2004 BMW X3

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 BMW X3. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG INDICATOR ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT SENSOR NEEDED TO BE REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. TWO YEARS LATER, THE CONTACT BROUGHT THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR ROUTINE MAINTENANCE. THE DEALER INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 08V384000 (AIR BAGS); HOWEVER IT HAD EXPIRED. THE CONTACT WAS NEVER NOTIFIED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED ACCORDING TO THE RECALL. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 55,000.

AFTER JUST SPENDING $2400 LAST WEEK ON MY CAR. I WAS TRAVELING 65 MPH ON INTERSTATE 78 WHEN MY 2004 BMW X3 LOST ALL POWER. I WAS LUCKY ENOUGH TO GLIDE MY CAR FROM THE LEFT LANE TO THE RIGHT SHOULDER. I TRIED TO START THE CAR AGAIN AND ALL THE LIGHTS ON THE DASHBOARD KEPT FLASHING ON & OFF AND CAR WOULD NOT START. AS I SAT IN MY CAR ON BARELY A SHOULDER 18 WHEELER'S AND CARS FLEW BY ME SHAKING MY CAR. I SERIOUSLY THOUGHT I WAS GOING TO DIE. *TR

DRIVING ON FREEWAY AND DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT HEATER OVERHEATED BURNING SEAT AND CREATING ABUNDANT SMOKE INSIDE CAR'S CABIN. THIS WAS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION ON THE FREEWAY AND I HAVE NO DOUBT THAT THE SEAT WOULD HAVE CAUGHT FIRE IF I HADN'T FELT THE BURNING SENSATION EARLY ENOUGH. DEALER STATED THAT THEY HAD NEVER HEARD OF THIS HAPPENING AND QUOTED $1200+ REPAIR. RESEARCHED ONLINE AND FOUND MANY SIMILAR OCCURRENCES. DECIDED NOT TO REPAIR AND CHANCE THE SAME HAPPENING AGAIN. DISCONNECTED WIRING TO SEAT HEATER. *TR

DOOR LOCKS WORK INTERMITTENTLY - KEY FOB AND CENTRAL LOCK BUTTON WORK NORMALLY AT TIMES. OTHER TIMES ALL WILL FAIL, CAUSING ALL DOORS EXCEPT FOR THE DRIVER'S DOOR TO BECOME LOCKED FROM BOTH THE INSIDE AND OUTSIDE, WHEN THIS OCCURS THE KEY FOB AND CENTRAL BUTTON FAIL. THIS CAUSES YOU TO BE LOCKED IN THE VEHICLE IF YOU ARE NOT IN THE DRIVER'S SEAT. THE ONLY KEY FOB BUTTON TO WORK WHEN THIS OCCURS IS THE REAR HATCH. OTHER FAILURES ARE WHEN THE DOORS WILL LOCK WITH THE KEY FOB, BUT ONLY THE DRIVER'S DOOR WILL UNLOCK USING IT. *TR

APPROXIMATELY 1 YEAR AGO I PURCHASED FOR MY DAUGHTER A 2004 USED BMW X3 2.5I. THE CAR HAS RUN FINE SO FAR BUT IN THE EVENING OF THE 26TH OF JANUARY 2014 SOMETHING VERY DANGEROUS HAPPENED WITH THE FRONT DRIVER SEAT HEATING SYSTEM. SHE WAS DRIVING AND SHE NOTICE A SMELL OF BURNT MATERIAL INSIDE THE CAR, AND LOOKED DOWN TO SEE THAT THE SEAT HEATER HAD BURNED THROUGH THE LEFT BOTTOM SIDE AND HAD SINGED HER PANTS. SHE OF COURSE WAS VERY SCARED AND ALL MOST WENT OUT OF THE ROAD FOR THIS! THERE IS BURNT A HOLE IN THE FRONT DRIVER SEAT AND FOR THE MOMENT I PULLED THE FUSES OF THE SEAT HEATING SYSTEM (FUSES WAS STILL OK AND DID NOT SHUT THE SYSTEM OFF!!). I HAVE BEEN CALLING BMW NORTH AMERICA FOR MORE THAN A MONTH, THEY SENT ME TO A BMW LOCAL DEALER WHERE THEY INSPECT AND MADE PICTURE OF THE SEAT. BMW N.A. ([XXX]) FINALLY TOLD ME THAT THEY WOULD PAY ONLY 50% OF THE REPAIR COST ($800 MY PART) AND THE OFFER IS VALID ONLY FOR 20 DAYS AFTER THIS THE OFFER WOULD NOT BE VALID ANYMORE. I FEEL THAT THIS IS A VERY SERIOUS SAFETY PROBLEM AND SAW IN INTERNET THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM FOR THIS YEAR/MODEL. I STRONGLY BELIEVE THAT BMW NOT ONLY SHOULD REPAIR THE SEAT FOR FREE BUT SHOULD ALSO INITIATE A PROPER RECALL TO AVOID THIS VERY SERIOUS DRIVING SAFETY ISSUE. PLEASE HELP. THANK YOU BEST REGARDS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

AS I WAS DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY WITH THE DRIVER'S SIDE HEATED SEAT ON THE LOW SETTING, I FELT A SUDDEN BURNING SENSATION ON MY BACK OF MY UPPER LEFT THIGH AND SHIFTED SLIGHTLY, PUTTING MY HAND UNDER THE AREA TO SEE WHAT WAS THE MATTER. THE REAR AREA OF THE LEFT SIDE SEAT BOLSTER HAD GOTTEN SO HOT I HAD TO TURN OFF THE SEAT HEATER IMMEDIATELY. I DECIDED NOT TO TURN IT ON AGAIN UNTIL ANOTHER TIME IN LATE MARCH WHEN I AGAIN TURNED ON THE SEAT HEATER. THE SAME SUDDEN FEELING OF "OVERHEATING" WAS IMMEDIATELY FELT IN THE SAME AREA, I TURNED OFF THE SEAT HEATER, AND I HAVEN'T USED IT SINCE THEN. WHEN MY CAR WAS IN FOR SERVICE FOR ANOTHER ISSUE, I MENTIONED IT TO MY SERVICE ADVISOR AND ASKED WHETHER HE KNEW OF OTHER SIMILAR INCIDENTS OR WHETHER THERE WAS A BMW RECALL FOR THE ISSUE. HE SAID NO TO BOTH QUESTIONS. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 BMW X3. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 08V384000 (AIR BAGS) IN THE MAIL AND STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER INFORMED HER THAT HER VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL, ALTHOUGH SHE RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 63,000.