2008 BMW X5 SAV Recalls, Complaints & Safety

BWW HAS AN ONGOING PROBLEM WITH ITS SEAT SENSOR MAT. THESE SENSORS ARE CRITICAL TO THE SAFETY OF THE FRONT PASSENGER IN THE EVENT OF AN ACCIDENT. BMW HAS ONLY ISSUED RECALLS FOR SELECT MODEL OF ITS VEHICLE ON THIS PARTICULAR ISSUE. IT HAS FAILED TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT IT IS A WIDESPREAD PROBLEM AFFECTING ALL OF ITS VEHICLES ACROSS YEARS AND MODELS. I BELIEVE THAT THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD ACT TO FORCE BMW TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR ITS DEFECTIVE PRODUCT. HUMAN LIVES ARE BEING PUT IN DANGER. THANK YOU.

TAKATA RECALL I CALLED BMW OF NORTH AMERICA LAST YEAR TO COMPLAIN ABOUT NOT RECEIVING A REPLACEMENT AIRBAG FOR MY 2008 BMW X5 3.0 SI. THEY TOLD ME IT WILL BE AVAILABLE TOWARDS THE END OF SUMMER 2016. I HAVE NOT RECEIVED ANY NOTIFICATION OF ITS AVAILABILITY UP TO NOW (LATE FALL 2017). I THINK THEY COMPLETELY IGNORED MY COMPLAINT. THE CATASTROPHIC RISK STILL EXISTS WITH MY CAR. I NEED NHTSA'S ASSISTANCE FOR BMW TO ACT ON THIS PROBLEM. I HAVE WAITED FOR OVER A YEAR NOW AND STILL NO ACTION FROM BMW.

TAKATA RECALL I HAVE REPLACE MY KEY FOB TWO TIME IN ONE YEAR EACH TIME IT COST ME $275.00 BY BMW WHY CAN'T BMW REPLACE THE KEY WITH A $2.00 LIKE ALL ITS OTHER MODELS. ONLY THE 2008 MODELS COST THAT MUCH

ENGINE SUDDENLY OVERHEATS DUE TO DEFECTIVE WATER PUMP AND SHUTS DOWN QUICKLY. OVER HEAT WARNING CAME ON A FEW SECONDS BEFORE ENGINE IMMEDIATELY DERATED AND WENT TO IDLE. VERY DIFFICULT TO GET OUT OF HARMS WAY WITH NO ACCELERATION AT ALL. ONLY 37,700 ON VEHICLE. BMW OWNERS REPORTING HIGH FREQUENCY OF PREMATURE WATER PUMP FAILURES. REPAIRS COST $1,499 WITH ADDITIONAL TOWING CHARGES OF $285. THE ELECTRIC WATER PUMPS HAVE POOR QUALITY PLASTIC IMPELLERS. BMW SHOULD RECALL THIS COSTLY REPAIR DUE TO SAFETY CONCERNS. MY FAMILY AND I WERE STRANDED FOR HOURS WAITING ON A TOW DURING UNSAFE CONDITIONS.

WHILE VEHICLE IS RUNNING TRANSMISSION MALFUNCTION CODE COMES ON AND VEHICLE INSTANTLY LOSES POWER. ALMOST BEEN REAR ENDED ON HIGHWAY SEVERAL TIMES.SPENT 1000 RECENTLY ON TRANSMISSION PARTS. RESEARCHED AND FOUND OUT THIS IS A SOFT WARE ISSUE AND BMW HAS NOT ACKNOWLEDGED ALTHOUGH THOUSANDS OF REPORTS HAVE BEEN FILED-SOME BY OWNERS WITH ONLY 1000 MILES ON THEM THIS HAS BEEN AN ONGOING ISSUE THAT BMW HAS IGNORED.

TAKATA RECALL. I WAS NOTIFIED OVER A YEAR AGO, SINCE HAVE BROUGHT IN MY CAR TWICE FOR SERVICE. DEALER SAYS THE AIRBAG REPLACEMENTS ARE NOT AVAILABLE FOR ME YET. I AM CONCERNED FOR OUR SAFETY.

