2003 BMW 530I

REGULAR DAY GOING TO WORK, NOTICE SMOKE COMING FROM OUTSIDE OF PASSENGER SIDE OF CAR, PULLED OVER CHECK UNDER HOOD, DIDN'T SEE ANY SMOKE, GOT BACK IN CAR AND SMOKE START COMING FROM GLOVE DEPARTMENT AREA, WITHIN A MINUTE CAR START GETTING FILLED WITH SMOKE, I GOT OUT TO CALL 911 AND GOT ABOUT 100 FEET FROM CAR AND I HEARD A POP AND THE CAR WENT INTO FLAMES AND CONTINUE UNTIL IT BURNED ALL UP INSIDE AND OUT. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 BMW 530I. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BATTERY FAILED SEVERAL TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS WHO ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO TO REMEDY THE FAILURE. THE BATTERY WAS REPLACED AT THAT TIME BUT THE FAILURE PERSISTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL MECHANIC WHO INSPECTED AND DISCOVERED THAT THE BATTERY CABLES WERE FAULTY. THE BATTERY AND BATTERY CABLES WERE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED WHO STATED THERE WERE NO RECALLS FOR THE VEHICLE AND OFFERED NO FURTHER ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 1,500 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 86,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 BMW 530I. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BATTERY FAILED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER SEVERAL TIMES WHO ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO TO REMEDY THE FAILURE. THE BATTERY WAS REPLACED YET THE FAILURE PERSISTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A MECHANIC WHO INSPECTED THE AND FOUND THAT A CABLE AND WAS THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE CABLE AND BATTERY WAS REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE WHO STATED THERE WERE NO RECALLS AND OFFERED NO FURTHER ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 1,500 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 86,000.

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

DRIVER'S SIDE HEATED SEAT BURNED HOLE ON LEFT SIDE OF SEAT WHEN ACTIVATED AND SINGED WIFE'S JACKET WHILE DRIVING. SMALL HOLE BURNED INTO SEAT. BMW REFUSES TO ACCEPT ANY RESPONSIBILITY TO REPAIR DAMAGE AND CORRECT DEFECT DESPITE NUMEROUS INCIDENTS OVER A NUMBER OF YEARS WHICH THEY ARE WELL AWARE OF. THIS IS POTENTIALLY A DANGEROUS SITUATION FOR CABIN FIRE AND OCCUPANT BURNS. *KB

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

I WAS DRIVING ON A MOUNTAIN ROAD ON PINE MOUNTAIN IN KERN COUNTY, CA WHEN THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG ON THE DOOR AND HEADLINER DEPLOYED. THE REAR SEAT AIR BAG ALSO DEPLOYED. IT WAS COMPLETELY UNEXPECTED - I DID NOT HIT ANYTHING BEFORE THEY DEPLOYED. THE DEPLOYMENT CAUSED THE CAR TO STOP WHICH THEN SKID OVER THE ICY ROAD, AND THE EMERGENCY FLASHERS CAME ON.