2011 BMW X3

JUNCTION BOX FAILURE. I STARTED HAVING ALL TYPES OF RANDOM ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS. WIPERS COME ON AT RANDOM. DOOR LOCKS, BACK WINDOWS, AND TURN SIGNALS WON'T WORK WHEN THIS HAPPENS. I READ THAT THIS ISSUE WAS HAPPENING IN OTHER MODELS, BUT DON'T SEE THAT THE BMW X3 ITSELF WASN'T CALLED OUT. HAD THE ISSUE LOOKED AT BY A MECHANIC AND HE SAID THE STORED CODES WERE FOR MAIN JUNCTION BOX FAILURE OR NO MESSAGE RECEIVED FROM MAIN JUNCTION BOX. IT DOESN'T MATTER IF THE VEHICLE IS STATIONARY OR IN MOTION, ISSUE STILL HAPPENS. SOMETIME WHEN I TURN OFF THE CAR, THE WIPERS ARE STILL GOING. SOMETIMES IF I JUST OPEN THE DOOR, WITHOUT TURNING ON THE CAR, THE WIPERS WILL START TO GO.

IT HAS FIRST CAUSED CHECK ENGINE LIGHT OWN WITH A FAULT CODE, THEN DIFFERENT ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS STARTED AFFECTING INCLUDING LIGHTS, BRAKES , ACCELERATION, PICKUP, SPEED CONTROL WHILE DRIVING . I ALREADY REPAIRED TWICE OUT OF POCKET AS IT WAS A PICKUP AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON ISSUE WITH CODE P2096 WHICH INVOLVES PCV COMPONENTS ASSOCIATED WITH THE RECALL. DUE TO THIS DEFECTIVE COMPONENT I'VE ALREADY SPENT 4000+ IN REPAIRS AND STILL THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON AND I'M DRIVING UNSAFELY AS I DON'T HAVE MONEY TO REPAIR FURTHER. I ALSO HAD TO PUT MY FAMILY ON RISK WITH 2 SMALL KIDS AS THIS SUV WE USE AS A FAMILY CAR. SINCE THE ISSUE IS REPORTED A YEAR AGO AND BMW STILL DIDN'T OFFER ANY FIX INTO PURCHASE A NEW CAR TO SAFEGUARD OURSELVES. I DEMAND BMW TO REFUND ME 100K DUE TO ALL THESE ISSUES CAUSED DUE TO THIS PROBLEM AND OFFERING NO TIMELY FIXES AND CAUSING STRESS AND FINANCIAL FRUSTRATION.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 BMW X3. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO MAKE A U TURN, THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED. IN ADDITION, THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED A COMPLETE LOSS OF POWER. THE FAILURE OCCURRED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER (BMW OF LAS VEGAS, 6900 W SAHARA AVE, LAS VEGAS, NV) FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING, BUT THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS UNABLE TO BE DETERMINED. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN ANY RECALLS PERTAINING TO THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND INFORMED THE CONTACT OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 11V341000 (STEERING), BUT THE VIN WAS EXCLUDED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 100,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 BMW X3. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS AND THE FOLLOWING WARNING MESSAGE APPEARED: "DRIVE TRAIN MALFUNCTION NOT RUNNING AT FULL CAPACITY, REDUCE AND DRIVE MODERATELY". THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE BATTERY NEEDED REPLACEMENT AND THE VANOS MALFUNCTIONED. THE INDEPENDENT MECHANIC REPLACED THE BATTERY AND ADVISED THE CONTACT TO CALL A LOCAL BMW DEALER TO HAVE THE VEHICLE SERVICED PER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V176000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING). THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED BECAUSE THE VEHICLE WAS UNABLE TO START AND DUE TO BAD WEATHER. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 72,000.

