2013 BMW 328XI Problems

2013 BMW 328XI SULEV. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARD TO TURBO FAILURE. *AS THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE STARTED SPEWING GREY SMOKE FROM THE EXHAUST ON SOME COLD STARTS. THE OIL SUPPLY LINES TO THE TURBOCHARGER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED THE FAILURE RECURRED. *JS

**PRESS BMW TO ISSUE RECALL** 2013 BMW 328I - XDRIVE HAS FAULTY TURBO ACTUATOR DESIGN. BMW CORRECTED THE DESIGN OF TURBO ACTUATOR ARM IN SUBSEQUENT MODELS. BMW REALIZED IT WAS THEIR DESIGN MISTAKE. TURBO ACT ARM BREAKS VERY EASILY. LOT OF CUSTOMERS HAVE BEEN MADE TO SPEND A FORTUNE (>$3000) TO FIX THIS ISSUE. 2013 WAS THE LAUNCH MODEL FOR THIS GENERATION. BMW HAS CORRECTED THE DESIGN OF ARM IN 2014 ONWARDS MODEL. TURBO IS ONE OF THE MOST EXPENSIVE PART ON THESE LUXURY CARS. 2013 MODEL OWNERS WERE LEFT TO FIX IT ON THEIR OWN EXPENSE, EVEN AFTER THEY REALIZED THEIR DESIGN WAS FAULTY. ARMS HAVE BROKEN IN LESS THAN 4 YEARS (LESS THAN 40K MILES). BMW SHOULD BE PRESSED TO ACCEPT FAULT AND PAY BACK CUSTOMERS WHO WERE MADE TO PAY THEMSELVES. AN INQUIRY SHOULD ALSO BE REQUESTED FOR HOW MANY CARS DID BMW FIX FOR THE SAME ISSUE WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS UNDER ORIGINAL WARRANTY. BMW BLOGS ARE FULL OF SAME ACTUATOR ARM ISSUE. I WORK IN AUTOMOTIVE FIELD IN DETROIT. SIMILAR ACTIONS HAVE BEEN TAKEN AGAINST OTHER BRANDS FOR SIMILAR ISSUES. I KNOW MORE THAN 2 PEOPLE WHO FACED THE SAME ISSUE, WHICH PUSHED ME TO INVESTIGATE THIS ISSUE FURTHER. THANK YOU! GOD BLESS!

THE CAR HAD RECENTLY HAD ITS 8 SPEED AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FLUID CHANGED. THE TRANSMISSION WAS NOT REFILLED TO THE CORRECT CAPACITY AND WAS LOW. THE CAR BEGAN EXHIBITING DRIVETRAIN ERRORS AND WENT INTO LIMP MODE. THE PROBLEM IS THAT THE COMPUTER AUTOMATICALLY SHIFTED THE CAR INTO PARK WHILE I WAS DRIVING IT. AS I APPROACHED A STOPLIGHT AND SLOW DOWN TO AROUND 6 MILES AN HOUR THE COMPUTER AUTOMATICALLY PUT THE CAR IN PARK CAUSING SIGNIFICANT GRINDING OF THE SHARK LOCKING GEAR. THERE IS A BUG IN THE CONTROL SOFTWARE DID NOT RECOGNIZE THE CAR WAS ROLLING AT A RELATIVELY HIGH SPEED WHEN IT DECIDED TO PUT THE CAR IN PARK. THE COMPUTER SHOULD NOT PUT THE CAR IN PARK IF THE CAR IS FULLY UNDERWAY.

JERKING WITH CHANGES OF LOWER GEARS (AUTOMATIC) ON CITY STREETS LOSS OF TRACTION IN INCLIMATE WEATHER CONDITIONS AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, TRANFER CASE REPLACED AT 55K BELIEVE IT TO BE FAILING AGAIN

SYSTEM RESTRAINTS PASSENGER SIDE. WILL NOT RESET. CONTINUES TO ILLUMINATE RESTRAINT ERRORS. HAPPENED WHILE DRIVING, AND STAYS ON WHEN PARKED.

TAKATA INFLATORS BMW SERVICE CENTER SAY THEY DON'T HAVE THE PARTS AVAILABLE AND DON'T KNOW WHEN. ISN'T THIS DANGEROUS THAT THEY DON'T QUICKLY ACT ON IT AND REPLACE OUR PARTS? WHAT IF WE GET INTO AN ACCIDENT/ I WOULD LIKE TO FILE A COMPLIANT ON THEIR INEFFICIENCY IN TRYING TO RESOLVE THIS ISSUE AND REQUEST FOR THEM TO GET THE PARTS ASAP.

WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD, THE CAR'S IDRIVE SYSTEM SPONTANEOUSLY REBOOTED. THE SYSTEM WILL OFTEN TAKE SEVERAL MINUTES TO REBOOT (SOMETIMES THE SYSTEM WILL REBOOT AGAIN DIRECTLY AFTER REGAINING CONNECTIVITY OR WHILE TRYING TO REBOOT). WE HAD ALREADY BEEN DRIVING FOR ABOUT 30 MINUTES WHEN THIS HAPPENED THE FIRST TIME. IT HAS HAPPENED MANY TIMES SINCE. BMW HAS TRIED TO FIX THE ISSUE BUT HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO. THEY HAVE REPLACED THE HEAD UNIT, IDRIVE SCREEN, AND THE COMBOX, ALL WITH NO RESOLUTION. THE IDRIVE SYSTEM IS RESPONSIBLE FOR COMMUNICATION WITH THE DRIVER FOR THE CAR'S STATUS INCLUDING TIRE PRESSURE AND OIL LEVEL (THERE IS NO MANUAL WAY TO CHECK THE OIL). IN ADDITION, THIS SYSTEM CONTROLS THE LOW JACK COMMUNICATION, ROAD SIDE ASSISTANCE AND ALL BLUETOOTH CAPABILITIES (HANDS FREE DRIVING IS REQUIRED IN MOST OUR STATE) IN THE AUTOMOBILE.

WHEN I STARTED THE CAR UP THE PARKING LIGHT MALFUNCTION LIGHT CAME ON. THIS IS 7 DAYS AFTER I GOT THE CAR OUT OF THE SHOP FOR THE ENGINE LIGHT ON. *TR

WHILE I WAS EXITING MY DRIVEWAY AT MY RESIDENCE THE VEHICLE'S BRAKING SYSTEM DID NOT ENGAGE. THERE WAS SNOW ON THE GROUND SO I EASED THE VEHICLE ONTO THE PAVEMENT ON THE MAIN STREET, GOOD THING NO CARS WERE COMING. I THEN HEADED SOUTH ON N BROADWAY AND THE WARNING APPEARS THAT THE BRAKES HAVE MALFUNCTIONED PLEASE DRIVE MODERATELY. AFTER ABOUT 10 SECONDS THE WARNING WENT AWAY BRAKES CAME BACK. NOW I JUST HAD THE REAR BRAKES REPLACED ABOUT A YEAR AGO AND BMW ALSO REPLACED THE FRONT. NOW THE SERVICE INDICATOR IS ON AGAIN TO REPLACE THE REAR BRAKES AGAIN, AFTER LESS THAN 10,000 MILES. MY CAR IS MOSTLY DRIVEN ON THE WEEKENDS AND IT IS MOSTLY HIGHWAY DRIVING. I ALSO TAKE OUTSTANDING CARE OF MY CAR BECAUSE IT LOOKS BETTER THAN THE DAY I PICKED IT UP. (I DETAIL AND MAKE WAX ETC). BESIDES THAT, THESE ARE THE OTHER FAILURES ON THE CAR: FUEL INJECTORS, 15,600 MI (STRANDED), RATTLE STEERING WHEEL AND DRIVERS DOOR. DRIVERS SIDE DOOR RATTLE IS BACK. DRIVERS SIDE MIRROR, REPLACED AND STARTING TO MALFUNCTION AGAIN. DRIVERS SIDE SEAT LEATHER COVER DAMAGED AND REPLACED. DOOR JAM AREA DAMAGED AND THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT SAID NOTHING. I HAD TO E-MAIL THEM. THEY SAID IT COULD'T BE HELPED. I KNOW BETTER, THEY FIXED ALL THE DAMAGED THEY CAUSED. HORNS, REPLACED, OIL LEVEL SENSOR NOT OPERATING PROPERLY, REPAIRED. THE FUEL INJECTOR BREAKDOWN OCCURRED THE DAY AFTER I PICKED IT UP FROM THE DEALERSHIP HORNS RATTLE ETC. I HAVE LESS THAN 25,000 MI AND THE CAR IS 2 YEARS AN 5 MONTHS OLD. I TRANSPORT MY 12 YEAR OLD SON ON THE WEEKENDS AND SOMETIMES DURING THE WEEK. I DO NOT FEEL SAFE IN THIS CAR ANY MORE. CALLED BMW N.A. AND THEY SEND ME A PORTRAIT OF THE 3 SERIES PROTOTYPE. 9 YEARS IN THE MARINE CORPS AS A SGT AND OVER 30 YEARS IN LAW ENFORCEMENT I HAVE NOT SCENE THIS IN COMPETENCE IN MY ENTIRE LIFE, IF THEY CANNOT FIX THIS VEHICLE ITS TIME FOR MY ATTORNEY TO STEP IN.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 BMW 328LI. THE CONTACT WAS APPROACHING AN INTERSECTION AT 15 MPH WHEN THE E BRAKES FAILED. THE CONTACT SUBSEQUENTLY CRASHED INTO THE REAR OF ANOTHER VEHICLE. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE POLICE WERE NOTIFIED AND A REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION BUT THE CONTACT WAS NOT INFORMED OF ANY DIAGNOSIS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE INCIDENT. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 2,000.

