Counts are not failure probabilities and are not adjusted for sales, age, mileage exposure or reporting. One report may name several categories. Comparison method and limitations.
WITHOUT ANY PREVIOUS PROBLEMS, THE "SERVICE ENGINE SOON" LIGHT CAME ON. THE CAR IS A 2003 BMW 530I WITH 68,000 MILES AT THE TIME. COMPUTER DIAGNOSIS RETURNED "FAULT 30", "TORQUE CONVERTER SLIPPING". RECOMMENDATION WAS REPLACEMENT OF TORQUE CONVERTER AT COST OF $2600. ONLINE RESEARCH OF THIS PROBLEM FOUND MANY COMPLAINTS OF THE E…
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WITHOUT ANY PREVIOUS PROBLEMS, THE "SERVICE ENGINE SOON" LIGHT CAME ON. THE CAR IS A 2003 BMW 530I WITH 68,000 MILES AT THE TIME. COMPUTER DIAGNOSIS RETURNED "FAULT 30", "TORQUE CONVERTER SLIPPING". RECOMMENDATION WAS REPLACEMENT OF TORQUE CONVERTER AT COST OF $2600. ONLINE RESEARCH OF THIS PROBLEM FOUND MANY COMPLAINTS OF THE EXACT SAME NATURE. DUE TO CONFLICTING ADVICE, THE CAR WAS NOT REPAIRED, AND HAS BEEN DRIVEN FOR 3 MONTHS AND OVER 3,000 MILES WITHOUT ANY PROBLEMS OR DIMINISHED MILEAGE OR PERFORMANCE. THE "SERVICE ENGINE SOON" LIGHT THAT SWITCHES ON IN RESPONSE TO "FAULT 30" MAY INDICATE A NON-EXISTENT PROBLEM THAT CAN LEAD TO A COSTLY REPAIR. MEANWHILE, THE DRIVER IS LEFT WITH A VEHICLE WITH A CONSTANTLY LIT "SERVICE ENGINE SOON" LIGHT. THIS CAN OBVIOUSLY CREATE PROBLEMS IN SELLING THE CAR OR HAVING IT PASS A SMOG CHECK. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10586915
90,000 miles · Dec 14, 2011
Power Train
IN JANUARY OF 2009, THE "SERVICE ENGINE SOON" (SES) LIGHT CAME ON. IT WAS DIAGNOSED AS A FAULTY TORQUE CONVERTER WITH A REPLACEMENT COST OF ROUGHLY $2000. SINCE THE CAR WAS SHOWING NO SIGN OF ENGINE TROUBLE, WE HAVE CONTINUED TO DRIVE THE CAR FOR ALMOST 3 YEARS AND 50,000 WITH NO PROBLEMS BUT THE SES LIGHT CONTINUES TO SHINE A…
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IN JANUARY OF 2009, THE "SERVICE ENGINE SOON" (SES) LIGHT CAME ON. IT WAS DIAGNOSED AS A FAULTY TORQUE CONVERTER WITH A REPLACEMENT COST OF ROUGHLY $2000. SINCE THE CAR WAS SHOWING NO SIGN OF ENGINE TROUBLE, WE HAVE CONTINUED TO DRIVE THE CAR FOR ALMOST 3 YEARS AND 50,000 WITH NO PROBLEMS BUT THE SES LIGHT CONTINUES TO SHINE AND THE CAR WILL NOT PASS EMISSION INSPECTION. NOW FACED WITH SPENDING $2000 FOR A PROBLEM THAT WE ARE NOT SURE EXISTS OR NOT PASSING INSPECTION. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10439952
55,000 miles · Dec 31, 2010
Power Train
WITHOUT ANY PREVIOUS PROBLEMS, THE "SERVICE ENGINE SOON" LIGHT CAME ON. THE CAR IS A 2003 BMW 530I WITH ONLY 55,000 MILES AT THE TIME. COMPUTER DIAGNOSIS RETURNED "FAULT 30", "TORQUE CONVERTER SLIPPING". RECOMMENDATION WAS REPLACEMENT OF TORQUE CONVERTER AT COST OF $2600. ONLINE RESEARCH OF THIS PROBLEM FOUND MANY COMPLAINTS…
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WITHOUT ANY PREVIOUS PROBLEMS, THE "SERVICE ENGINE SOON" LIGHT CAME ON. THE CAR IS A 2003 BMW 530I WITH ONLY 55,000 MILES AT THE TIME. COMPUTER DIAGNOSIS RETURNED "FAULT 30", "TORQUE CONVERTER SLIPPING". RECOMMENDATION WAS REPLACEMENT OF TORQUE CONVERTER AT COST OF $2600. ONLINE RESEARCH OF THIS PROBLEM FOUND MANY COMPLAINTS OF THE EXACT SAME NATURE. DUE TO CONFLICTING ADVICE, THE CAR WAS NOT REPAIRED, AND HAS BEEN DRIVEN FOR 3 MONTHS AND OVER 3,000 MILES WITHOUT ANY PROBLEMS OR DIMINISHED MILEAGE OR PERFORMANCE. THE "SERVICE ENGINE SOON" LIGHT THAT SWITCHES ON IN RESPONSE TO "FAULT 30" MAY INDICATE A NON-EXISTENT PROBLEM THAT CAN LEAD TO A COSTLY REPAIR. MEANWHILE, THE DRIVER IS LEFT WITH A VEHICLE WITH A CONSTANTLY LIT "SERVICE ENGINE SOON" LIGHT. THIS CAN OBVIOUSLY CREATE PROBLEMS IN SELLING THE CAR OR HAVING IT PASS A SMOG CHECK. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10373622
