLACED A HFP (RECALL NOTICE) DURING AN OIL CHANGE. THIS WILL BE THE THIRD COMPLAINT ABOUT THIS ISSUE SINCE 11/23/11 THAT THE DEALER HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO FIX. PREVIOUSLY BEEN TOLD INJECTORS WERE MALFUNCTIONING DUE TO PROGRAMMING AND ALSO BAD GAS. I HAVE ALWAYS USED PREMIUM 91+ OCT GAS. RECENTLY THE DEALER PUT IN A FUEL ADDITIVE AND ADVISED ME TO USE SHELL OR CHEVRON PREMIUM GAS IN THE FUTURE. I DROVE OUT THE FUEL ADDITIVE TANK, NO ISSUES AND REFUELED AT SHELL USING PREMIUM 91 POWER V. FORTY FIVE MINUTES LATER, MY VEHICLE BEGAN TO SHAKE ON THE HWY ONCE AGAIN AND MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. I WAS FORCED TO SUDDENLY SLOW DOWN ON THE HIGHWAY TO A SPEED / GEAR WHERE I WOULDN'T SHAKE. PREVIOUS DRIVING HISTORY IN EU WITH NO ISSUES ON THE AUTOBAHN AND THE VEHICLE IS A US SPEC. ONCE THE VEHICLE WAS SHIPPED TO CA, I DROVE IT TO AZ (800 MILES) WITH NO ISSUES AND CONTINUED TO DRIVE THE CAR UNTIL SEPT WHEN I HAD MY OIL CHANGED AND MY HFP REPLACED. MY FIRST LONG HWY DRIVE SINCE THE OIL CHANGE / HFP WAS REPLACED, WE ENCOUNTERED THIS ISSUE. *TR

HARD DISK DRIVE IN ENTERTAINMENT SYSTEM NOT FUNCTIONING PROPERLY AND CREATES DISTRACTION TO DRIVE. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 BMW 335XI. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH, THE VEHICLE COMPLETELY LOST ACCELERATION POWER. THE CONTACT HAD TO DRIVE AT A LOW SPEED TO REACH HIS DESTINATION. THE CONTACT TURNED THE VEHICLE OFF AND RESTARTED; AFTER THE RESTART, THE VEHICLE FUNCTIONED PROPERLY. WITHIN TWO TO THREE DAYS, THE FAILURE OCCURRED AGAIN. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE TURBO HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BUT THE FAILURE CONTINUED. THERE HAD BEEN NO FURTHER REPAIRS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 18,681 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 25,000. UPDATED 01/28/11*LJ THE CONSUMER STATED THERE WAS A DESIGN PROBLEM WITH THE FUEL PUMP. UPDATED 03/23/11

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 BMW 335XI. WHILE THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH, THE ENGINE COMPLETELY STALLED AND THE ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE FUEL PUMP WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 4,500. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

DRIVING ALONG HIGHWAY ON RIGHT LANE, COMING ALONG TO A HIGHSPEED MERGE. VEHICLE LOST SIGNIFICANT POWER, ERROR MESSAGE ON DASH DISPLAYED LIMP MODE ENGINE MALFUNCTION. I WAS NOT ABLE TO ACCELERATE AND CAUSED A SEVER BACK UP IN HIGHWAY TO GET ON SHOULDER. BMW STATED A SOFTWARE UPGRADE WAS NEEDED TO CORRECT ERROR. I RECEIVED THE CAR BACK WITHIN A WEEK. AGAIN I WAS DRIVING WHEN THE SAME EXACT ERROR STATED ABOVE HAPPENED. THIS TIME AT LEAST I WAS IN A SOMEWHAT LOW TRAVELED AREA AND HAD NO PROBLEM PULLING OVER. TECH AT BMW SAID THE FUEL PUMP WAS AT FAULT AND MANY CARS OF MY MAKE AND MODEL HAVE THIS PROBLEM, BUT NO REAL SOLUTION TO THE FUEL PUMP FAILURES HAD BEEN FOUND BY BMW. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 BMW 328XI. PRESSURE WAS APPLIED TO THE BRAKE PEDAL; YET WHEN THE DRIVERS CELL PHONE RANG THE AIR BAGS INVOLUNTARILY DEPLOYED. THE CONTACT WAS UNAWARE OF WHAT OCCURRED NEXT BUT THE VEHICLE WAS THEN INVOLVED IN A CRASH. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. NO ONE WAS INJURED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THEY WERE UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE BUT THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 4,000.