ON DECEMBER 1ST I WAS REARENDED AT INTERSTATE SPEED (65 MILES PER HOUR) JUST PRIOR TO IMPACT I HAD TURNED MY STEERING WHEEL TO THE RIGHT TO LESSEN THE IMPACT TO THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME. HOWEVER IT IS CLEAR FROM THE DAMAGE TO MY VEHICLE THAT MY CAR MADE CONTACT ON THE DRIVER SIDE CORNER WITH THE BRIDGE AS WELL AS THE ENTIRE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE MADE SIGNIFICANT CONTACT WITH THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME. MY CAR HAD BEEN AT A COMPLETE STOP. NO AIRBAGS WENT OFF CAUSING ME TO SUFFER SERIOUS HEAD INJURIES AND SCULL FRACTURES. IN ADDITION, UPON IMPACT, MY CAR BURST INTO FLAMES. I WAS PULLED UNCONSCIOUS FROM MY BURNING CAR BY BYSTANDERS WITH ONLY MOMENTS TO SPARE

I WAS DRIVING ON I-84 AND HEARD A LOUD EXPLOSION FOLLOWED BY WHAT SOUNDED LIKE GOLF BALL SIZE HAIL HITTING MY CAR. LUCKILY, I WAS ABLE TO KEEP CONTROL OF THE CAR AND PULLED OVER WHEN IT WAS SAFE TO DO SO. THE SUNROOF OF MY CAR HAD EXPLODED. THERE WERE NO TRUCKS IN THE VICINITY, I WAS NOT GOING UNDER AN OVERPASS, NOR ANY OTHER CIRCUMSTANCE THAT COULD HAVE CAUSED THE DAMAGE. I CALLED BMW ASSIST AND WAS TOLD TO DRIVE THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP. AT THE DEALERSHIP IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE SUNROOF EXPLODED OUTWARD AND THAT THEY WOULD DO AN INVESTIGATION AS TO WHY AND FIX THE SUNROOF. THIS WAS NOT DONE WILLINGLY. I WAS ALSO TOLD THAT THEY KNEW OF NO OTHER SUNROOF THAT THIS HAPPENED TOO. WHEN I CAME HOME AND DID SOME RESEARCH ON LINE I DISCOVERED THAT IS A FAIRLY COMMON PROBLEM. I WILL NEVER FEEL COMFORTABLE DRIVING THIS CAR AGAIN. I AM THANKFUL THAT MY GRANDCHILDREN WERE NOT IN THE CAR WITH ME AND THAT I DID NOT PANIC AND WAS ABLE TO GET THE VEHICLE OFF THE ROAD SAFELY. *JS

UPON A COMPLETE REFILL OF THE VEHICLE WITH FUEL, RAW GASOLINE WAS FOUND LEAKING DOWN THE TANK AND PUDDLING UNDER THE CAR. DIAGNOSTIC INSPECTION UPON LOWERING THE FUEL TANK FOUND A DEFECTIVE "DUMMY PORT" SEAL AT THE TOP OF THE TANK. THIS PORT WAS USED IN EARLY MODELS FOR EMISSION CONTROL SENSING. THE CAP OVER THE SEAL WAS NOT PROPERLY SEALED ALLOWING FUEL TO SPILL OUT THE TOP OF THE TANK. WHEN IN MOTION THIS FUEL BLOWS ONTO THE HOT MUFFLER AND POSES A POTENTIAL FOR CATASTROPHIC FIRE

TRAVELING AT 65MPH ON A STATE HIGHWAY, THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED AN ABRUPT LOSS OF POWER, DECELERATED TO 25MPH, AND NARROWLY AVOIDED REAR-END COLLISION. DEALERSHIP DIAGNOSIS WAS A DEFECTIVE HIGH-PRESSURE FUEL PUMP.

