2004 BMW 530I

I OWN A 2004 BMW 530 I MY DAGHTER JUST CAME BACK FRO WORK SHE PARKED THE CAR IN MY DRIVE WAY AND SHE CAME INSIDE SHE HAD DIINNER AND WE GOT READY FOR BED AT APPROXMENTLY 11PM WE GET A NOCK ON THE SIDE WINDOW WERE FROM THE POLICE DEPT SAY TO EVECUATE AND TO COME OUT NOW WHEN WE CAME OUT THE CAR WAS IN A FIRE AND THE SAINT CLOUD FL MARSHAL SAID THE FIRE START CAUSE DUE TO THE BATTERY OR THE WIRE IN THE TRUNK I CALLED BMW COPPERT OFFICE TO LET THEM KNOW AND THEY SAID THEY WILL NEED TO PICK UP THE CAR TO HAV ENGINER TO LOOK AT THE CAR WAS TOTTLED BMW AFTER THEY TOOL 40 DAY FOR EVALUATION THEY CALLED ME TODAY AND ONLY OFFERED TO PAY $5000.00 TOWARD A CERTIF USED OR NEW BMW I TOLD THEM THAT THIS WAS NOT ACCEPTABLE AND I TOLD THEM I WILL CALL YOUR COPANY AND THEY SEEM NOT TO CARE I WANT TO MAKE SURE EVERY OWNER OUT THERE NEED TO KNOW THIS CAN HAPPEN TO THEM AND THAT RECALL THAT BMW HAD BY REPLACING THE ONLY ONLY A RUBER PART ON THE RED WIRE IN THE TRUNK DOES NOT HELP PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF YOU CAN HELP ME RECOVER MY MONEY ON THE CAR.I DID NOT HAVE FULL COVERGE I ONLY HAD LIBLTY INSURANCE SO THIS DID NOT HELP I HAVE BEEN DOING MY HOMEWORK AND FOUND OUT THAT THERE HAVE BEEN 1.2 MILLION BMW RECALL AND ONLY 1 FIRE MY CAR IS THE 2ND AS I READ MORE ABOUT THE ISSUE AND ALSO FOUND SOME NEWS COMPANY SUCH NBC HAD A ARTICLE ON THIS ISSUE .

WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY I NOTICED A SMELL OF BURNING MATTER RAPIDLY INCREASING IN THE CAR, IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWED BY A SHARP BURNING SENSATION IN MY RIGHT THIGH. WHILE HALF-STANDING I WAS ABLE TO MANEUVER MY CAR TO THE HIGHWAY SHOULDER. (WHICH WAS VERY DIFFICULT TO DO SAFELY, GIVEN THE TRAFFIC WAS DENSE AND MOVING WITH HIGHWAY SPEEDS.) AFTER I PULLED OVER, TURNED OFF THE CAR, CAME OUT OF THE VEHICLE AND LOOKED AT THE SEAT, I NOTICED A BURN MARK ON THE LEATHER, EXACTLY WHERE MY THIGH WAS WHEN IT GOT BURNED. IT SEEMED THAT THE SEAT WARMER OVERHEATED AND BURNED A HOLE IN THE LEATHER. I VENTILATED THE CAR FROM THE BURNING ODOR, WHICH GAVE ENOUGH TIME FOR THE SEAT TO COOL DOWN. AFTER GETTING TO A SAFER LOCATION I TESTED MY THEORY BY TURNING ON THE SEAT WARMER ? THE ISSUES WAS REPRODUCIBLE. I WENT TO STEVENS CREEK BMW DEALERSHIP FOR DIAGNOSTICS AND REPAIRS. THEY CHARGED ME $210.88 DIAGNOSTIC FEE AND QUOTED WITH AROUND $1,500 FOR THE REPAIRS, IMPLYING THAT THEY WILL NOT FIX THIS ISSUE AS ?A GOOD WILL? SINCE MY CAR IS TOO OLD AND HAS TOO MANY MILES ON IT AND THAT IT HAS NONE OF THE WARRANTIES LEFT. I STILL THINK THEY SHOULD HAVE FIXED IT AS "A GOOD WILL" SINCE THE DEALERSHIP DIAGNOSED A SHORT CIRCUIT IN THE SEAT WARMER. THE SEAT WARMER SHOULD HAVE FAILED IN A FAIL-SAFE WAY BY NOT WARMING OR AT LEAST BLOWING A FUSE (AND AGE & MILES HAVE LITTLE TO DO WITH POOR ENGINEERING). *TR

