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.
AFTER STARTING UP MY CAR, THERE WAS A SLIGHT WHINE UNDER THE HOOD. I GAVE THE CAR A LITTLE BIT OF THROTTLE TO SEE IF THE WHINE WENT AWAY AND HEARD A LOUD BANG. THE CAR WAS STILL RUNNING BUT MY BATTERY LIGHT WAS ON. I NEEDED TO GET HOME, AND I THOUGHT THAT MY CAR MAY NOT START AGAIN IF I TURNED IT OFF SO I DROVE HOME. IMMEDIATELY…
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AFTER STARTING UP MY CAR, THERE WAS A SLIGHT WHINE UNDER THE HOOD. I GAVE THE CAR A LITTLE BIT OF THROTTLE TO SEE IF THE WHINE WENT AWAY AND HEARD A LOUD BANG. THE CAR WAS STILL RUNNING BUT MY BATTERY LIGHT WAS ON. I NEEDED TO GET HOME, AND I THOUGHT THAT MY CAR MAY NOT START AGAIN IF I TURNED IT OFF SO I DROVE HOME. IMMEDIATELY I NOTICED THAT I DIDN'T HAVE ANY POWER STEERING. AS I DROVE MY ENGINE TEMPERATURE GOT HIGHER AND I BARELY MADE IT HOME WITHOUT OVERHEATING. A FEW DAYS LATER I LOOKED IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AND SAW THAT THE POWER STEERING PUMP HAD BROKEN FREE OF THE ENGINE - THE BRACKET HAD SHEARED OFF. THAT IN TURN CAUSED THE BELT TO FALL OFF WHICH WAS TURNING THE WATER PUMP AND ALTERNATOR. I GOT ON THE COMPUTER AND LOOKED UP THE PROBLEM AND FOUND A LOT OF PEOPLE EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEM, SOME DRIVING DURING THE INCIDENT. THIS IS A REAL DEFECTIVE DESIGN AND CAUSES ME TO BE CONCERNED ABOUT THE SAFETY. I HOPE NOTHING TRAGIC HAS TO HAPPEN TO SOMEONE FOR THIS TO BE CONSIDERED A RECALL. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10556285
76,854 miles · Oct 2, 2012
Electrical SystemEngineSteering
I WAS DRIVING IN STOP AND GO TRAFFIC WHEN I NOTICED THE STEERING FELT A LITTLE STIFFER THAN USUAL. AFTER ABOUT 5 MILES AND BETTER FLOWING TRAFFIC I PULLED INTO A RESTAURANT FOR DINNER WHEN MY UPPER RADIATOR HOSE EXPLODED. I PULLED INTO A STALL AND OPENED THE HOOD TO INSPECT WHAT HAPPENED. THE HOSE WAS VERY APPARENT AND AFTER FUR…
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I WAS DRIVING IN STOP AND GO TRAFFIC WHEN I NOTICED THE STEERING FELT A LITTLE STIFFER THAN USUAL. AFTER ABOUT 5 MILES AND BETTER FLOWING TRAFFIC I PULLED INTO A RESTAURANT FOR DINNER WHEN MY UPPER RADIATOR HOSE EXPLODED. I PULLED INTO A STALL AND OPENED THE HOOD TO INSPECT WHAT HAPPENED. THE HOSE WAS VERY APPARENT AND AFTER FURTHER INVESTIGATION I NOTICED THE POWER STEERING PUMPS PULLEY AT A VERY SHARP ANGLE COMPARED TO LINEAR WITH THE SERPENTINE BELT. I CAN ONLY ASSUME THAT FROM THE BRACKET ON THE PUMP BREAKING, IT CAUSED A CHAIN REACTION OF EVENTS. FIRST THE BRACKET BROCKET PUTTING THE PUMP AT A STEEP ANGLE N FORCING THE BELT TO GO OFF TRACK WHICH THEN CAUSED ALL THE OTHER ACCESSORIES TO BE DISABLED INCLUDING THE WATER PUMP WHICH OVERHEATED THE CAR. *TR
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.