I WAS DRIVING ON I-84 AND HEARD A LOUD EXPLOSION FOLLOWED BY WHAT SOUNDED LIKE GOLF BALL SIZE HAIL HITTING MY CAR. LUCKILY, I WAS ABLE TO KEEP CONTROL OF THE CAR AND PULLED OVER WHEN IT WAS SAFE TO DO SO. THE SUNROOF OF MY CAR HAD EXPLODED. THERE WERE NO TRUCKS IN THE VICINITY, I WAS NOT GOING UNDER AN OVERPASS, NOR ANY OTHER CIRCUMSTANCE THAT COULD HAVE CAUSED THE DAMAGE. I CALLED BMW ASSIST AND WAS TOLD TO DRIVE THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP. AT THE DEALERSHIP IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE SUNROOF EXPLODED OUTWARD AND THAT THEY WOULD DO AN INVESTIGATION AS TO WHY AND FIX THE SUNROOF. THIS WAS NOT DONE WILLINGLY. I WAS ALSO TOLD THAT THEY KNEW OF NO OTHER SUNROOF THAT THIS HAPPENED TOO. WHEN I CAME HOME AND DID SOME RESEARCH ON LINE I DISCOVERED THAT IS A FAIRLY COMMON PROBLEM. I WILL NEVER FEEL COMFORTABLE DRIVING THIS CAR AGAIN. I AM THANKFUL THAT MY GRANDCHILDREN WERE NOT IN THE CAR WITH ME AND THAT I DID NOT PANIC AND WAS ABLE TO GET THE VEHICLE OFF THE ROAD SAFELY. *JS

FOR THE 2013 BMW 328XI MODEL HALOGEN LIGHTS ON THE LOW OR HIGH BEAM ARE ABSOLUTE OF NO USE. LIGHTING ON THIS CAR IS VERY POOR, ON A NORMAL NIGHT IT IS HARD TO SEE THE CURVES AND YOU CANNOT DRIVE MORE THAN 30 MPH IF WANT TO SEE WHAT'S COMING UP NEXT OR SEE THE SIGNBOARDS AHEAD. IT WAS RAINING YESTERDAY IN DALLAS AND DRIVING THIS 2013 BMW, I COULD BARELY SEE THE ROAD AS THE HALOGEN LIGHTS ARE VERY DIM AND NOT EVEN APPROPRIATE ON A CAR. GOLF CARTS SEEM TO HAVE BETTER LIGHTING THAN THIS MODEL. I AM VERY POSITIVE THAT BMW WILL DEFEND THEIR LIGHTS. THIS 2013 328XI WITH ITS POOR LIGHTING IS THE ULTIMATE (HAZARDOUS)MACHINE DRIVING ON THE ROAD. REPLACEMENT FOR A BETTER LIGHTING EQUIPMENT COST $1300 EACH WHICH IS RIDICULOUS. COULD YOU PLEASE LOOK INTO THE SAFETY ASPECT OF THIS POOR LIGHTING.