"TAKATA RECALL" AIRBAGS HAVE NOT BEEN REPLACED NOR SERVICED. RECALL CAMPAIGN 13V-045: INSPECT BRAKE BOOSTER VACUUM SUPPLY LINE. INVOLVES THE E70 (X5) WITH THE N62TU ENGINE PRODUCED FROM SEPTEMBER 2006 TO MARCH 2010. SI B34 04 13 (LABOR OPERATION 00 61 028)- BRAKE BOOSTER VACUUM SUPPLY LINE WAS REPLACED IN JULY 2013 AT BMW HAWAI'I ... REQUESTING SAFETY RECALL REPAIR PROCEDURE FOR LABOR OPERATIONS 00 61 029 AND SUBLET CODE 4. DUE TO BRAKE BOOSTER 'TOTAL FAILURE'. VEHICLE WILL CONTINUE TO SLIGHTLY MOVE FORWARD WITH BRAKE PEDDLE FULLY PRESSED. VEHICLE WILL MOVE FORWARD WITH BRAKE PEDDLE FULLY PRESSED WHEN VEHICLE IS PLACED IN DRIVE. EXTREMELY DANGEROUS TO TRAVEL UPHILL OR DOWN HILL BECAUSE VEHICLE WILL NOT REMAIN STATIONARY WITH BRAKE FULLY PRESSED. OWNER UNAWARE OF BRAKE BOOSTER FAILURE DUE TO HAVING NO KNOWLEDGE OF BRAKE MECHANICS. ANNOTATED TOTAL FAILURE OF BRAKE BOOSTER AND POSSIBLE BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER. SI B34 04 13 - IF A PRIOR REPAIR WAS PERFORMED- APPLICABLE RECALL PROCEDURESMUST BE STILL PERFORMED. THE REPAIR DESCRIBED IN THIS BULLETIN IS COVERED UNDER WARRANTY REGARDLESS OF TIME OR MILEAGE (P. 4-5).

TAKATA RECALL. I RECEIVED A NOTIFICATION BY MAIL FROM BMW THAT MY VEHICLE IS INCLUDED IN THE RECALL AND THAT THE DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S FRONT AIRBAGS WILL BE REPLACED. I RECEIVED THE LETTERS IN MARCH 2016 (RECALL CAMPAIGN # 16V-071) AND JULY 2016 (CAMPAIGN RECALL # 16V-364). I CALLED BMW OF NORTH AMERICA REGARDING THESE RECALLS AND I WAS TOLD THAT I SHOULD BE RECEIVE A LETTER OF THE AVAILABILITY OF THE REPLACEMENT PARTS TOWARDS THE END OF SUMMER 2016. WE ARE APPROACHING THE START OF SUMMER 2017 AND I HAVE NOT HEARD ANYTHING FROM BMW REGARDING THIS MATTER. I DO NOT KNOW IF BMW IS STILL GOING TO FIX THIS DEFECT. THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT MATTER THAT NEEDS TO BE RESOLVED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

TAKATA RECALL. BMW NORTH AMERICA AND MY LOCAL BMW DEALERSHIP IN IRVINE, CALIFORNIA HAVE NOT PROVIDED OPTIONS FOR ALTERNATIVE TRANSPORTATION WHILE WAITING FOR PARTS TO BECOME AVAILABLE TO COMPLETE THE AIR BAG REPLACEMENT. *TR

