2007 BMW 328I

MY 2007 BMW MODEL 328I WAS DELIVERED NEW WITH BRIDGESTONE RUN-FLAT-TIRES AS ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT BUT WITH NO JACK AND SPARE TIRE INCLUDED. THE RUN-FLAT-TIRES HAVE PROVEN TO BE UNRELIABLE, NOISY, AND PRONE TO LOW-MILEAGE WEAR OUT. I HAVE FILED TWO WRITTEN CLAIMS WITH BMW OF NORTH AMERICA FOR REIMBURSEMENT OF THE EXPENSES NECESSARY TO PURCHASE A SPARE EMERGENCY WHEEL AND JACK KIT. BMWNA HAS DENIED BOTH CLAIMS. BMWNA CONTINUES TO DELIVER 3-SERIES AND OTHER MODEL NEW VEHICLES WITHOUT A JACK AND SPARE INCLUDED. I BELIEVE THIS ESSENTIAL SAFETY EQUIPMENT SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN ALL NEW-CAR DELIVERIES, REGARDLESS OF TIRE TYPE USED. A CIVIL CLASS-ACTION SUIT HAS BEEN FILED IN NEW JERSEY REGARDING THE ISSUE WITH BMW'S USE OF BRIDGESTONE RUN-FLAT-TIRES, BUT THE SUIT DOES NOT ADDRESS JACK AND SPARE TIRE SAFETY EQUIPMENT ISSUES. *TR

A SIMPLE FUSE FAILURE IN THE AUTOMATIC DOOR LOCKING SYSTEM RENDERED THE INSIDE DOOR HANDLES UNUSABLE, EXCEPT FOR ONE, WHOSE ACTUATOR CAUSED THE ORIGINAL ELECTRICAL OVERLOAD. HAD SOMETHING ELSE CAUSED THE FUSE TO FAIL, WE WOULD BE UNABLE TO EGRESS THE VEHICLE EXCEPT THROUGH THE WINDOWS, AND, WITH A COMPLETE ELECTRICAL FAILURE THAT ALSO WOULD HAVE BEEN IMPOSSIBLE. THE BMW TECH PEOPLE TELL ME THAT THE SYSTEM IS DESIGNED THAT WAY. I FEEL THAT IT IS A SAFETY HAZARD. *TR