THE LED TWILIGHTS ARE DEFECTIVE. I'VE HAD THIS HAPPEN ON 2 SEPARATE BMW X3'S I HAVE OWNED FOR A TOTAL OF 4 TAILLIGHTS THAT ARE DEFECTIVE. THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM AND IS REPORTED OVER AND OVER AGAIN BY OTHER OWNERS. IT'S ALMOST CERTAIN THAT IF YOU OWN A BMW X3 F25 (2011-2017) THIS WILL HAPPEN. IT REQUIRES A DIY REPAIR TO THE CIRCUIT BOARD OR REPLACEMENT OF THE ENTIRE TAILLIGHT ($250-300 EACH.). HTTPS://M.YOUTUBE.COM/WATCH?V=JDPBM6CP_YO

WHILE DRIVING ON AN INTERSTATE ROAD, EXITING A TUNNEL, THE X-3 SUDDENLY, WITHOUT ANY WARNING OR INDICATORS, LOST THE POWER STEERING AND POWER BRAKES. THE ENGINE LOST POWER AND THE DASH BOARD LITE UP WITH A MYRIAD OF WARNINGS THAT MADE NO SENSE. THEN, JUST AS SUDDENLY THE ENTIRE DASH BOARD WENT DARK. THE VEHICLE WAS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO STEER AND STOP. SINCE I WAS IN FAST MOVING TRAFFIC, THE SITUATION WAS SCARY TO SAY THE LEAST. I FOUND A PLACE TO PULL OFF AND DID SO. I TURNED THE X-3 OFF. AT RESTART IT SEEMED OK, BUT THE PROBLEM RE-OCCURRED AGAIN. I WAS ABLE TO FINALLY GET TO MY HOUSE. STOPPING AND RE-STARTING SEVERAL TIMES. LOSING ALL POWER, BRAKES, STEERING, ETC AT EACH INSTANCE. VEHICLE WAS PLACED ON A FLAT BED AND TAKEN TO SEWICKLEY BMW THE FOLLOWING DAY. AFTER ALMOST A WEEK, THE CAR WAS RETURNED TO ME. I WAS TOLD IT WAS AN ELECTRICAL ISSUE. EXACTLY 2 WEEKS LATER THE SAME PROBLEMS RE-OCCURRED. AGAIN I WAS ON AN INTERSTATE AND THE LOSE OF CONTROL AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED COULD HAVE BEEN A CATASTROPHE IF AN INEXPERIENCE DRIVER WAS BEHIND THE WHEEL. THE CAR WAS REPAIRED AGAIN AND THIS TIME MORE WORK WAS DONE. THE DEALER SAID THAT THEY FOUND A BULLETIN FROM BMW THAT EXPLAINED THIS POSSIBILITY. I SAW THE BMW INFO AND IT UNDERSTATED WHAT ACTUALLY COULD OR WOULD OCCUR SHOULD THEIR SYSTEMS FAIL. IN MY OPINION, MY LIFE WAS IN SEVERE JEOPARDY WHEN THE FAILURES OCCURRED AND HAD I NOT BEEN AN EXPERIENCED DRIVER WITH CALM REACTIONS, A FATALITY IS NOT OUT OF THE QUESTION. MY WIFE WILL NO LONGER RIDE IN THE VEHICLE AND I HAVE BEEN TOLD TO GET RID OF IT ASAP. I REPORTED THESE INCIDENTS TO BMW AND QUITE FRANKLY THEY WERE TOTALLY INDIFFERENT TO THE PROBLEM, ONLY SAYING THAT THE VEHICLE IS OUT OF WARRANTY AND THEY HAVE NO OBLIGATION TO DO ANYTHING FOR ME. IN MY OPINION, THIS IS A MAJOR PROBLEM WAITING TO EXPLODE. BMW IS IGNORING THE ISSUE AND SOMEONE WILL DIE

THE PASSENGER RESTRAINT SYSTEM IS MALFUNCTIONING. THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM THAT BMW X3 CARS HAVE. WE HAVE THE SPORTS EDITION AND DESPITE SEVERAL ATTEMPTS TO FIX THE PROBLEM THE SENSOR IN THE MAT CONTINUE TO INDICATE THE AIR BAG WILL NOT DEPLOY IF WE HAVE AN ACCIDENT DESPITE HOW SEVERE THAT ACCIDENT IS. WE HAVE CONTACTED THE BMW DEALERSHIP AND THEY PRETENDED OF KNOWING NOTHING ABOUT SIMILAR COMPLAINTS OR OF A RECALL ON THE SENSOR IN THE SEAT MAT. IT WILL COST US ABOUT 1,000 DOLLARS TO FIX. YET MOST TO ALL BMW OWNERS OF THE X3 SERIES, ESPECIALLY THE SPORTS EDITION HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. *TR