ON SEPTEMBER 2, AROUND MIDNIGHT, AFTER ABOUT 30 MINUTES OF STOP AND GO TRAFFIC AT THE BORDER, MY 2008 BMW SAV X5 AWD 4DR 3.0I COUGHED, CHOKED, STOPPED AND REFUSED TO BE REVIVED. WE WERE AT THE FRONT OF A LONG LINE OF FOLKS HEADING THROUGH CUSTOMS INTO CANADA. YES, AT THE HEAD OF THE LINE. IT WAS SO EMBARRASSING! AFTER FUSSING FOR ANOTHER 30 MINUTES TRYING TO GET IT INTO NEUTRAL, SEVERAL ABLE BODIED CANADIAN CUSTOMS OFFICERS PUSHED IT INTO THEIR COUNTRY. THE TOW TRUCK DRIVER CAME ANOTHER 40 MINUTES LATER AND TOOK US TO A BMW SERVICE SHOP IN MONTREAL. SIRS, WHAT'S SO HARD TO SWALLOW ABOUT THIS BREAKDOWN IS THAT WE COMPLETED THE ROUTINE MAINTENANCE SERVICE ON THE CAR JUST 7 DAYS BEFORE AT NEW COUNTRY BMW IN HARTFORD, CT. WITH THE EXCEPTION OF A NEGLIGIBLE OIL LEAK THAT THEY SAID WAS NO PROBLEM, I WAS ASSURED THAT MY CAR WAS FINE. BUT, IT TURNS OUT THAT IT WAS NOT; AND LIKE AN INCREASINGLY LARGE NUMBER OF BMWS, THE FUEL PUMP FAILED. WHAT'S MORE, IT IS CLEAR TO ME NOW THAT, BACK IN 2014, THE CAR WAS FAILING TO START AND WOULD CUT OFF WHILE DRIVING AROUND MY TOWN (I WAS TOO AFRAID TO TAKE IT ON THE HIGHWAY AT THAT TIME). ON MORE THAN ONE OCCASION, I TOOK IT IN FOR SERVICING AND EVENTUALLY IT WAS 'FIXED (THOUGH THE FUEL PUMP WAS NEVER REPLACED UNTIL THIS LAST FAILURE). AND SO, I SUSPECT THAT I HAVE PAID FOR A MANUFACTURING DEFECT AT LEAST THREE TIMES AND I'M SICK OF IT. I THINK THAT BMW SHOULD REIMBURSE ME FOR THE REPAIR AND THE COST OF TOWING AND THE RENTAL TO LEAVE CA AND RETURN TO PICK UP THE CAR.

I OPENED THE DRIVERS SIDE PANEL TO REPLACE THE BULBS BUT FOUND THAT THE DRIVERS SIDE BRAKE LIGHT HOUSING WAS BURNED AND MELTED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. AFTER LOOKING OVER OTHER LIGHTENING COMPLAINTS, IT SEEMS AS THOUGH THIS IS A COMMON ISSUE WITH THE 2008 BMW X5 AND A POTENTIAL FIRE HAZARD. THIS SHOULD BE ADDRESSED BY BMW BEFORE THERE ARE ANY FIRES AS A RESULT OF THE DEFECTIVE TAIL LIGHT HOUSING

AFTER PARKING SUV, DRIVERS SIDE DOOR WILL NOT UNLOCK/OPEN WITH DOUBLE PULL, HOWEVER, USING UNLOCK BUTTON (UNLOCKS ALL DOORS) DOOR WILL UNLOCK. IN AN ACCIDENT, ESPECIALLY ONE INVOLVING FIRE, THIS COULD BE A FATAL SAFETY ISSUE. WORKED FINE UP UNTIL YESTERDAY, NOW IT WON'T UNLOCK; MADE THREE TRIPS IN THE VEHICLE YESTERDAY AND THE ISSUE OCCURRED ALL THREE TIMES AFTER PARKING.

THE REAR BRAKE LIGHTS MOUNTED IN THE TAILGATE FAILED. THIS IS DUE TO A KNOWN FAULT ON THE E70 MODEL, WHERE THE POOR QUALITY SEALANT AND METHOD USED TO PREVENT THE INGRESS OF WATER INTO THE LAMP HOUSING FAILS. THIS LEADS TO CORROSION OF THE CONNECTOR HOUSINGS AND THE FAILURE OF THE UNIT WHICH MUST BE REPLACED IN ITS ENTIRITY AT GREAT COST. AS BMW ARE AWARE OF THIS HAPPENING (INDEED THEY ISSUED A SERVICE BULLETIN ADMITTING SAME ) SI B 63 11 10 AND THE ITEM IS A SAFETY COMPONENT, I FEEL THE CARS SHOULD BE RECALLED AND THE WORK UNDERTAKEN AT THE COST OF BMW AND NOT THE UNFORTUNATE OWNERS. THEY SHOULD AT THE VERY LEAST, REPLACE THE SEALS WITH THE UPDATED ITEM (A NEOPRENE GASKET RATHER THAN SOMETHING RESEMBLING BATHROOM CAULK) AT THE NEXT SHEDULED SERVICE BEFORE THE DRIVER FINDS THEMSELVES WITH TWO FAILED BRAKE LIGHT UNITS?

