2003 BMW X5

THE ENGINE SEIZED WITHOUT WARNING. AT THE TIME THE ENGINE STALLED; LIGHT, WHITE SMOKE CAME FROM THE EXHAUST. THE CAR AND ENGINE SEEMED TO OPERATE FINE FOR ABOUT 20 MINUTES PRIOR. NO WARNING LIGHTS CAME UP OR SMOKE CAME FROM THE EXHAUST DURING THE 20 MINUTES OF DRIVING. REGULAR ENGINE AND OIL CHANGES WERE PREVIOUSLY DONE. THE MECHANIC IS SAYING A NEW ENGINE IS REQUIRED. *TR

I WAS DRIVING TO WORK WHEN I GOT A FOUL BURNING SMELL IN THE CAR. I HAD THE HEAT AND DEFOGGERS CRANKING SO I LOWERED THE FAN SPEED THINKING IT WAS COMING IN FROM OUTSIDE WHEN I NOTICED SMOKE FORMING ON THE FLOOR OF BY THE PASSENGER SEAT. AT THAT TIME I CAME TO A STOP LIGHT AND THE CAR SHUT OFF. I WAS ON A BUSY ROAD AND IT WAS VERY COLD OUT. I TRIED TO CRANK IT AND NOTHING. THE SECOND ATTEMPT SOUNDED AS IF SOMEONE THREW SOMETHING INTO A FAN. I WAS TOWED AND ADVISED BY THE MECHANIC THAT THE OIL SEPARATOR WENT CAUSING THE SPARK PLUGS TO FILL WITH OIL CAUSING THE MOTOR TO SHUT DOWN. BMW ADVISED THE MECHANIC THAT THIS IS A RECURRING PROBLEM AND THEY HAVE A KIT TO UPGRADE THE WHOLE MECHANISM. I WAS READING EDMUND BLOGS AND A NUMBER OF PEOPLE HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM COSTING ANYWHERE FROM $1300 - $6000 DEPENDING ON THE DAMAGE. I HAD MISSED WORK THE DAY BEFORE DUE TO A SNOW STORM. I COULD HAVE BEEN IN A SERIOUS ACCIDENT IF I HAD BEEN CAUGHT IN BAD WEATHER OR ON THE HIGHWAY WHICH I TAKE TO WORK. THIS IS GOING TO BE AN EXPENSIVE FIX AND BMW IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. WHY ISN'T IT A RECALL? WHAT HAS TO HAPPEN BEFORE IT IS? WHAT ARE MY OPTIONS IN TRYING TO RECOVER MY EXPENSES. THE CAR HAS ALL OF 51000 MILES ON IT. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 BMW X5. WHILE PULLING INTO THE DRIVEWAY AT 5 MPH, THE DRIVER NOTICED THAT THE INSTRUMENT PANELS LIGHT BEGAN TO DIM AND THE VEHICLE STALLED. APPROXIMATELY TWO HOURS LATER, THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO BE RESTARTED AND WAS DRIVEN TO THE DEALER. THE MECHANIC INFORMED HER THAT THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER WAS DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 100,200 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 95,000. UPDATED 03/09/09. *LJ AFTER SHUTTING THE VEHICLE OFF, THE FRONT AND REAR LIGHTS STAYED ON AND THE DOOR LOCKS WERE INOPERATIVE. THE CONSUMER ATTEMPTED TO RESTART THE VEHICLE, BUT IT WOULD NOT START. THE DEALER FOUND COMMUNICATIONS FAULTS IN THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER. UPDATED 03/12/09. *JB

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 BMW X5. WHILE DRIVING 10 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED AND THEN COMPLETELY SHUT OFF, LOSING ALL POWER AND ELECTRICITY. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED PRIOR TO THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT THE OIL SEPARATOR WAS THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY BEING REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER HAS NOT BEEN NOTIFIED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 83,000.