MY 2007 328I HAS BEEN IN THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT A TOTAL OF 4 TIMES (THAT I HAVE PAPERWORK ON, IT MIGHT BE MORE). I HAVE HAD MAJOR MECHANICAL PROBLEMS WITH THE MOST RECENT BEING ELECTRICAL. MY KEY WILL NOT OPEN ANY OF THE DOORS, I HAVE TO USE THE VALET KEY TO GET INSIDE. ONCE I GET INSIDE THE BUTTON ON THE DASH THAT OPENS AND LOCKS THE DOORS WAS UNRESPONSIVE AS WELL. WHEN THIS STARTED THE DRIVERS SIDE MIRROR ALSO BECAME UNRESPONSIVE AND WOULD NOT ADJUST, I CAN'T ADJUST IT TO SEE THE ROAD AND HAVE ALMOST BEEN IN 2 ACCIDENTS. THE SAME DAY THE AIR CONDITIONING, WHICH I HAD SET ON 60, TURNED ITSELF TO 84 BLOWING FULL BLAST. THAT IS ACTUALLY THE SECOND TIME THIS YEAR THAT THE AIR CONDITIONING HAS AUTOMATICALLY TURNED TO THE HEATER. SHORT LIST OF OTHER ISSUES: RECURRENT BREAK SQUEAKING, OIL SENSOR AND ENGINE HARNESS WIRES BREAKING, AND PROBLEMS ACCELERATING. THE COMPUTER SOFTWARE MALFUNCTIONED AS WELL (ANOTHER ELECTRICAL ISSUE WHICH WAS CAUSING THE CAR TO MALFUNCTION). AFTER THE BRAKE PADS & SENSORS WERE REPLACED, THE BRAKES SOUND THE SAME TO THIS DAY, HORRIBLY SQUEAKY ALMOST GRINDING. THE FRONT DRIVER & PASSENGER WINDOWS HAVE A MYSTERIOUS ELECTRICAL MALFUNCTION. THEY WILL CEASE TO GO UP OR DOWN. I HOLD THE WINDOW BUTTON IN THE "UP" POSITION, THE WINDOW WILL ROLL UP AN INCH THEN STOP. I WILL HAVE TO DO THIS SEVERAL MORE TIMES BEFORE THE WINDOW WILL GO UP OR DOWN. MY CAR GOES IN AGAIN TOMORROW AM. THIS TIME I EVEN MENTIONED THAT IF I DID HAVE PASSENGERS IN THE VEHICLE AND WE HAD GOTTEN IN AN ACCIDENT, OR WORSE YET THE CAR CATCHES ON FIRE, MY PASSENGERS WOULD BE TRAPPED. THE SERVICE ADVISOR DIDN'T SEEM TO CARE. I CAN'T DRIVE MY FRIENDS OR FAMILY ANYWHERE FOR FEAR THEY WILL BE STUCK IN THE VEHICLE IF AN ACCIDENT OCCURRED. AS WELL, I'M NOT GOING TO ASK MY PARENTS, WHO ARE IN THEIR 50'S, TO CRAWL THROUGH A WINDOW TO GET IN OR OUT OF MY VEHICLE. MY CAR HAS BEEN OUT OF COMMISSION FOR ME AT LEAST 30 DAYS SINCE I'VE OWNED IT. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 BMW 328I. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE HAS AN ELECTRONIC INTERIOR LATCH ASSEMBLY THAT DOES NOT ALLOW PASSENGERS TO MANUALLY OPEN THE DOORS. WHILE PASSENGERS WERE OCCUPYING THE VEHICLE, THERE WAS AN EXPERIENCED AN ELECTRICAL SHORTAGE THAT CAUSED THE LATCH ASSEMBLY TO FAIL. AS A RESULT, THE PASSENGERS COULD NOT EXIT THE VEHICLE. HE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND A TECHNICIAN REPAIRED THE OPEN CIRCUIT IN THE FUSE BOX. HE NOTIFIED THE MANUFACTURER AND IS WAITING FOR A RESPONSE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 12,000. UPDATED 10/16/08. *LJ UPDATED 10/17/08. *JB

EXCESSIVE ROAD NOISE AND ABNORMAL (PREMATURE) WEAR OF BRIDGESTONE-FIRESTONE TURANZA EL42 RUN FLAT TIRES 205/55R16. EXCESSIVE ROAD NOISE STARTED BEFORE 10,000 MILES AND ALL TIRES HAD TO BE REPLACED AFTER ONLY 1 YEAR (APPROX 14,000 MILES). CAR WAS A 2007 BMW 328I. BMW HAS A SERVICE BULLETIN (SI B 36 06 06) REGARDING THIS ISSUE AND IS REPLACING ALL TIRES (UPON COMPLAINT) IF < 10,000 MILES. IF TIRES HAVE BETWEEN 10,001 TO 20,000 MILES, REPLACEMENT IS AT 50%. TIRES WERE "CUPPING" AND DEMONSTRATING VERY ABNORMAL WEAR PATTERNS. UPON COMPLAINT TO BRIDGESTONE FIRESTONE, THEY AGREED TO 100% REPLACEMENT COSTS. OLD TIRES ARE NOT AVAILABLE. *TR