I PURCHASED A 2013 BMW 328XI CERTIFIED PRE-OWNED SEDAN 6/22/16 FOR MY WIFE. IT CAME WITH 18" WHEELS AND PIRELLI CINTURATO RUN-FLATS. THE TIRE-PRESSURE MONITOR (TPM) WARNING STARTED COMING ON A FEW MONTHS AFTER WE BOUGHT IT, SO I PUT AIR IN THE TIRES. BUT IT STARTED HAPPENING MORE FREQUENTLY. I TOOK IT IN FOR SERVICE. THE DIAGNOSIS WAS THAT THE PASSENGER REAR WHEEL WAS CRACKED AND LEAKING AIR. I ASKED IF THE TIRE WAS DAMAGED AND THEY SAID THERE WAS NO VISIBLE DAMAGE BUT THEY RECOMMEND REPLACING IT ANYWAY BECAUSE THE WHEEL WAS DAMAGED. I ASKED WHAT WOULD CAUSE A CRACK IN AN ALLOY WHEEL, AND THEIR ANSWER WAS THAT SHE 'PROBABLY HIT A POTHOLE'. I COULDN'T BELIEVE THAT WAS ALL IT WOULD TAKE, BECAUSE IT'S IMPOSSIBLE TO AVOID HITTING POTHOLES ON OUR FREEWAYS. MY WIFE DRIVES VERY CAREFULLY AND ONLY PUT 5,700 MILES ON THE CAR IN 14 MONTHS. THEY SAID IT WAS BECAUSE THE RUN-FLATS DON'T PROVIDE ENOUGH CUSHION TO PROTECT THE WHEEL FROM ROAD IMPACTS. I BOUGHT A NEW WHEEL (BMW GAVE ME 50% OFF) AND TOOK THE CAR TO A TIRE STORE TO BUY A SET OF CONVENTIONAL TIRES TO REPLACE THE RUN-FLATS. THEY SAID THERE WAS NO DAMAGE TO THE TIRE ON THE CRACKED WHEEL, AND NO EVIDENCE OF IMPACT. I HAVE THE CRACKED WHEEL AND ITS TIRE. I FEEL THAT BMW IS PUTTING DRIVERS AT RISK BECAUSE THERE'S NO WAY TO AVOID HITTING POTHOLES UNDER NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS. THEY'VE ESSENTIALLY ACKNOWLEDGED THAT IT'S A HAZARD BECAUSE THEY SELL TIRE & WHEEL INSURANCE TO NEW OWNERS (BUT NOT TO BUYERS OF CERTIFIED PRE-OWNED LIKE US). THE TIRE STORE MANAGER TOLD ME THAT HE'S HAD 'LOTS' OF BMW OWNERS COME IN WITH CRACKED WHEELS. THERE ARE ALSO MANY SIMILAR COMPLAINTS ON THE INTERNET. PLUS BMW SETTLED A CLASS-ACTION LAWSUIT OVER CRACKED WHEELS ON THEIR Z4 MODEL. AND SINCE THE CAR HAS NO ROOM FOR A SPARE TIRE, BMW HAS PUT OWNERS WHO SWITCH TO CONVENTIONAL TIRES AT RISK.

ERROR - "DRIVETRAIN MALFUNCTION: DRIVE MODERATELY. MAXIMUM DRIVETRAIN OUTPUT NOT AVAILABLE. CONSULT SERVICE CENTER." THIS WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER (BMW OF SILVER SPRING, MD) AT FIRST. THEY SAID IT WAS THERMOSTAT ISSUE. SO, THEY INSTALLED A NEW THERMOSTAT AND I PAID MY $100 DEDUCTIBLE. THE SAME ERROR STARTED APPEARING AGAIN JUST A FEW DAYS LATER. THE CAR SUDDENLY SHUDDERS, JOLTS AND SHIFTS FROM ECO MODE TO COMFORT MODE IF DRIVING ON FREEWAY. IF THE ERROR APPEARS WHEN THE CAR IS PARKED, THE CAR DOES NOT SWITCH FROM PARK MODE TO DRIVE MODE UNTIL YOU TOTALLY YOU SHUT DOWN THE ENGINE, THEN RESTART AND DRIVE OUT IMMEDIATELY. INSTANTLY, IT SHOWS "DRIVETRAIN MALFUNCTION" ERROR ON SCREEN. THE ENGINE MAKE A GROANING NOISE. YOU CAN FEEL THE POWER OF THE ENGINE IS SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCED. YOU HAVE TO HIT THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL DEEP TO EXTRACT POWER OUT OF THE ENGINE. THE TACHOMETER (THE RIGHT DIAL ON DASHBOARD) MOVES UP IN THE REGION OF 3X1000 TO 4X1000 /MIN RANGE EVEN TO GET TO A SPEED OF 30 MILES/HOUR. SO, WHEN DRIVING MODERATELY, IT CAN SUDDENLY STALL. THIS IS A HUGE SAFETY RISK ON CITY ROADS AS ONE CAN GET HIT AND BE REAR-ENDED BY A CAR FROM BEHIND WITH YOUR FAMILY INSIDE THE CAR. I FEEL MUCH UNSAFE DRIVING THIS CAR NOW. BMW SHOULD FIX THIS DRIVETRAIN ERROR ON INSTALL A NEW ENGINE ALTOGETHER. MY CAR IS STILL UNDER WARRANTY. THIS IS A RECURRENT ERROR, AND IT DOES NOT GO AWAY. I AM LOSING FAITH IN BMW.