Crash

1 ) HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP (HPFP) FAILED WITH NO PRIOR INDICATION. 2 ) THE FAILURE OCCURRED SEVERAL TIMES BETWEEN INCEPTION AND CORRECTION BY THE DEALER, RESULTING IN STARTING AND ENGINE RUNNING ISSUES FOR THE CAR. 3 ) THE PART WAS REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY. *TR

THIS IS AN UPDATE TO ODI 10290275. MY CAR (2009 335XI) IS YET AGAIN EXPERIENCING LONG STARTING TIMES AND I HAVE HAD ANOTHER ABRUPT LOSS OF POWER. ALTHOUGH THERE IS NO "CHECK ENGINE LIGHT" ON YET I BELIEVE IT IS ONLY A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE THE HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP IS AGAIN REPLACED. THIS IS A CHRONIC PROBLEM THAT IS RECOGNIZED BY BMW (AS THEY HAVE EXTENDED THE WARRANTY ON THE HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMPS) BUT DOES NOT ADDRESS THE UNDERLYING SAFETY CONCERN OF A SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER THAT WILL ULTIMATELY RESULT IN AN ACCIDENT. *TR

DURING ROUTINE DRIVING THERE IS A SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER DUE TO A DEFECTIVE HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP. THE PUMP HAS ALREADY BEEN REPLACED ONCE BY BMW AND THE CAR IS GOING BACK INTO THE SHOP FOR A SECOND TIME TO REPLACE THE PUMP AGAIN. *TR

FOURTH REPLACEMENT OF HPFP ON 2009 BMW 335 XI LESS THAN 12K MILES. LESS THAN 12 MONTHS OLD. *TR

WHILE DRIVING EAST ON THE NORTHERN STATE PARKWAY, ON FEBRUARY 18, 2010 , NEAR EXIT 42, LONG ISLAND, NY, AT 50 MPH, I HIT A POT HOLE. THE POT HOLE WAS NOT IMPEDING TRAFFIC IN ANY SIGNIFICANT FASHION, HOWEVER, I IMMEDIATELY RECEIVED A FLAT TIRE INDICATION FOR THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE. I HAVE RUN-FLAT TIRES, BUT COULD BARELY CONTROL THE CAR. THIS WAS UNUSUAL AS I HAVE EXPERIENCED FLAT TIRES PREVIOUSLY, AND NEVER HAD TROUBLE CONTROLLING THE CAR. NEVERTHELESS, I CONTINUED TO EXIT 42, EXITED THE HIGHWAY, AND PULLED INTO A NEARBY PARKING LOT. UPON INSPECTION IT BECAME CLEAR THAT THE PROBLEM WAS NOT CAUSED BY THE TIRE, BUT WAS DUE TO THE RIGHT FRONT ALUMINUM ALLOY WHEEL WHICH HAD BROKEN IN HALF. AT THIS POINT THE WHEEL CONSISTED OF TWO HALVES, THE OUTER HALF ATTACHED TO THE AXLE, AND THE INNER HALF HELD ONLY LOOSELY BY THE TIRE. LATER INSPECTION INDICATED THAT THERE WAS NO VISIBLE DAMAGE TO THE TIRE, BUT THAT THE WHEEL, ONLY, WAS BROKEN ALONG AN IRREGULAR CIRCUMFERENTIAL LINE APPROXIMATELY PARALLEL AND 4 INCHES FROM THE OUTER WHEEL LIP (THE LIP WHICH FORMS THE SEAL BETWEEN THE TIRE AND WHEEL). ALTHOUGH THERE WAS EVIDENCE THAT THE WHEEL HAD BENT SLIGHTLY DUE TO THIS POT HOLE IMPACT (OR PERHAPS AN EARLIER IMPACT), THE WHEEL WAS NOT OTHERWISE SEVERELY DEFORMED. A SIMILAR INCIDENT OCCURRED LESS THAN TWO WEEKS LATER, ON FEBRUARY 28, 2010. THIS SECOND INCIDENT INVOLVED THE LEFT REAR WHEEL OF THE SAME CAR, BUT OTHERWISE THE CIRCUMSTANCES WERE VERY SIMILAR. WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH, AGAIN ON THE NORTHERN STATE PARKWAY, BUT APPROXIMATELY 5 MILES WEST OF THE FIRST INCIDENT, AS A RESULT OF IMPACT WITH A POT HOLE, THE LEFT REAR WHEEL BROKE INTO TWO PIECES. CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE WAS AGAIN DIFFICULT. THIS INCIDENT OCCURRED 6 DAYS AFTER THE CAR WAS RECEIVED FROM THE BMW DEALERSHIP SERVICE DEPARTMENT AFTER REPAIR OF THE RIGHT FRONT WHEEL. THE LEFT REAR WHEEL WAS INSPECTED DURING THE FIRST REPAIR, AND FOUND TO BE IN DRIVABLE CONDITION. *TR

BMW 335I CAR HAS CRANKING PROBLEMS. DEALER RESET COMPUTER. WHILE DRIVING AT HI-WAY SPEED CAR FAILED. POWER WENT TO HALF. SPEED DROP FROM 65 TO 35 IN SECONDS. THERE APPEARS TO BE AN ISSUE WITH FUEL PUMP WHICH BMW HAS FAILED TO ADDRESS. CAR HAS 6,600 MILES. *TR