70,000 miles · Aug 18, 2010
Power Train
TRANSMISSION CODE P0741 GOES ON, INDICATING SLIPPAGE IN THE TORQUE CONVERTER CLUTCH. THIS RESULTS IN LOWERED GAS MILEAGE AND A CHECK ENGINE LIGHT, RESULTING IN FAILURE TO PASS STATE AUTO INSPECTIONS. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10350440
Mileage unknown · Dec 22, 2008
Power Train
TRANSMISSION STARTED TO GO BAD. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10252546
7,500 miles · Oct 22, 2003
Power Train
WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY THE CLUTCH STOPPED RESPONDING, THE TACHOMETER SOARED AND THE CLUTCH BURNED, THE CAR WAS PULLED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND THE CLUTCH CONTINUED TO SMOLDER. IT APPEARS LIKE IT ENGAGED AND WOULD NOT DISENGAGE. *LA
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain model year 2000-2003 525i Sedan, 530i Sedan, 540i Sedan, 2001-2003 525i Sports Wagon and 540i Sports Wagon vehicles, and 2000-2004 X5 SAV 3.0i, X5 SAV 4.4i, and X5 SAV 4.6is vehicles. This recall affects certain vehicles where the original steering wheel has been replaced with the optional sports steering wheel. The sports steering wheel has a frontal air bag inflator that may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Remedy: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until the vehicle has been remedied. BMW will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the vehicle for an optional sports steering wheel with an affected inflator. Dealers will replace the air bag module as necessary, free of charge. The recall began March 14, 2019. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain model year 2002-2005 325i, 325xi, 330i, and 330xi Sedans, and 325xi and 325i Sportswagons, 2002-2006 330Ci, 325Ci, and M3 Convertibles and 325i, 330i, and M3 Coupes, 2002-2003 M5, 540i, 525i Sedan, and 530i Sedans, and 540i and 525i Sportswagons, and 2003 X5 3.0i and 4.4i Sports Activity Vehicles. Please note that the 5-series and X5 vehicles are only included if they are equipped with the optional sports steering wheel. The affected vehicles are equipped with a dual-stage driver frontal air bag that may be susceptible to moisture intrusion which, over time, could cause the inflator to rupture.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Remedy: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until the vehicle has been remedied. BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front driver air bag module, free of charge. The recall began Aug 2016. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417. Note: This recall supersedes recall 14V-348 in its entirety. Additionally, vehicles that have had their driver side frontal air bag replaced previously as part of a recall remedy need to have their air bag replaced under this recall as well. Note: On December 17, 2015 BMW removed the model year 2004 X5 3.0i and 4.4i Sports Activity vehicle from this recall. Those vehicles were mistakenly identified as including the air bags that are subject to this recall.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
Defect investigations
0
No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.
An investigation is not a finding of a defect, and closure does not prove a vehicle is problem-free.
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