2001 BMW 325CI

DT: ON MAY 20, 2005 AT ABOUT 5 PM EASTERN TIME THE CONTACT REPORTED THE FOLLOWING PROBLEM WITH 2001 BMW 325 , VIN [XXX]. VEHICLE HAD 25, 000 MILES AND WAS IN EXCELLENT CONDITION. WHILE DRIVING HOME VEHICLE STALLED THREE TIMES ON A RESIDENTIAL ROAD IN CAMBRIDGE, MA., AFTER STALLING THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, AND AFTER WAITING ABOUT 10 MINUTES THE VEHICLE STARTED. CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO MAKE ITS WAY HOME. AN INDEPENDENT BMW MECHANIC USED COMPUTER ANALYZER TO DIAGNOSE PROBLEM AND FOUND THAT IT WAS DEFECTIVE CAM SHAFT SENSORS. MECHANIC REPLACED INTAKE AND EXHAUST SENSORS. THE COST FOR REPAIR WAS $300. MECHANIC STATED THAT THESE CABLES FAIL OFTEN. SINCE REPAIR WAS DONE. THERE HAS BEEN NO OTHER PROBLEM WITH STALLING. VEHICLE WAS REGULARLY SERVICED. IT SEEMED STRANGE AND DANGEROUS THAT A SIMPLE CABLE WOULD CAUSE THE VEHICLE TO STALL AND NOT START UP RIGHT AWAY.*AK INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

THE ENTIRE NAVIGATION SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONS AS WELL AS THE AIR CONDITIONER. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN TO THE DEALER. OWNER THINKS THE BODY OF THE VEHICLE IS TOO LOW TO THE GROUND CAUSING THE NAVIGATION SYSTEM TO MALFUNCTION. *MR WHEN THE CONSUMER PULLED INTO A PARKING SPACE WITH A STANDARD 6 INCH HIGH CONCRETE BLOCK, HE HEARD A SLIGHT NOISE AT THE FRONT OF THE CAR. ONCE HE STARTED DRIVING THE CAR HE NOTICED THAT THE NAVIGATION SYSTEM FAILED ALONG WITH THE AIR CONDITIONING, SPEEDOMETER, DASH LIGHTS AND DASHBOARD GEAR INDICATOR. UPON INSPECTION THE CONSUMER NOTICED THAT THE UNDERSIDE OF THE FRONT BUMPER HAD CAUGHT ON THE BLOCK PULLING AND BENDING THE FRONT BUMPER. THE CONSUMER ALSO NOTICED A DEVICE CALLED THE AMBIENT AIR SENSOR LOCATED UNDER THE BUMPER WAS DRAGGING ON THE GROUND, THE WIRES WERE EXPOSED AND ONE OF THE WIRES WAS BROKEN. ONCE THE CONSUMER RECONNECTED THE WIRES THE NAVIGATION SYSTEM CAME BACK IN OPERATION. *NM

WHILE DRIVING THE TEMPERATURE SENSOR FLASHES "-40 DEGREES." THE CONSUMER CONTACTED THE DEALER , WHO STATED THAT SENSOR IS LOCATED IN THE FRONT UNDER THE BUMPER, AND IS OFTEN HIT BY DEBRIS THAT CAUSES THE SENSOR TO MALFUNCTION. THE DEALER WILL FIX THE SENSOR AT THE OWNERS EXPENSE. THE CONSUMER FEELS THIS IS A DESIGN FLAW. *AK

PASSENGER SIDE DEPLOYED WHILE NO PASENGER WAS RIDING. SMART INTELLIGENCE AIRBAG FAILED TO FUNCTION. RELATE TO A PREVIOUS COMPLAINT, AIR BAG DEPLOYED WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY 30MPH,. CAUSING DRIVER LOSE CONTROL OF VEHICLE, NO ADDITONAL PASSENGER. NOTE: AIRBAG SHOULD NOT DEPLOY ON THE PASSENGER SIDE IF NO ONE IS RIDING. THE INTELLIGENCE AIRBAG SYSTEM ONLY ACTIVATES AIRBAG WHEN THERE IS A PERSON SITTING THERE--CLEARLY A DEFECT, UNLIKE BMW'S PERVOIUS CLAIM THAT THERE IS NO PROBLEM, OR PREVIOUS RECALLS. *AK

ON SEPTEMBER 15TH, 8:20PM EST MY PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED WITHOUT GETTING INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT. I HAVE A 325 CI, PRODUCTION DATE AUGUST 1ST, 2000. I WAS GOING OFF AN EXIT RAMP WHEN THE CAR RAN OVER THE "CAT EYE" STONE DIVIDERS ON THE ROAD (THOSE STONE DOTS, ABOUT .5 INCH HEIGHT). MY RIGHT SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED AT THE SAME TIME THE EMERGENCY LIGHT WENT OFF AND THE CAR SHUT OFF BY ITSELF. I WAS IN A RAMP SO THIS INCIDENCE CAUSED ME TO LOSE THE POWER IN A TERM. MY POWER BREAK STOPPED WORKING AND I HAD TO PULL THE HAND BREAK TO STOP THE CAR. MY LAWYERS HAVE SUGGESTED ME TO CONTACT BMWNA FIRST TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE. BUT I HAVE FOUND A RECALL ON 323/328 CARS FOR THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM. I AM GLAD NO BODY WAS HURT IN THIS INCIDENCE. THE CAR HAS NO DENT ON DOOR OR ANY BODY DAMAGE BESIDE THE TIRE AND THE RIMS WERE CHIPPED/DENTED DUE TO THE RESULT THAT I HAD TO PULL OVER SO FAST ONTO THE CLUB TO AVOID ON COMING TRAFFIC. I AM ADDRESSING THIS CONCERN BECAUSE I HOPE YOUR COMPANY WILL START INVESTIGATE THIS PROBLEM TO AVOID ANY FUTURE ACCIDENTS.*AK

MY 2 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER GOT HER HAND CAUGHT IN THE HEADREST WHEN THEY AUTOMATICALLY MOVED WHEN THE SEAT WAS TILTED FORWARD SO SHE COULD GET OUT.THERE IS NO MENTION OF THE AUTOMATIC MOVEMENT OF THE HEADREST IN THE MANUAL AND NO WARNING LABEL IN THE CAR. WHEN THE SEAT IS TILTED FORWARD THE HEADREST AUTOMATICALLY RETRACT AGAINST THE SEAT LOCKING AGAINST THE BACKREST. THERE IS NO MANUAL RELEASE AND YOU HAVE TO RETURN THE SEAT TO ITS UPRIGHT POSITION AND WAIT 8 SECONDS FOR THE SEAT TO RELEASE.*AK

CONSUMER STATES UPON PARKING VEHICLE, HE NOTICED SMOKE EMITTING FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE MOTOR, VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE AND WAS SHORTLY PUT OUT BY THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE WAS DETERMINED TO BE THAT THE ELECTRIC COOLING FAN SHORTED OUT AND ITS SPEED PROBABLY KNOCKED OUT THE SENSOR THAT TRANSMITS INFORMATION TO THE DASHBOARD WARNING LIGHTS.JB

CONSUMER STATES UPON PARKING VEHICLE, HE NOTICED SMOKE EMITTING FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE MOTOR, THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CALLED AND THE FIRE WAS PUT OUT, THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE WAS DETERMINED TO BE THAT THE ELECTRIC COOLING FAN SHORTED OUT AND ITS SPEED PROBABLY KNOCKED OUT THE SENSOR THAT TRANSMITS INFORMATION TO THE DASHBOARD WARNING LIGHTS.*JB