MY VEHICLE IS A 530I WITH A PRODUCTION DATE IN DECEMBER 2003, IT IS MY CONTENTION THAT THE VEHICLE SHOULD BE SUBJECT TO RECALL RCDNN-04V575. DESPITE THE DECEMBER 2004 NOTICE TO NTSHA INDICATING THAT 100% OF VEHICLES WITH THE SEAT HEATING OPTION PRODUCED BETWEEN JUNE 17TH 2003 AND APRIL 30TH 2004. BMW INSISTS THAT MY VEHICLE (PRODUCTION DATE IN DECEMBER 2003 AND CONTAINING THE SEAT HEATER IN QUESTION) IS, ACCORDING TO INTERNAL DOCUMENTS WHICH THEY WILL NOT RELEASE TO ME, NOT IN FACT SUBJECT TO THE RECALL. WHAT I FIND INEXPLICABLE AND BEYOND BELIEF, IS THAT THEY WOULD ISSUE A NOTIFICATION TO NTSHA IN NOVEMBER 2004, A FULL SIX MONTHS AFTER ALLEGEDLY REMEDYING DEFECTS IN CARS PRODUCED FROM MID-MARCH 2004 THROUGH APRIL 30TH 2004 WITHOUT CORRECTING THOSE DATES IN THE NOTIFICATION LETTER. BMW REFUSES TO REPAIR OR EVEN INSPECT MY PASSENGER SIDE SEAT BOLSTER HEATING ELEMENT DESPITE CLEAR EVIDENCE THAT IT IS IN FACT DEFECTIVE AND SUBJECT TO THE RECALL. *TR

MY VEHICLE IS A 530I WITH A PRODUCTION DATE IN MARCH 2004, IT IS MY CONTENTION THAT THE VEHICLE SHOULD BE SUBJECT TO RECALL RCDNN-04V575. DESPITE THE DECEMBER 2004 NOTICE TO NTSHA INDICATING THAT 100% OF VEHICLES WITH THE SEAT HEATING OPTION PRODUCED BETWEEN JUNE 17TH 2003 AND APRIL 30TH 2004. BMW INSISTS THAT MY VEHICLE (PRODUCTION DATE IN MARCH 2004 AND CONTAINING THE SEAT HEATER IN QUESTION) IS, ACCORDING TO INTERNAL DOCUMENTS WHICH THEY WILL NOT RELEASE TO ME, NOT IN FACT SUBJECT TO THE RECALL. THE MALFUNCTION DESCRIBED IN THE RECALL NOTICE HAPPENED EXACTLY AS DESCRIBED, BURNING A HOLE THROUGH MY DRIVER SEAT SIDE BOLSTER. DESPITE AGREEING TO REMEDY THE DRIVER SIDE DAMAGE TO MY SATISFACTION, BMW CONTENDS THAT THEY ARE UNDER NO OBLIGATION TO REPAIR OR EVEN INSPECT THE PASSENGER SIDE SEAT BOLSTER, WHICH I CONTEND IS DEFECTIVE AND WAS SUBJECT TO THE RECALL. I HAVE EMAILS FROM BMW STATING MY VEHICLE IS NOT SUBJECT TO THE RECALL AND ACKNOWLEDGING THAT NO RECALL REPAIRS HAD OCCURRED THEY ARE CLAIMING I AM NOT ENTITLED TO VIEW THE INTERNAL DOCUMENTATION THAT ALLEGEDLY SHOWS THAT THE DEFECT WAS REMEDIED BEFORE THE VEHICLE WAS DELIVERED OFF THE PRODUCTION LINE. WHAT I FIND INEXPLICABLE AND BEYOND BELIEF, IS THAT THEY WOULD ISSUE A NOTIFICATION TO NTSHA IN NOVEMBER 2004, A FULL SIX MONTHS AFTER ALLEGEDLY REMEDYING DEFECTS IN CARS PRODUCED FROM MID-MARCH 2004 THROUGH APRIL 30TH 2004 WITHOUT CORRECTING THOSE DATES IN THE NOTIFICATION LETTER. BMW REFUSES TO REPAIR OR EVEN INSPECT MY PASSENGER SIDE SEAT BOLSTER HEATING ELEMENT DESPITE CLEAR EVIDENCE THAT IT IS IN FACT DEFECTIVE AND SUBJECT TO THE RECALL. I WOULD LIKE THAT PROBLEM REMEDIED AS PRESCRIBED IN THE RECALL NOTICE OR DEFINITIVE PROOF PRODUCED THAT THE REPAIR WAS CONDUCTED OR ALTERNATIVELY THAT THE REDESIGN WAS IN PLACE ON THE PASSENGER SIDE SEAT BOLSTER BEFORE DELIVERY OF THE VEHICLE.. *TR

IDRIVE IS TOTALLY BLACK, INCLUDING ALL DASHBOARD FUNCTIONS, NO WIPERS OR POWER TO WINDOWS, ONLY MY ENGINE RUNS. I WAS TOLD BY THE DEALER THAT WATER GOT INTO THE SUNROOF AND LEAKED TO THE TRUCK NEAR TIRE AND CAUSE TWO GASKETS TO BURN OUT. I AM TOLD THAT THE COST TO REPAIR IS $1650 OR $2950 DEPENDING ON WHICH OPTION I CHOOSE. I AM ALSO TOLD THAT THE PROBLEM MAY RETURN. THIS PROBLEM APPEARS TO BE A MANUFACTURER ISSUED BUT THE CONSUMER HAS TO PAY OUT OF POCKET FOR THE REPAIR COST, EVEN THOUGH THROUGH NO FAULT OF OUR OWN THE PROBLEM EXISTS. *TR

