2000 BMW 528I

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 BMW 528I. WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH, AND ATTEMPTING TO MAKE A RIGHT TURN THE STEERING WHEEL CONTINUED TO TURN TO THE RIGHT AND THE WHEELS WERE STRAIGHT. UNABLE TO GAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE IT MOVED FORWARD INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A MECHANIC AND THE DIAGNOSIS WAS A BOLT OR SCREW WAS MISSING FROM THE STEERING COLUMN. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 54,000. *AK

WHILE IN MY GARAGE EXITING THE VEHICLE, THE INTERIOR DRIVER'S DOOR HANDLE BROKE OFF INTO MY HAND, MAKING IT IMPOSSIBLE TO EXIT THE VEHICLE FROM THE DRIVERS SEAT UNLESS THE WINDOW WAS ROLLED DOWN. UPON INSPECTION, IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE HANDLE WAS ENTIRELY MADE OF PLASTIC. THE CAR WAS TAKEN TO NIELLO BMW IN SACRAMENTO, CA FOR REPLACEMENT AT THE OWNER'S COST. OWNER HAS POSSESSION OF THE BROKEN HANDLE. *NM

THE DESIGN OF THE ABS CONTROLLER ON A 2000 BMW 528I IS PRONE TO FAILURE AND WILL RENDER THE ABS FUNCTIONS INOPERABLE. THIS IS AN EXTREMELY COMMON PROBLEM ON THIS SERIES OF BMW AUTOMOBILES. THE FAILURE STARTS WITH VARIOUS WARNING LIGHTS THAT INDICATE THE ABS SYSTEM IS INOPERABLE. THESE FAILURES CAN BE INTERMITTENT AND IT APPEARS TO BE RELATED TO HEAT AS THE CONTROLLER IS MOUNTED INSIDE THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT VERY NEAR THE EXHAUST SYSTEM. ONCE FAILED THE FAULTY ABS COMPUTER CAN CAUSE AND DOES CAUSE THE FAILURE OF THE SPEED SENSORS MOUNTED ON THE WHEELS. I REPLACED A BAD WHEEL SENSOR AT A COST OF $93 AND WITHIN 30 MINUTES OF DRIVING THE BRAND NEW WHEEL SENSOR WENT BAD (RESISTANCE MEASUREMENT OF THE ORIGINAL BAD WHEEL SENSOR WAS 4.4M OHM WHILE THE RESISTANCE MEASUREMENT OF THE NEW WHEEL SENSOR WAS 8.8M OHM. AFTER 30 MINUTES OF DRIVING THE DASHBOARD MOUNTED WARNING LIGHTS CAME BACK ON AND THE RESISTANCE MEASUREMENT OF THE BRAND NEW WHEEL SENSOR WAS 4.4M OHM AND FURTHER TROUBLESHOOTING INDICATED A FAULTY ABS COMPUTER). UPON OPENING OF THE ABS COMPUTER TO INVESTIGATE IT WAS DISCOVERD THAT THE DESIGN OF THE PRIINTED CIRCUIT CARD USES POOR RELIABILITY MECHANICAL DESIGN PROPERTIES FOR A UNIT THAT IS EXPOSED TO EXTREME TEMPERATURE VARIATIONS AND HIGH VIBRATION. THIS IS A WIDELY REPORTED PROBLEM WITH THESE CARS BUT BMW AND BOSCH (ABS COMPUTER MANUFACTURER) REFUSE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE PROBLEM AND PROVIDE REMEDY FOR AFFECTED OWNERS. THIS PROBLEM IS DANGEROUS AS THE ENTIRE ABS COULD FAIL AT ANY TIME REDUCING THE STOPPING POWER OF THE CAR ENTIRELY OR INTERMITTENTLY. THIS IS A BIG SAFETY DEFECT IN THESE CARS AND BY IGNORING THE PROBLEM BOTH BMW AND BOSCH ARE PUTTING DRIVERS AND PROPERTY AT RISK. *NM

2000 BMW 528 IDLES ROUGH IN COLD CLIMATES (2002/2003). THIS PRODUCES NO CHECK ENGINE LIGHTS. THE PROBLEM GOES AWAY ONCE THE CAR IS WARMED UP OR IN WARMER CLIMATES. DEALER CONSTANTLY STATES "PROBLEM UNREPRODUCABLE". AFTER NUMEROUS VISITS I LEFT THE CAR OVERNIGHT AT DEALERSHIP AND THE FOLLOWING MORNING WENT BACK, GRABBED A TECHNICIAN AND HAD HIM SIT IN THE CAR WITH ME. AFTERWARDS TECHNICIAN SAID IT'S PROBABLY A PART CALLED THE VANOS UNIT. HAD PART REPLACED THEN PROBLEM WENT AWAY. THIS WINTER (2003/2004), PROBLEM RESURFACED.*AK