I OWN A 2003 X5. I LIVE IN NY. WHENEVER THE WEATHER GOES BELOW 20 DEGREES MY DOOR LOCKS FREEZE. I AM ABLE TO PULL OPEN THE DRIVERS SIDE DOOR, BUT ONCE I GET IN AND TRY TO CLOSE IT THE DOOR SWINGS BACK OPEN. I HAVE PULLED THE DOOR CLOSED AND MANUALLY PUSHED DOWN THE LOCK, BUT WHEN I TRY TO EXIT THE CAR I AM LOCKED IN. THE LOCKS WILL NOT OPEN AND I AM STUCK IN THE CAR UNTIL IT WARMS UP. THERE HAVE BEEN TIMES THAT I HAD TO CRAWL OVER TO THE PASSENGER SIDE DOOR TO GET OUT. THE WINDOWS WILL NOT GO DOWN AND THE LOCKS WILL NOT ENGAGE. I HAVE TAKEN THE TRUCK TO THE DEALER AND THEY STATE THAT THERE IS NOTHING THAT THEY CAN DO. I HAVE HAD TO SIT IN THE CAR OVER 30 MINUTES IN ORDER FOR THE LOCKS TO UNFREEZE SO THAT I CAN EXIT THE CAR. THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD AND I BELIEVE IT SHOULD BE LOOKED INTO. MAYBE THE LOCKS CAN HAVE SOME TYPE OF PROTECTIVE MATERIAL PUT ON THEM SO THEY DO NOT SUCCUMB TO FREEZING TEMPERATURES SO EASILY. I PURCHASED THIS TRUCK SPECIFICALLY FOR THE WINTER AND FIND IT TROUBLING THAT THE WINTER IS THE WORST TIME FOR THIS VEHICLE. THIS HAS HAPPENED 5 TIMES THIS WINTER SO FAR AND WE ARE ONLY IN FEBRUARY WITH MANY MORE COLD DAYS TO COME. *TR

ON 01/15/2009, THE EXTREMELY CHILLY DAY, MY WIFE DROVE THE X5 ON ROUTE 2 EAST BOUND AROUND EXIT 58 IN ARLINGTON, MA, THE EXHAUST SYSTEM SUDDENLY EMITTED HEAVY WHITE SMOKE, BUT THE OIL WARNING LIGHT DID NOT TURNED ON AT ALL. MY WIFE PULLED OVER THE CAR AND TURNED OFF THE ENGINE IMMEDIATELY. 15 MINUTES LATER, SHE FOUND THE ENGINE WAS DISABLED WHEN SHE TRIED TO RESTART IT. AFTER THE CAR WAS TOWED TO BMW SERVICE CENTER ,I WAS INFORMED THE CAR NEEDS THE FOLLOWING REPLACEMENTS 'CRANK CASE VENT VALVE 'VALVE COVER GASKETS AND SPARK PLUGS 'TRANSFER CASE THE TOTAL COST IS $1360+$3125= $4485. *TR

THIS PAST WEEK CONNECTICUT HIT A VERY COLD SPELL. 0*F. CRANK CASE VENT VALVE FROZE. AS A RESULT, TREMENDOUS PRESSURE BUILT INSIDE THE CRANK CASE, THE OIL CAP BLEW OFF AND THE ENGINE STOPPED WORKING PROPERLY. HAVE BEEN TOLD BY THE DEALER THAT THEY HAVE SEEN THIS PROBLEM BEFORE IN THE 2003 MODEL YEAR AND THAT IT IS NOT AN UNCOMMON PROBLEM IN VERY COLD WEATHER. WE HAVE ALSO LEARNT THE 2003 MODEL HAS A DESIGN FLAW WHERE THE VALVE IS NOT INSULATED AND NEWER MODELS HAVE CHANGED THE DESIGN TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. PART REPLACED BY DEALER. WE WERE LUCKY OUR ENGINE DID NOT FAIL COMPLETELY. SINCE THIS PROBLEM IS KNOWN BY BMW, AND IS A CLEAR DESIGN DEFECT. SHOULDN'T IT BE THE SUBJECT OF A RECALL? *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 BMW X5. WHILE THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 50 MPH HE NOTICED A CLICKING SOUND COMING FROM THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. WHEN THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO ACCELERATE THE RPM'S WOULD RISE BUT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT MOVE. THE CONTACT DID NOT NOTICE ANY DIFFERENCES IN THE VEHICLE BEFOREHAND AND WAS NOT IN A CRASH DUE TO THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE TRANSMISSION AND THE DIFFERENTIAL FAILED. THE VIN IS UNAVAILABLE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 48000.