FRONT PASSENGER SEAT AIRBAG SENSOR FAILURE. *TR

MY SON LEAN FORWARD AND TURNED LEFT TO GRAB AN ITEM FROM MY DAUGHTER IN THE BACK SEAT. ALL OF THE SUDDEN THE PASSENGER SAFETY RESTRAINT SYSTEM MALFUNCTION LIGHT CAME ON. NOW IT COMES ON CONTINUOUSLY WHEN A FRONT SEAT PASSENGER MOVES SLIGHTLY. I RESEARCHED ONLINE AND NOTED THAT RECALL HAS BEEN DONE FOR NUMEROUS BMW CARS, BUT JUST NOT MY YEAR MODEL. I BELIEVE THIS IS MANUFACTURE DEFECT AND THEY SHOULD FIX IT. *TR

I WAS TRAVELING ON I-78 EAST IN PENNSYLVANIA, APPROACHING EXIT 59, AND SUDDENLY THE CAR JERKED AND BEGAN TO DECELERATE. AT THAT TIME MY SPEED WAS 40 MPH. THAT PART OF THE INTERSTATE IS PRETTY MUCH UPHILL, THAT'S WHY I WAS DRIVING AT A REDUCED SPEED. WHEN I PRESSED DOWN ON THE GAS PEDAL A LITTLE MORE THAT'S WHEN THE TRANSMISSION MALFUNCTION WARNING LIGHT APPEARED. I IMMEDIATELY PULLED OFF ONTO THE SHOULDER. I HAD MY CAR TOWED TO THE NEAREST BMW DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD A NEW TRANSMISSION WILL COST ME $7,776.45 EXCLUDING LABOR AND TAXES. IT'S BAFFLING THAT AN X5 WITH 73K MILES WOULD NEED A TRANSMISSION THAT SOON. *TR

TRAVELING ON EXPRESSWAY AT APPROX 60 MPH COLLIDED WITH A VEHICLE HITTING HIM ON REAR. I SUSTAINED INJURY TO MY CHEST AS A RESULT OF IMPACT AGAINST THE STEERING WHEEL BECAUSE THE AIRBAG DIDN'T DEPLOY. I LEARNED THAT BMW HAS RECALLED AIRBAGS ON SEVERAL MODELS AND BELIEVE THE 2008 X5S SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. MY VEHICLE IS AT A COLLISION CENTER BUT I CAN MAKE IT AVAILABLE IN CASE NHTSA EXPERTS WOULD LIKE TO INVESTIGATE IF AIRBAG SENSORS ARE WORKING PROPERLY ON THIS MODEL. IF INDEED THE AIRBAGS ON THE 2008 BMW X 5S ARE NOT WORKING PROPERLY, I'D LIKE FOR THE MANUFACTURER TO CREATE PUBLIC AWARENESS TO PREVENT ANY SERIOUS INJURIES AND/OR FATALITIES FROM HAPPENING. *TR

Crash 2 injured

WHEN I WAS DRIVING AROUND 30 MPH AND ABOUT TO MERGE ONTO THE HIGHWAY, AN ORANGE WARNING SIGN CAME UP THAT THE ENGINE WAS OVERHEATING AND THEN IMMEDIATELY AFTERWARD A RED SIGN CAME UP STATING THAT THE ENGINE WAS OVERHEATED AND I COULD HEAR THE LOUD NOISE FROM THE FAN. IMMEDIATELY AFTER THAT THE VEHICLE STALLED AND I HAD TO PULL OVER TO THE SHOULDER. I WAITED FOR ABOUT 15 MIN. AND WHEN I RESTARTED THE VEHICLE, THE FAN WAS STILL LOUD AND THE RED ENGINE OVERHEATED SIGN CAME UP AGAIN. I THEN HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO A REPAIR FACILITY. THEY DIAGNOSED THE ISSUE AS A DEFECTIVE ELECTRIC WATER PUMP AND SAID THAT THE WATER PUMP AND THERMOSTAT NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE ESTIMATE FOR REPAIR INCLUDING PARTS AND LABOR IS AROUND $1700.00. THE VEHICLE IS BEYOND THE 4 YEAR, 50000 MILES WARRANTY AND APPARENTLY THERE ARE NO RECALLS FOR THIS ISSUE. SEARCHING THE INTERNET, I AM SEEING NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS FROM 2008 BMW X5 OWNERS WHO EXPERIENCED THIS EXACT SAME ISSUE AND HAD THE SAME DIAGNOSIS. THIS IS A VERY SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE - WHEN DRIVING ON A BUSY HIGHWAY AND SUDDENLY LOSING ALL POWER IN THE VEHICLE, VERY FEW DRIVERS WOULD BE LUCKY ENOUGH TO PULL OVER SAFELY AND AVOID A SERIOUS ACCIDENT. I REQUEST THAT THE NHTSA CONSIDER THIS SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE FROM A RECALL PERSPECTIVE DUE TO THE POTENTIAL HARM IT CAN DO TO THE LIVES OF MOTORISTS WHO MAY NOT BE LUCKY ENOUGH TO AVOID A SERIOUS CRASH. I BELIEVE THE MANUFACTURER SHOULD BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR THE BASIC SAFETY OF THE VEHICLE. THEY SHOULD THE NEEDFUL TO HELP OWNERS FIX THE ISSUE PROACTIVELY, BEFORE IT CAUSES HARM TO MORE MOTORISTS. *TR

