2007 BMW 525I

TRUNK LOCKING FAILURE. UNABLE TO OPEN TRUNK WITH REMOTE CONTROL OR SWITCH INSIDE THE CAR. I WAS ONLY ABLE TO OPEN THE TRUNK WITH THE KEY OVER-RIDE FROM THE TRUNK. BMW USA CUSTOMER SERVICE DID NOT PROVIDE ANY ASSISTANCE TO OPEN THE TRUNK. I HAD TO READ THE MANUAL TO BE ABLE TO OVER-RIDE THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS. ONCE I OPENED THE TRUNK THE TRUNK WOULD NOT CLOSE. AFTER EXTENSIVE INTERNET RESEARCH AND ELECTRICAL TROUBLE-SHOOTING, I FOUND BROKEN BROWN ELECTRICAL WIRE IN THE TRUNK HARNESS BOOT ABOVE THE BATTERY COMPARTMENT. I FOUND SEVERAL CASES POSTED IN THE INTERNET. THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH BMW. BMW USA CUSTOMER RELATIONS WAS CONTACTED TO REPORT THIS SAFETY ISSUE AND A DESIGN FLOW BUT SHE DID NOT OFFER ANY INTEREST TO RESOLVE THE ISSUE. I OFFERED THE OPPORTUNITY TO BMW TECHNICIANS / ENGINEERS TO INSPECT THE DESIGN FLOW AND PERHAPS THEY CAN PROVIDE A SOLUTION TO THIS DEFECT BUT SHE WANTED ME TO GO TO THE DEALER AND PAY THE DEALER TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM ($150 PER HOUR FEE). I WAS CLEAR THAT I ALREADY FOUND THE PROBLEM AND CAN SIMPLY SPLICE THE WIRES BACK BUT I WAS CALLING BECAUSE I AM CONCERN ABOUT THE SAFETY OF OTHER BMW DRIVERS. ELECTRICAL SHORTAGE NEXT TO THE BATTERY CAN BE A SAFETY CONCERN! BMW CUSTOMER SERVICE MANAGER DID NOT OFFER ANY HELP EITHER. *TR

I WAS DRIVING THROUGH A CANYON AREA, AND WATER SPILLED OUT OF MY ICE CHEST INTO THE TRUNK BAY, WHERE THE SPARE TIRE IS STORED. APPARENTLY THE ENTIRE CARS COMPUTER AND WIRING IS UNDERNEATH THE SPARE TIRE. THE WATER FRIED MY TIRE PRESSURE MONITOR MODULE, WHICH CAUSED THE COMPUTER TO RESTART. WHEN IT RESTARTED, THE CAR SHOWED A CAR COMPUTER FAILURE. THE CAR HAS SAFETY FEATURES SUCH AS STABILITY CONTROL, AND MANY OTHER SAFETY MODULES CONNECTED TO THE COMPUTER. THE CARS COMPUTER, INSIDE LIGHTS, GAUGES, AND ALL MY SYSTEMS COMPLETELY RESTARTED EVERY 30-45 SECONDS, CAUSING THE CAR TO BE A DANGEROUS TOY. I HAD TO DRIVE DOWN THE MOUNTAIN WITHOUT ANY SAFETY FEATURES ON MY CAR TURNED ON, WHICH MADE IT HARD TO CONTROL. IT WAS VERY UNSTABLE DRIVING, ALL BECAUSE OF A TIRE PRESSURE MONITOR MODULE GOING OUT. I SPENT OVER $55K ON THIS VEHICLE, I DON'T THINK GETTING A SMALL AMOUNT OF WATER IN MY TRUNK WOULD CAUSE SO MUCH DAMAGE. THE MODULE COST ME $1,800 TO REPLACE, AS WELL AS A $600 UPCHARGE TO MOVE THE COMPUTER TO THE SIDE OF THE TRUNK, AND $560 FOR THE WIRING HARNESS. $2,960 IN DAMAGE FROM WATER SPILLING IN MY WHEEL WELL. GIVE ME A BREAK BMW! *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 BMW 525I. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH THE CONTACT WAS INVOLVED IN A HEAD ON CRASH WITH ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE DRIVER OF THE OTHER VEHICLE WAS INTOXICATED AND DRIVING ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED INJURIES TO HIS FACE, LEFT SHOULDER, BACK AND HEAD DUE TO THE IMPACT. THE CONTACTS FACE COLLIDED WITH THE WINDSHIELD AND HE SUFFERED FROM FREQUENT HEADACHES AND NUMBNESS TO THE LEFT SIDE OF HIS BODY. THE PASSENGER OF THE VEHICLE ALSO SUSTAINED INJURIES TO HIS BACK, RIGHT SHOULDER AND HAND. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A TOWING FACILITY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THEY WERE NOT GRANTED ACCESS TO THE TOWING YARD IN ORDER TO INSPECT THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,000. UPDATED 3/27/12 *CN

PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG WARNING. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER HERE IN FLORIDA - WE ARE HERE FOR THE WINTER. DEALER BRAMEN IN WEST PALM BEACH QUOTED US $1700 TO REPAIR. WE DECLINED AS WE THOUGHT THE COST WAS EXORBITANT. THE DEALER REP SAID IT WAS A SAFETY PROBLEM AND NEEDED REPAIR. I HAVE LOOKED ON THE INTERNET AND SEE PRIOR MODEL YEARS HAVE BEEN RECALLED FOR WHAT APPEARS TO BE A SIMILAR PROBLEM.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 BMW 525I. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 75 MPH, THE TRANSMISSION WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL AND THE TRANSMISSION BEGAN TO SLIP. THERE WAS ALSO A VERY LOW POWER RESPONSE WHEN ACCELERATING. THE WARNING INDICATOR REMAINED ILLUMINATED UNTIL THE ENGINE WAS TURNED OFF. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING AND THEY DETECTED FAILURE WITHIN THE COMPUTERIZED SYSTEM. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED AGAIN. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 18,000.

THE CONTINENTAL TIRES AKA AS " CONTITOURING CONTACT CV95" ARE WEARING OUT PRETTY BAD WITH JUST 23000 MILES ON IT. I HAVE NOTICED WAVING INSIDE THE WALLS OF THE TIRES AND ONE OF THEM ACTUALLY STARTED TO COME APART. I HAVE BEEN DOING RESEARCH ON LINE REGARDING THIS PARTICULAR TIRE FROM CONTINENTAL WITH SIMILAR COMPLAINS AS MINE, AND IT APPEARS CONTINENTAL IS BLOWING PEOPLE OFF, AND THE AUTO DEALERS ARE NOT TAKING RESPONSIBILITY EITHER. AS FOR ME I BELIEVE THE TIRE SENSOR ON MY BMW COULD HAVE SAVE OUR LIVES. UPON GETTING A TIRE PRESSURE READING I PULLED OVER, FELT THE TIRES AND FOUND THE LEFT REAR TIRE WITH RIPPLES AND THE INSIDE TREADING COMING APART. I HAD JUST BEEN TRAVELING AT SPEEDS OF UP TO 70 MILES WITH MY WIFE AND CHILDREN IN THE CAR. I HAVE CONTACTED CONTINENTAL VIA E-MAIL AND DO NOT EXPECT ANY RESPONSE SINCE SIMILAR PEOPLE HAVE COMPLAINED AND I HEAR CONTINENTAL TIRES IS NOT RESPONDING TO PEOPLE'S CONCERNS. THIS IS SCARY AND SOMETHING SHOULD BE DONE ABOUT IT. THANKS *TR