KEY FOB QUIT WORKING THREE DAYS AFTER THEY PUT NEW BATTERIES IN IT BECAUSE I STATED IT DIDN'T SEEM TO BE WORKING CORRECTLY. BY QUIT WORKING I MEAN: KEYLESS ENTRY WOULD NOT WORK; REMOTE WOULD NOT UNLOCK OR LOCK DOORS OR TAILGATE. I HAD TO TAKE THE METAL KEY TO UNLOCK DOOR. ONCE INSIDE I HAD TO PUT KEY FOB NEXT TO STEERING COLUMN IN ORDER TO GET IT TO START. CALLED DEALERSHIP SERVICE CENTER, THE MADE APPOINTMENT AND BROUGHT ME LOANER CAR. THEY STATED I'D HAVE IT BACK THAT EVENING. NOT RETURNED. THEN NEXT DAY I WAS TOLD IT HAD TO BE OVER NIGHTED. WHEN IT DIDN'T ARRIVE THE NEXT DAY (DAY THREE) I WAS TOLD IT HAD TO BE SHIPPED FROM NJ. ON DAY 6 I WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS ON BACK ORDER AND THAT IT MIGHT TAKE ANOTHER WEEK OR MORE TO GET THE KEY. IT TOOK THEM 10 DAYS TO GET ME THE KEY FOB. *JS

MY VEHICLE SUDDENLY LOST POWER STEERING CONTROL AND A YELLOW WARNING SYMBOL APPEARED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. I EXPERIENCED THE PROBLEM THE FIRST TIME WHILE I MANEUVERED A CORNER. I WAS COMING OUT OF THE TURN AND ACCELERATING WHEN THE STEERING LOCKED UP, AND THE LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL ALMOST CAUSED ME TO CRASH. I TOOK THE CAR IMMEDIATELY TO MURRAY MOTORS (IN DENVER, CO) AND WAS ADVISED THAT THERE WAS SIMPLY A COMPUTER PROGRAMMING "GLITCH" THAT CAME FROM THE FACTORY; THE SERVICE CENTER ADVISED THEY DOWNLOADED NEW SOFTWARE AND THE PROBLEM WAS SOLVED. SOME WEEKS LATER, I AGAIN LOST POWER STEERING SUDDENLY WHILE DRIVING STRAIGHT. I TOOK THE CAR INTO MURRAY MOTORS AGAIN AND STRESSED THE ENORMITY OF MY CONCERN OVER THIS FRIGHTENING PROBLEM. AFTER SOME DAYS, MURRAY MOTORS ADVISED ME THAT THE ELECTRONIC POWER STEERING ASSIST UNIT HAD FAILED. THEY REPRESENTED THEY REPLACED THE POWER STEERING RACK, THE ELECTRIC MOTOR MOUNTED ON THE RACK, AND THE EPS MODULE. I RESEARCHED BMW RECALLS THEREAFTER AND FOUND THAT A RECALL HAD BEEN ISSUED FOR THIS PROBLEM ON SEVERAL BMW MODELS ALREADY. I CALLED BMW'S CUSTOMER RELATIONS NUMBER (1-800-525-7417) AND WAS INFORMED THAT MY VEHICLE VIN NUMBER FELL OUTSIDE THE SCOPE OF THE CURRENT RECALL, AND I WAS THEREFORE NEVER NOTIFIED. I AM WRITING THE NHTSA TO REPORT THAT BMW'S RECALL IS NOT BROAD ENOUGH AS DEFECTS IN THE EPS MODULE AND RELATED PARTS EXIST IN VEHICLES BEYOND THE IMMEDIATE RECALL. I ALSO WANT THE NHTSA TO KNOW THAT MURRAY MOTORS ALLOWED ME TO DRIVE THIS VEHICLE OUT OF THEIR SERVICE CENTER AFTER THE FIRST (INADEQUATE) REPAIR, EVEN THOUGH THE STEERING COMPLAINTS I REPORTED TO THEIR SERVICE TECHNICIANS WERE IDENTICAL THE DESCRIPTION OF THE STEERING PROBLEM LISTED IN BMW'S RECALL LETTER FOR THE X3 POSTED ON THEIR WEBSITE. MURRAY MOTORS CLAIMS TO HAVE NO KNOWLEDGE OF THIS DEFECT IN ANY X3. *TR