Driver assistance
Filed Mar 24, 2011
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 BMW 528I. THE CONTACT WAS ATTEMPTING TO PARK WHEN THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED FORWARD. SHE WAS UNABLE TO BRAKE AND CRASHED INTO TREE. THE CONTACT WAS UNINJURED. THE POLICE WERE CALLED BUT A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED WHERE THEY ADVISED HER THAT AN ENGINEER WOULD BE OUT TO INVESTIGATE THE VEHICLE. THE ENGINEER REMOVED THE BLACK BOX FROM THE VEHICLE AND CAME TO THE CONCLUSION THAT THE FAILURE WAS NOT MECHANICAL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED AND WAS DEEMED AS DESTROYED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 171,900. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.
- NHTSA ID
- 10392771
- Incident
- Sep 2, 2010
- Mileage
- 171,900 mi
BrakesDriver assistanceOther / unspecified
Filed Oct 26, 2010
COMMON ABS ASC+T ELECTRONIC CONTROL UNIT FAILURE DISABLED ODOMETER, SPEEDOMETER, CRUISE CONTROL, AUTOMATIC DOOR LOCKS, AND ALARM DISABLED, ANTI-LOCK BRAKES DISABLED, AND STABILITY CONTROL DISABLED. THE CAR CAN NO LONGER BE LOCKED TO KEEP OUT INTRUDERS, THE ODOMETER IS DISABLED AND AN UNKNOWN AMOUNT OF MILEAGE IS BEING ADDED TO THE VEHICLE(ALSO A VIOLATION OF CALIFORNIA VEHICLE CODE CVC), THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKES AND STABILITY CONTROL WILL NOT WORK AND THE CAR IS OUT RIGHT DANGEROUS TO DRIVE IN BAD WEATHER. BMW IS AWARE OF THE ABS CONTROL MODULE PROBLEMS IN THESE CARS AND HAS DONE NOTHING TO RECTIFY THE SITUATION EXCEPT OFFER A VERY EXPENSIVE REPLACEMENT PART WITH NO UPGRADES TO PREVENT FUTURE FAILURES. MY PERSONAL VEHICLE HAS HAD THE MODULE FAIL AT ONLY 94K MILES. THERE ARE MANY OTHERS OUT THERE WITH THE VARY SAME COMPLAINT. IF I WAS THE ORIGINAL OWNER I WOULD BE TALKING WITH A LAWYER ABOUT CALIFORNIAN "LEMON LAWS". THE ABS SYSTEM, AUTOMATIC LOCKING SYSTEM, AND LOCK SYSTEM ARE ALL MAJOR SAFETY HAZARDS. THE ODOMETER NOT WORKING I BELIEVE FALLS UNDER A CVC VIOLATION POSSIBLY A FEDERAL MANDATE VIOLATION. *TR
- NHTSA ID
- 10362395
- Incident
- Oct 12, 2010
- Mileage
- 94,803 mi
Driver assistanceElectrical
Filed Nov 9, 2008
REPEATED FAILURE OF ABS-ODOMETER-SPEEDOMETER ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULE FAILED TWO YEARS RUNNING. *TR
- NHTSA ID
- 10248051
- Incident
- Jul 14, 2007
- Mileage
- 85,000 mi
BrakesDriver assistance
Filed May 14, 2008
BOUGHT A NEW CAR IN 1999: 1999 BMW 528I AT ABOUT 75,500 MILES, THE ABS MODULE (BOSCH 5.7) FAILED. *** BRAKE DOES NOT RESPOND FOR A FEW SECOND THEN ABS LIGHT IS ON *** - CONTACTED A FEW OTHER 1999 AND 2000 BWM E39 OWNERS, THEY ALL HAD THE SAME ISSUE WITH THE ABS MODULE. - SENT THE CAR TO A BMW DEALER AT STERLING, VA. THE DEALER CONFIRMED THE ABS MODULE NEEDS TO BE REPLACED AT A COST OF $1000+. - DEALER CONFIRMED THAT BECAUSE OF THE DEFECTIVE ABS MODULE, ABS BRAKE DOES NOT WORK. - CONTACTED BMW NORTHERN AMERICA CUSTOMER SERVICE. NO RECALL HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR THIS PROBLEM. *TR
- NHTSA ID
- 10227764
- Incident
- Jan 5, 2008
- Mileage
- 75,500 mi
BrakesDriver assistance