MY CAR HAS A RECALL REPAIR ABOUT THE BRAKE VACUUM PUMP LEAK. THE DEALER FOUND THE LEAK FROM THE BRAKE VACUUM PUMP BEFORE DID THE RECALL REPAIR, BUT ONLY REPLACED THE BRAKE BOOSTER VACUUM HOSE AND LEAVE THE BRAKE VACUUM PUMP LEAK UNREPAIRED AND QUOTED ME $2800 FOR REPAIRING THE BRAKE VACUUM PUMP LEAK. I CALLED BMW USA CUSTOMER RELATIONS AND WAS TOLD THAT I SHOULD CONTINUE TO TALK TO THE DEALER AND SAID IT'S THE DEALER DECISION. THIS SEEMS NOT RIGHT FOR ME SINCE THE ROOT CAUSE WAS NOT FIXED FOR THE RECALL. PLEASE ADVICE WHAT I SHOULD DO. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

ON FEBRUARY 15, 2014 AT APPROXIMATELY 10:00 AM, MY 2008 X5 3.0SI HAD AN OVERHEATING ENGINE PROBLEM IN THE MIDDLE OF A BLIZZARD-LIKE CONDITIONS IN THE MOUNTAINS OF NORTH CAROLINA WHERE MY FAMILY AND I WERE VACATIONING. THIS WAS A VERY UNSAFE SITUATION FOR ME, MY WIFE AND THREE YOUNG CHILDREN WHO WERE ACCOMPANYING ME. THE CAR ENTERED INTO A "SAFE MODE", SLOWED DOWN TO ALMOST A COMPLETE HALT, JUST WITH ENOUGH TIME FOR ME TO PULL OFF TO THE SIDE OF A STEEP MOUNTAIN ROAD IN THE MIDDLE OF FREEZING TEMPERATURES. THEN I HAD TO TRY TO FIND A SAFE WAY OUT OF THIS SITUATION. WE HAD TO STAY IN THE CAR FOR SEVERAL HOURS TRYING TO KEEP WARM UNTIL I COULD GET A TOWING SERVICE TO TAKE THE CAR BACK TO THE CLOSEST BMW SERVICE CENTER (85 MILES AWAY) AND FIND A CAR RENTAL SO I COULD GET MY FAMILY TO A SAFE PLACE (I.E. HOME, 115 MILES AWAY). THE SERVICE CENTER FIXED MY CAR AT A COST OF $1,400, AND THEY TRACED THE PROBLEM BACK TO AN ELECTRIC WATER PUMP FAILURE. THIS IS EXTREMELY FRUSTRATING BECAUSE THE VEHICLE HAD MANUFACTURER`S WARRANTY UNTIL BARELY THREE MONTHS AGO, AND THIS EXPENSIVE AND VITAL ENGINE PART FAILS CONVENIENTLY SOON AFTERWARDS. THIS ELECTRIC WATER PUMP OUGHT TO HAVE A LIFE EXPECTANCY OF MORE THAN 6 YEARS/69,000 MILES. IN SHORT, MY FAMILY AND I WERE PUT IN A DANGEROUS SITUATION, AND I HAD TO SPEND MORE THAN $1,800 (INCLUDING TOWING AND CAR RENTAL CHARGES) OUT OF MY POCKET BECAUSE OF A NOTORIOUSLY BAD BMW PART (THE SUBJECT OF NUMEROUS RECALLS AND TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETINS IN OTHER BMW X5S).