2006 BMW X5

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 BMW X5. AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED, THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG OFF WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. IN ADDITION, THE FAILURE OCCURRED WHEN THE SEAT WAS OCCUPIED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 13V564000 (AIR BAGS). THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 99,999.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 BMW X5. WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE, THE AIR BAG LIGHT WOULD ILLUMINATE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE AIR BAG DETECTION MAT WAS DEFECTIVE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED APPROXIMATELY 4 1/2 YEARS LATER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 13V564000 (AIR BAGS). THE CONTACT INDICATED THAT THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED THE SAME FAILURE LISTED IN THE RECALL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED A SECOND TIME. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 49,407.

DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY ABOUT 50 MPH, NO VEHICLES NEAR US, NO TREES, NOT EVEN A BRIDGE AROUND US AND WE HEARD LOUD GUNSHOT-TYPE EXPLOSION AND THE SMALL WINDOW TO THE PANORAMIC SUNROOF JUST EXPLODED. THERE WAS NOT AN IMPACT OF ANY KIND FROM THE OUTSIDE. THE GLASS IS BROKE FROM THE INSIDE WITH NO PUNCTURE WHATSOEVER. GLASS IS NOW FALLING AND ALSO BLOWING OFF THE CAR. THE COVER SHADE IS CURRENTLY KEEPING IT FROM COMING IN THE CAR, BUT NOT FOR LONG.

WHILE DRIVING I TURNED ON MY HEATED SEATS AND ABOUT 15 MINUTES LATER MY DRIVERS SIDE SEAT BECAME VERY HOT AND STARTED TO BURN ME. I PULLED OVER ABRUPTLY, JUMPED OUT OF MY CAR AND NOTICED THAT MY PANTS WAS DISCOLORED/BURNED AND MY SEAT WAS BURNED AND HAD A BURN HOLE (ABOUT 3.5 INCHES) IN IT., THE CAR HAD A PLASTIC TYPE BURN SMELL IN IT. I AM TERRIFIED TO TURN ON THE HEATED SEATS AGAIN.

THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG OFF WARNING LIGHT CAME ON AND STAYS ON. THE DEALER RESET THE COMPUTER. LIGHT WENT OFF. THE FAILURE RECURRED AGAIN IN A FEW MONTHS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE SENSOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. I WAS INFORMED THAT MY VIN DID NOT MEET THE RECALL FOR REPLACING THE FAILED MAT SENSOR ALTHOUGH OTHER 2006 BMW X5S WERE RECALLED FOR THAT SAME FAILURE. THE WARNING LIGHT IS PRESENTLY ON. I HAVE READ OF MANY EXAMPLES OF THE SAME PROBLEM. THE AGING MAT BECOME BRITTLE AND CRACKS BREAKING THE CIRCUIT. BMW NEEDS TO SEND ME A LETTER AND REPLACE MY PASSENGER SEAT MAT SENSOR FOR FREE BEFORE I HAVE AN ACCIDENT AND THE PASSENGER IS INJURED.

THE ISSUE IS SPECIFICALLY WITH THE BRAKING SYSTEM. THE CAR DEVELOPED A SUDDEN DANGEROUS LOSS OF BRAKING POWER. ONE MOMENT THE BRAKES WERE WORKING CORRECTLY AND THE NEXT THEY WERE NOT. BMW HAS 2 RECALLS FOR THIS ISSUE BUT FOR UNKNOWN REASONS MY CAR IS NOT INCLUDED IN EITHER RECALL. THE RECALL CAMPAIGNS ARE 10V-446 & 13V-045. THE DESCRIPTION OF THE PROBLEM IS THE FOLLOWING: "THIS RECALL INVOLVES THE POWER ASSIST BRAKING FUNCTION. A SMALL AMOUNT OF OIL COULD LEAK FROM THE BRAKE VACUUM PUMP INTO THE BRAKE VACUUM HOSE. OVER TIME, CONTAMINATION OF THE BRAKE BOOSTER COULD OCCUR. THIS COULD AFFECT THE POWER ASSIST BRAKING FUNCTION. IN CERTAIN CASES, LOSS OF POWER BRAKE ASSIST COULD OCCUR. IF THIS HAPPENED, IT WOULD REQUIRE GREATER BRAKE PEDAL FORCE, INCREASE THE STOPPING DISTANCE, AND INCREASE THE RISK OF A CRASH. " MY CAR HAS THE EXACT ISSUE AS DESCRIBED IN THE RECALLS. THERE IS NO WARNING LIGHT TO INDICATE THERE ARE ANY ISSUES WITH THE BRAKES. I CALLED BMW NA AND DESCRIBED THE ISSUE TO THEM AND THEY TOLD ME TO TAKE IT TO MY LOCAL BMW DEALERSHIP TO HAVE THE ISSUE DIAGNOSED. THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP DETERMINED MY CAR HAD THE ISSUE AS DETAILED IN BOTH BMW RECALLS. AS INSTRUCTED BY BMW I REPORTED THIS BACK TO THEM AND AFTER SEVERAL WEEKS THEY FOLLOWED UP WITH ME (2/10/15 TO BE EXACT) ONLY TO TELL ME THEY WILL NOT FIX THE ISSUE AS PART OF THE RECALL AND THUS I WOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR IT OUT OF MY OWN POCKET. THIS DECISION WAS MADE DESPITE THE FACT THAT MY CAR MEETS NEARLY ALL PARAMETERS OF THE RECALLS (MY EXACT MODEL IS NOT LISTED AS PART OF THE RECALL BUT THE MODEL OF BRAKING SYSTEM AND ENGINE MATCHES THE RECALL DETAILS). THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE AND ONE THAT I DO NOT BELIEVE BMW SHOULD BE OVERLOOKING OR DENYING COVERAGE FOR. THIS BRAKE ISSUE AFFECTS MORE THAN JUST THE CARS LISTED IN THE TWO BMW RECALLS.

THE HEATERS IN BOTH THE DRIVER'S AND FRONT PASSENGER SEATS OVERHEATED TO THE POINT THAT IT WAS TOO HOT TO TOUCH AND MELTED THE LEATHER SEATS. WE ARE NOT SURE IF THE HEATERS WERE EVEN ENGAGED AT THE TIME. WE BROUGHT THE CAR TO THE LOCAL BMW SERVICE DEPARTMENT AND WERE DENIED ANY ASSISTANCE OR WARRANTY COVERAGE. WE THEN CALLED THE NATIONAL BMW CUSTOMER SERVICE NUMBER AND WERE ALSO TURNED DOWN. THE COSTS TO FIX THIS VERY DANGEROUS ISSUE WOULD BE CLOSE TO THE VALUE OF THE VEHICLE. WE ARE STILL PURSUING THIS WITH LOCAL MANAGEMENT BUT AT THIS TIME, DESPITE RECALLS IN PREVIOUS YEARS FOR THIS SAME SAFETY PROBLEM, WE HAVE BEEN DENIED ANY ASSISTANCE OR RELIEF.