Filed Mar 28, 2005
SAFETY SYSTEM FAILURE - ABS AND ANTI-SKID CONTROL MODULE. THIS APPARENTLY IS A CHRONIC FAILURE FOR BMW 5 SERIES CARS FROM THE 1997 TO 2002 MODEL YEARS THAT OCCURS AT APPROXIMATELY 70,000 MILES. THE ABS AND ASC LIGHTS BOTH LIGHT AND WITHIN A SHORT TIME AFTER THE SPEEDOMETER AND ODOMETER STOP WORKING. NO ANTI-LOCK BRAKES AND NON-WORKING SKID CONTROL, PLUS NOT KNOWING YOUR SPEED IS UNSAFE AND COSTS OVER $1000 TO FIX. *JB
- NHTSA ID
- 10115971
- Incident
- Mar 21, 2005
- Mileage
- 73,050 mi
Driver assistanceElectrical
Filed Nov 23, 2004
SPEEDOMETER STOPS WORKING. PROBLEM IS WELL DOCUMENTED ON VEHICLE REPAIR FORUMS. DEFECTIVE MODULE WAS UPGRADED BY BMW ENGINEERING BUT NO RECALL ISSUED, LEFT TO OWNERS TO EXPERIENCE FAILURE BEFORE GETTING MODULE REPLACED. RISK OF EXCESSIVE SPEED. RISK OF OVERSPEED CONDITION WHILE ENTERING POSTED SPEED CORNERS. BMW ONLY REPAIR DUE TO PROGRAMMING, COST OF $2000, RISK OF LESS AFFLUENT OWNERS DRIVING WITH SPEEDOMETER INOPERATIVE.*AK
- NHTSA ID
- 10100433
- Incident
- Nov 21, 2004
- Mileage
- 91,000 mi
Driver assistance
Filed Feb 11, 2004
ENGINE SURGES WHEN COLD IN COLD WEATHER (<45 DEG). SURGING CAUSES VEHICLE TO LURCH FORWARD IF AT A STOP. COULD INJUR PEDESTRIAN IF BRAKE NOT PRESSED WITH FORCE. BMW APPARENTLY AWARE OF PROBLEM BUT NO RECALL.*AK
- NHTSA ID
- 10057045
- Incident
- Jan 4, 2004
- Mileage
- 84,000 mi
Driver assistance
Filed Aug 21, 2002
THIS IS THE 2ND INCIDENT. THE FIRST TIME WAS WAS ABOUT 6 MONTHS AGO. THE CAR HAD UNEXPECTED ACCELERATION (RUN-AWAY VEHICLE). THE FIRST TIME THIS HAPPENED MY ENTIRE FAMILY WAS IN CAR AS I MERGED ONTO HIGHWAY. NO ACCIDENT OCCURRED, BUT A LESS EXPERIENCED DRIVER WOULD HAVE BEEN KILLED. THIS TIME, FEW DAYS AGO, EXACTLY THE SAME THING HAPPENED, BUT I REACTED MORE QUICKLY AND IT WAS ON A STRAIGHT AWAY, SO THE SITUATION WAS NOT AS DESPERATE. THE DEALER SAID THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DISLODGED, WHICH WAS PRECISELY WHAT OCCURED THE FIRST TIME. THEY REPAIRED IT, AS FAR AS I KNOW, BUT THE POSSIBILITY OF AN ACCELERATOR PEDAL BECOMING LOOSE CAUSING ACCELERATOR TO GET STUCK IS A TERRIBLE, AND POSSIBLE LIFE-THREATENING HAZARD. I HOPE THIS WILL NOT HAPPEN AGAIN. I WROTE A LETTER TO THE CEO OF BMW AND HAVE NOT YET RECEIVED A RESPONSE. *SW*AK
- NHTSA ID
- 766002
- Incident
- Aug 12, 2002
Driver assistance
Filed Aug 12, 2002
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
- NHTSA ID
- 765560
- Incident
- Aug 12, 2002
Driver assistance
Filed Dec 24, 2001
THE DEALER FIXED WITHOUT CHARGE, BUT THE THROTTLE GOT STUCK FULLY ACCELERATING AND BMW SAID IT WAS A BROKEN GAS PEDDLE ASSEMBLY. THIS WAS A TRULY HAZARDOUS SITUATION THAT ALMOST CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. I DO NOT NEED ANYTHING DONE, I MERELY WANTED TO REPORT THIS SERIOUS DEFECT. *AK
- NHTSA ID
- 755999
- Incident
- Dec 1, 2001
Driver assistanceExterior lightingTransmission
Filed Jan 3, 2000
THE TRANSMISSION MALFUNCTIONED INTERMITTENTLY AT FIRST AND FAILED LATER ON. YH
- NHTSA ID
- 550217
- Incident
- Nov 23, 1999
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.