NEW BMW 3 SERIES SPORTS WAGON SELF-ACCELERATED AND CRASHED INTO THE FAMILY'S GARAGE. MINUTES BEFORE THE CRASH, THE CAR WAS SLOWING DOWN AS IT WAS BEING DRIVEN ONTO THE DRIVEWAY OF THE HOUSE, WHICH IS PERPENDICULAR TO THE ROAD. SOON AFTER THE CAR THE GARAGE DOOR LIFTED WITH THE STEERING WHEEL IN A TURN POSITION (ONTO THE DRIVEWAY), THE CAR STARTED TO MOVE AS THROUGH IT WAS ACCELERATING ON ITS OWN AND QUICKLY CRASHED INTO THE GARAGE. IT ONLY STOPPED FROM THE IMPACT OF HITTING AND BREAKING A STRUCTURAL HOUSE COLUMN AND A PILE OF SHEETROCK IN THE GARAGE. THE ENGINE WAS RUNNING, WHEN IT STOPPED. THE ENTIRE EVENT TOOK PLACE IN LESS THAN A MINUTE. *TR

I PURCHASED A 2007 BMW 328I ON 2/22/2007. IT CAME EQUIPPED WITH BRIDGESTONE TURANZA EL42. IN DECEMBER OF 2007, I FOUND OUT THAT THESE TIRES ARE NOT WEARING PROPERLY. IN MY SEARCHES ON THE INTERNET, I HAVE FOUND THAT THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN ONGOING FOR AT LEAST 2 YEARS. BMW REFUSES TO PAY FOR REPLACING ALL THE TIRES IF YOU ARE OVER 10K MILES. MY TIRES ARE WEARING HORRIBLY AND CAUSING A SAFETY RISK. BMW KNEW OF THIS PROBLEM IN JANUARY 2007 WHEN THEY ISSUED A SERVICE INFO BULLETIN TO ALL THE DEALERS. HOWEVER, THEY DID NOT INFORM THE OWNERS AND THEY ACTUALLY SOLD MY CAR TO ME WITHOUT MENTIONING THE PROBLEMS THEY ARE HAVING WITH THE TIRES. NO TIRES SHOULD WEAR OUT AFTER 10K MILES. I ACTUALLY TOOK THE CAR IN FOR SERVICE IN EARLY SEPT TO HAVE A TIRE REPLACED AND NO ONE STILL MENTIONED THE SIB TO ME. MY HUSBAND FOUND A COPY OF IT ON THE INTERNET AND IT BASICALLY SAYS, DON'T REPLACE THESE UNLESS THE CUSTOMER COMPLAINS. HOWEVER, ITS DIFFICULT TO DETECT THE UNEVEN TREAD WEAR UNTIL THERE ARE HUGE FLAT SPOTS ON YOUR TIRES. THIS IS SO REMINISCENT OF THE FIRESTONE/FORD DEBACLE AND I FEEL THAT BMW IS PLAYING THE ODDS TO KEEP FROM HAVING TO HELP FUND A HUGE RECALL. THEY KEPT PUTTING THESE SAME TIRES ON THESE CARS DESPITE THE COMPLAINTS. *TR

ON 12/15/07 I PULLED ONTO THE HIGHWAY FROM THE DIRT MEDIAN. THE CAR ENGINE LOST POWER AND THE VEHICLE CAME TO A VIRTUAL STOP ON THE HIGHWAY WITH HIGH SPEED TRAFFIC QUICKLY APPROACHING. I WAS PUSHING THE GAS PEDAL TO THE FLOOR BUT NO POWER WAS BEING APPLIED TO THE WHEELS AND ENGINE RPM DID NOT INCREASE. THIS LASTED FOR MANY SECONDS. I HAD TIME TO CONFIRM I WAS STILL IN FIRST GEAR. I THEN DEPRESSED THE CLUTCH, REVVED THE ENGINE TO HIGH RPM AND TOOK OFF IN SECOND GEAR. MY WIFE AND I WERE ALMOST KILLED DUE TO THE LENGTH OF TIME WE WERE ON THE HIGHWAY WITH THE VEHICLE VIRTUALLY AT A STANDSTILL. *TR