THERE WAS A BURNT PLASTIC ODOR, SHORTLY AFTER THAT THERE WAS SMOKE COMING OUT OF THE TRUNK. THERE WAS A CABLE CONNECTED TO THE BATTERY THAT COME LOOSE, WHICH CAUSED THE POWER MODULE TO BURNT OUT. THERE WAS POWER OUTAGE THROUGHOUT THE CAR, THE NOTICEABLE ONES INCLUDED: THE RADIO (THE SCREEN WAS COMPLETELY BLACK AND THERE WAS NO SOUND); THE CAR ALARM; AND THE BING ALERTING SOUNDS THAT GOES OFF WHEN KEY IS IN IGNITION, SEATBELTS ARE NOT STRAPPED,ETC. WERE NOT WORKING. MY TECHNICIAN CHANGE THE POWER MODULE THEN HE NOTICED THAT THE CABLE THAT CAME LOOSE ONLY DISCONNECTS WHEN THERE IS A CAR ACCIDENTS AS A PRECAUTION, JUST THE SAME WAY THE AIRBAGS DEFLATE. HE ADVISED THAT IT WAS A MANUFACTURING DEFECT THAT COULD LEAD TO AN EXPLOSION. WHEN I INFORMED BMW CENTER ABOUT THIS PROBLEM THEY SAID IT HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH A DEFECT THAT IT WAS "WEAR AND TEAR", BUT THEN AGAIN THEY DIDN'T BOTHER TO DIAGNOSE IT, THEY DIDN'T EVEN BOTHER TO TAKE A LOOK AT IT! *TR

THERE WAS A BURNT PLASTIC ODOR, SHORTLY AFTER THAT SMOKE CAME OUT OF THE TRUNK. A CABLE CONNECTED TO THE BATTERY CAME LOOSE WHICH CAUSE THE POWER MODULE TO BURN OUT. THERE WAS A POWER OUTAGE THROUGHOUT THE CAR, THE NOTICEABLE ONES INCLUDED; THE RADIO (NO IMAGE WAS DISPLAYED ON THE SCREEN AND NO SOUND); THE CAR ALARM WAS NOT WORKING AND THE BING SOUND ALERTING KEY IN IGNITION, SEATBELT NOT STRAPPED, ETC. WAS NOT WORKING. *TR

CAR WAS GOING TO BE PURCHASED ON 8/24/2012 WAS TOLD TO DRIVE FOR THE WEEKEND. ON 8/27/2012 AROUND 3:00 IN THE MORNING (AFTER FILLING WITH FUEL THE PRIOR EVENING) WE HEARD A LOUD EXPLOSION, THEN FOLLOWED BY FIRETRUCKS AND AMBULANCES. UPON INSPECTION THE BMW IN THE PARKING GARAGE WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES, WINDOWS HAD BLOWN OUT. ACCORDING TO FIRE MARSHALL FIRE STARTED AT BATTERY IN TRUNK AND WAS IGNITED BY GASOLINE VAPORS. CAUSED MAJOR FIRE DAMAGE TO CAR PARKED NEXT TO IT AS WELL. *TR

THE FRONT PASSENGER AIR BAGS IS DEACTIVATED AND THE AIR BAG WARNING LAMP AS WELL AS THE PASSENGER AIR BAG "ON-OFF" LAMP IS ILLUMINATED. THIS ISSUE IS THE SAME AS THE 2004 BMW 5 SERIES FRONTAL AIRBAG RECALL ( #08V384000), BUT FOR SOME REASON WHEN I CONTACTED BMW AT 1-800-525-7417 AND PROVIDED THEM MY VIN NUMBER THEY SAID IT WASN'T COVERED UNDER THE RECALL. PLEASE REVIEW AND RECONSIDER AS THIS IS A SERIOUS DEFECT THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED. *TR

PASSENGER SEAT OCCUPANCY SENSOR FAILURE. THIS FAILURE HAS DISABLED THE AIRBAGS ON THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. IN THE EVENT OF AN ACCIDENT, ANY PASSENGER IN THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT BE PROTECTED BY THE AIRBAGS. THERE WAS A RECALL ON MY2004-2006 BMW 5-SERIES MODELS (ALONG WITH NUMEROUS OTHER MODELS) FOR THE PASSENGER SEAT OCCUPANCY SENSOR. BMW OF NORTH AMERICA HAS ADVISED ME THAT MY VEHICLE (PER VIN) IS NOT A PART OF THE RECALL. HOWEVER, I AM EXPERIENCING THE SAME FAULT AS OUTLINED IN THE RECALL ISSUED BY BMW NA. NEITHER MY LOCAL DEALERSHIP, OR BMW NA IS WILLING TO COVER THIS FAILURE. THIS IS A SIGNIFICANT SAFETY ISSUE FOR ANY PASSENGERS IN THE VEHICLE. *JS