2003 BMW X5

CRANKCASE VENT VALVE FROZE & BLEW OFF OIL CAP. OIL ALL OVER ENGINE. REPLACED CRANKCASE VENT VALUE, W/ NON ORIGINAL, & ALL HOSES. REMOVED & CLEANED OUT DIPSTICK TUBE, DISTRIBUTION PIECE. REMOVED LOWER ENGINE SPLASH PAN & STIFFENING PLATE. DE-GREASED TOP & BOTTOM OF ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THERE IS A SERVICE BULLETIN ABOUT THIS PROPENSITY FOR THE CRANKCASE TO FREEZE. THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE IN COLD WEATHER STATES. THE AUTO IS SOLD IN THE COLD WEATHER STATES REGARDLESS. *TR

PREMATURE WEAR OF REAR TIRES: THE FACTORY SET ANGLE OF CAMBER LEADS TO SEVERE CUPPING OF THE REAR TIRES ON A 2003 BMW X5 4.4 AFTER 30000 MILES, CORD IS SHOWING ON THE INSIDE OF THE TIRE. (BRIDGESTONE TURANZA ER30(TZ) 285-45R19 107V). DEALER SAID THIS IS NORMAL WEAR. IN ADDITION, THE DEALER SAID THE VEHICLE IS SETUP WITH HIGH NEGATIVE CAMBER BECAUSE IT IS MEANT TO BE DRIVEN AT 100 MPH. THE REST OF THE TREAD IS NORMAL, THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN DRIVEN CONSERVATIVELY, AND THE TIRE PRESSURE IS CHECKED OFTEN. REPAIR INCLUDES REPLACING THE REAR TIRES AND A 4 WHEEL ALIGNMENT. ($800). *NM

BMW X-5 HAS CAUSED TWO ACCIDENTS BY SPONTANOUS ACCELLERATION - AFTER FIRST ACCIDENT BMW WAS CONTACTED AND ENGINEERS KEPT VEHICLE AND DETERMINED THAT CAUSE OF ACCIDENT DRIVER ERROR-WE PAID FOR REPAIR OF VEHICLE. SAME "ACCELERATION" HAPPENED ABOUT SIX MONTHS LATER ON JANUARY 7 SENDING CAR CRASHING THROUGH FRONT OF BUILDING - ONLY BY MIRACLE PEOPLE WEREN'T INGURED IN THESE ACCIDENTS (THE BUILDING WAS A A RETAIL STORE). THIS IS A LEASED VEHICLE AND WE DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO. LSO, THESE INCIDENTS HAVE CAUSED OUR INSURANCE TO SKYROCKET.*AK

DRIVING BMW X5 AT 50 MPH, FRONT DIFFERENTIAL LOCKS UP TAKING VEHICLE FROM 50 MPH TO APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH IN ABOUT 1 SECOND THEN DIFFERENTIAL FAILS. GEAR OIL SPRAYED ON HOT EXHAUST AND ENGINE, CAR WOULD NOT MOVE FORWARD, PASSENGER (MY WIFE) JUMPS OUT WHEN WE STOPPED THINKING CAR WAS GOING TO CATCH FIRE (SMOKE AND STRONG BURNING SMELL FROM OIL). DEALER HAD CAR TOWED TO SHOP, HAD TO REPLACE FORWARD DRIVE TRAIN. CAR WAS IN SHOP 4 DAYS. MY WIFE WILL NOT RIDE IN CAR AGAIN, SHE ALMOST IMPACTED THE DASH WHEN AXEL LOCKED UP, HAD ROAD BEEN WET OR ICY, WE COULD HAVE VERY EASILY LOST CONTROL. HAD A VEHICLE BEEN BEHIND US, VERY LIKELY THEY WOULD HAVE RUN INTO THE BACK OF THE CAR IT STOPPED SO FAST AND UNEXPECTEDLY. FELT LIKE WE RAN OVER A LARGE TREE IN THE ROAD BUT THE ROAD WAS PERFECTLY CLEAR. IMMEDIATELY TRADED THE CAR AND BOUGHT ANOTHER VEHICLE, BELIEVE NTSB NEEDS TO BE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND SEE IF IT HAPPENS ELSEWHERE, VERY SCARY TO HAVE CAR WHEELS LOCK UP ON THE HIGHWAY AT ANY SPEED. *JB

CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING 45 MPH AND VEHICLE SURGED FORWARD, AND DROVE ROUGHLY. A LOUD GRINDING NOISE WAS HEARD COMING FROM THE FRONT. CONSUMER NOTICED THAT THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT FLASHED ON THEN OFF. CONSUMER DROVE IT TO THE DEALER, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT TWO IGNITION COIL SPRINGS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED INSIDE OF THE ENGINE. *AK

THE VEHICLE STALLS WHILE IN MOTION. PURCHASED AN X5 IN DECEMBER 2002. PRIOR TO REACHING 400 TOTAL MILES, THE CAR STALLED TWICE WHILE IN MOTION, THUS CAUSING ALL ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS TO FAIL. THE DEALER REPORTED THE PROBLEM SOLVED. LAST WEEK, WHILE DRIVING AT 25 MPH THROUGH THE EZ PASS LANES ON THE PA TURNPIKE, THE CAR STALLED, ONCE AGAIN LOSING POWER WHILE IN MOTION. LUCKILY, NO ONE WAS BEHIND ME AS THEY WOULD HAVE CERTAINLY REAR ENDED MY VEHICLE. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER AND THEY ACKNOWLEDGED THAT ANOTHER CUSTOMER HAD THIS PROBLEM. I DROPPED THE CAR OFF ON FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 2004, THE DEALER HAS YET TO DIAGNOSE THIS RECURRING PROBLEM.*AK