1999 BMW 528I

1999 BMW 528I A/C COMPRESSOR FAILURE AT 51,300 MILES. REQUESTED FACTORY ASSISTANCE WHICH WAS SUBSEQUENTLY DENIED. BMW WAS WITHIN THEIR RIGHTS AS THE WARRANTY HAD EXPIRED, BUT THERE ARE OTHER DOCUMENTED INCIDENTS WITH FAILURES AROUND THE SAME MILEAGE WHICH MAY INDICATE A DEFECTIVE PART. BMW APPARENT WILL NOT FIX COMPRESSORS MAKING NOISE EVEN UNDER WARRANTY. IF TRUE, THIS IS POOR PERFORMANCE FROM THIS AUTOMOBILE MAKER. *NLM

THIS IS THE 2ND INCIDENT. THE FIRST TIME WAS WAS ABOUT 6 MONTHS AGO. THE CAR HAD UNEXPECTED ACCELERATION (RUN-AWAY VEHICLE). THE FIRST TIME THIS HAPPENED MY ENTIRE FAMILY WAS IN CAR AS I MERGED ONTO HIGHWAY. NO ACCIDENT OCCURRED, BUT A LESS EXPERIENCED DRIVER WOULD HAVE BEEN KILLED. THIS TIME, FEW DAYS AGO, EXACTLY THE SAME THING HAPPENED, BUT I REACTED MORE QUICKLY AND IT WAS ON A STRAIGHT AWAY, SO THE SITUATION WAS NOT AS DESPERATE. THE DEALER SAID THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DISLODGED, WHICH WAS PRECISELY WHAT OCCURED THE FIRST TIME. THEY REPAIRED IT, AS FAR AS I KNOW, BUT THE POSSIBILITY OF AN ACCELERATOR PEDAL BECOMING LOOSE CAUSING ACCELERATOR TO GET STUCK IS A TERRIBLE, AND POSSIBLE LIFE-THREATENING HAZARD. I HOPE THIS WILL NOT HAPPEN AGAIN. I WROTE A LETTER TO THE CEO OF BMW AND HAVE NOT YET RECEIVED A RESPONSE. *SW*AK

THE DRIVER'S INTERIOR DOOR HANDLE, WHICH IS PLASTIC, BROKE COMPLETELY OFF AS I TRIED TO EXIT. I CONTACTED THE LOCAL BMW CUSTOMER SERVICE REP AND WAS TOLD THAT THIS WAS A COMMON PROBLEM ON THESE VEHICLES, HOWEVER, I RECALL HAS NOT BEEN ISSUED. HE SUGGESTED I PAY TO GET IT FIXED AND RETAIN THE RECEIPT IN THE EVENT OF A RECALL. I REQUESTED THE NUMBER FOR THE BMW CUSTOMER CARE IN ORDER TO DOCUMENT THE FAILURE. BMW CUSTOMER CARE STATED THAT THE PROBLEM WAS UNKNOWN TO THEM AND THEY DID NOT ANTICIPATE A RECALL. ALTHOUGH THIS INCIDENT OCCURRED UNDER NORMAL USAGE, IN THE EVENT OF AN ACCIDENT IT COULD HAVE FATAL CONSEQUENCES, FURTHERMORE, I AM FORCED TO DRIVE MY CAR WITHOUT A INTERIOR LATCH UNTIL I CAN GET IN FOR A SCHEDULED APPOINTMENT, IE. 3 WEEKS.

THIS BMW DEPLOYED THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG, DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY AT 70MPH. AT THE SAME TIME BOTH FRONT TIRES WENT FLAT. I DO NOT KNOW AT THIS TIME IF THE TIRES WERE PUNCTURED BY AN OBJECT OR NOT. MY WIFE WAS DRIVING THE CAR AND SAID THAT SHE WAS CRUISING AT 70MPH,(8:30AM WITH GOOD VISABILITY) WHEN THE AIRBAG DEPLOYED SHE PULLED OVER AND NOTICED THAT SHE HAD TWO FLAT TIRES ON THE FRONT. THERE WAS TIRE FAILURE WITH THIS INCIDENT, HOWEVER I ONLY KNOW THAT THE BRAND TIRE IS DUNLOP. THE CAR IS AT THE DEALERSHIP AT THIS TIME. THIS SO FAR, IS A REAL MYSTERY TO US!!!!!!!*AK