2001 BMW 525I

BMW IS USING THE RECALL TO FORCE PEOPLE BACK INTO THEIR SERVICE CENTER. EVEN WHEN A REPAIR ISN'T REQUIRED. THEN, THEY TELL YOU THAT THERE ARE 100 OTHER THINGS THAT ARE NEEDED ON YOUR VEHICLE. ATTACHED ARE THE SAMPLES OF THE DOCUMENTS. THIS BEHAVIOR IS FRAUDULENT AND DECEPTIVE. EVEN THOUGH THEY KNOW MY VEHICLE DOES NOT NEED THIS AIRBAG, THEY CONTINUE TO SEND ANNOYING LETTERS.

TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 BMW 525I. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION WAS SLOW TO CHANGE GEARS INTERMITTENTLY. AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC DIAGNOSED THAT THE TRANSMISSION ASSEMBLY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. ALSO, WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH OVER A POTHOLE, THE UNDERCARRIAGE OF THE VEHICLE WAS DAMAGED AND THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED WITH FORCE. THE DRIVER WAS NOT INJURED. THE VEHICLE REMAINED PARKED AT THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE DUE TO THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT LATER RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 19V015000 (AIR BAGS). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

I PURCHASED MY USED 2001 BMW E39 525I TWO YRS AGO WITH MANY ISSUES AS EXPECTED WHEN I LEARNED IT WAS A "LEASE", PRIOR OWNER NEVER MAINTAINED THE VEHICLE. I BEGAN TO EXPERIENCE FOR MONTHS "AIRBAG" LIGHT ON. PAID FOR MONTHS HAVING IT RESET, THEN I FINALLY I STARTED A SEARCH TO LOCATE A "RECALL FOR AIRBAG MODULE" FOR THIS MODEL. I CALLED BMW NORTH AMERICA IMMEDIATELY THAT I'M THE NEW OWNER (THEY HAD NO RECORD OF WHO WAS THE OWNER) I WAS GIVEN DIRECTION HOW TO HANDLE, VEHICLE TAKEN TO A SERVICE CENTER, REPAIRED MADE. TWO MONTHS LATE, AIRBAG LIGHT ON AGAIN, PAID FOR ANOTHER DIAGNOSTIC, THIS TIME TO BE TOLD SOMETHING DIFFERENT, "STAGE 1-RESISTANCE TOO HIGH". WHAT IS THAT? I WAS TOLD THE AIRBAG AND IT'S COMPONENTS WERE TESTED, DID NOT FIND ANYTHING DEFECTED, CODE RESET, ALL OK BUT WAS TOLD IF AIRBAG LIGHT COME AGAIN, STRONG POSSIBILITY "DRIVER WHEEL AIRBAG" WILL NEED TO BE REPLACE WHICH IS UNUSUAL. THE NEXT DAY, THE LIGHT BACK ON. BACK TO THE SVC CENTER, TOLD IT NEEDS TO BE REPLACED, IF NOT, THE CHANCES ARE THE AIRBAG MAY NOT DEPLOY. I'M QUITE UPSET. THAT EVENING OF 12/19/09, I STARTED SEARCHING, CAME ACROSS SEVERAL BLOGGING SITES ABOUT BMW AIRBAG. I CAME ACROSS 18 OWNERS WITH THE SAME MAKE,MODEL AND YR HAVING THE SAME ISSUE. I IMMEDIATELY CALLED BMW NORTH AMERICA WITH MY FINDING, THERE IS NO RECALL ON AND NOTHING THEY CAN DO UNLESS "SAFETY" IS INVOLVED. I EMPHASIZED MY CONCERN OF WHAT I HAVE READ AND WHAT I HAVE BEEN TOLD BY THE SVC TECH ABOUT NOT DEPLOYING. I NEED YOUR ASSISTANCE, WHAT ARE THE STEPS FOR NHTSA TO CONDUCT A INVESTIGATION ON THIS? I CONTACTED A REP WITH BMW NORTH AMERICA AGAIN 12/28/09, ANYTHING YOU CAN DO, REPLY, "NO". I FEEL THIS IS A SERIOUS MATTER. I ASKING YOUR ASSISTANCE IF THERE ARE ANY RECORDS IN YOUR ORGANIZATION OF OWNERS WITH THE IDENTICAL MODEL, MAKE AND YR THAT HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN A MVA AND THEIR DRIVER WHEEL AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY PROPERLY AND MAYBE WERE NOT AWARE OF A "FAULT ISSUE" IN THIS MODEL? *TR