2002 BMW 540I Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 BMW 540I. THE CONTACT STATED THAT IT TOOK TEN ATTEMPTS TO START THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE OCCURRED AT LEAST THIRTY TIMES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 166,000.

AFTER STARTING UP MY CAR, THERE WAS A SLIGHT WHINE UNDER THE HOOD. I GAVE THE CAR A LITTLE BIT OF THROTTLE TO SEE IF THE WHINE WENT AWAY AND HEARD A LOUD BANG. THE CAR WAS STILL RUNNING BUT MY BATTERY LIGHT WAS ON. I NEEDED TO GET HOME, AND I THOUGHT THAT MY CAR MAY NOT START AGAIN IF I TURNED IT OFF SO I DROVE HOME. IMMEDIATELY I NOTICED THAT I DIDN'T HAVE ANY POWER STEERING. AS I DROVE MY ENGINE TEMPERATURE GOT HIGHER AND I BARELY MADE IT HOME WITHOUT OVERHEATING. A FEW DAYS LATER I LOOKED IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AND SAW THAT THE POWER STEERING PUMP HAD BROKEN FREE OF THE ENGINE - THE BRACKET HAD SHEARED OFF. THAT IN TURN CAUSED THE BELT TO FALL OFF WHICH WAS TURNING THE WATER PUMP AND ALTERNATOR. I GOT ON THE COMPUTER AND LOOKED UP THE PROBLEM AND FOUND A LOT OF PEOPLE EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEM, SOME DRIVING DURING THE INCIDENT. THIS IS A REAL DEFECTIVE DESIGN AND CAUSES ME TO BE CONCERNED ABOUT THE SAFETY. I HOPE NOTHING TRAGIC HAS TO HAPPEN TO SOMEONE FOR THIS TO BE CONSIDERED A RECALL. *TR

POWER STEERING PUMP MOUNTING BRACKETS BROKE OFF ( ON A POWER STEERING PUMP ITSELF), CAR THUS LOST POWER STEERING, BELT GOT OFF, IN A TURN IT WOULD HAVE BEEN A DISASTER , SOMEHOW I WAS ABLE TO STEER IT CLEAR IN A TURN. I GUESS I WAS LUCKY.

I WAS DRIVING AND MY SERPENTINE BELT FELL OFF. AFTER INSPECTION THE BRACKET FOR MY POWER STEERING PUMP BROKE AND CAUSED THE BELT TO FALL OFF. LOST POWER STEERING WHILE DRIVING. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2002 BMW 540I. WHILE THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE WAS AT A STOP SIGN, IT WAS REAR ENDED BY ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THERE WERE NO INJURIES AND A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED AND DEEMED A TOTAL LOSS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 40,000. *BF *TR

TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 BMW 540I. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V318000 (AIR BAGS); HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT. ...UPDATED 09/14/16 *BF UPDATED 10/18/16.*JB

AFTER STARTING UP MY CAR, THERE WAS A SLIGHT WHINE UNDER THE HOOD. I GAVE THE CAR A LITTLE BIT OF THROTTLE TO SEE IF THE WHINE WENT AWAY AND HEARD A LOUD BANG. THE CAR WAS STILL RUNNING BUT MY BATTERY LIGHT WAS ON. I NEEDED TO GET HOME, AND I THOUGHT THAT MY CAR MAY NOT START AGAIN IF I TURNED IT OFF SO I DROVE HOME. IMMEDIATELY I NOTICED THAT I DIDN'T HAVE ANY POWER STEERING. AS I DROVE MY ENGINE TEMPERATURE GOT HIGHER AND I BARELY MADE IT HOME WITHOUT OVERHEATING. A FEW DAYS LATER I LOOKED IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AND SAW THAT THE POWER STEERING PUMP HAD BROKEN FREE OF THE ENGINE - THE BRACKET HAD SHEARED OFF. THAT IN TURN CAUSED THE BELT TO FALL OFF WHICH WAS TURNING THE WATER PUMP AND ALTERNATOR. I GOT ON THE COMPUTER AND LOOKED UP THE PROBLEM AND FOUND A LOT OF PEOPLE EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEM, SOME DRIVING DURING THE INCIDENT. THIS IS A REAL DEFECTIVE DESIGN AND CAUSES ME TO BE CONCERNED ABOUT THE SAFETY. I HOPE NOTHING TRAGIC HAS TO HAPPEN TO SOMEONE FOR THIS TO BE CONSIDERED A RECALL. *TR

I WAS DRIVING IN STOP AND GO TRAFFIC WHEN I NOTICED THE STEERING FELT A LITTLE STIFFER THAN USUAL. AFTER ABOUT 5 MILES AND BETTER FLOWING TRAFFIC I PULLED INTO A RESTAURANT FOR DINNER WHEN MY UPPER RADIATOR HOSE EXPLODED. I PULLED INTO A STALL AND OPENED THE HOOD TO INSPECT WHAT HAPPENED. THE HOSE WAS VERY APPARENT AND AFTER FURTHER INVESTIGATION I NOTICED THE POWER STEERING PUMPS PULLEY AT A VERY SHARP ANGLE COMPARED TO LINEAR WITH THE SERPENTINE BELT. I CAN ONLY ASSUME THAT FROM THE BRACKET ON THE PUMP BREAKING, IT CAUSED A CHAIN REACTION OF EVENTS. FIRST THE BRACKET BROCKET PUTTING THE PUMP AT A STEEP ANGLE N FORCING THE BELT TO GO OFF TRACK WHICH THEN CAUSED ALL THE OTHER ACCESSORIES TO BE DISABLED INCLUDING THE WATER PUMP WHICH OVERHEATED THE CAR. *TR

THERE IS A CONSTANT FUEL LEAK UNDER THE VEHICLE CAUSING ENGINE CHECK LIGHT TO ILLUMINATE.*AK

THE PLASTIC COVERS ON THE HEADLIGHTS OF MY BMW BECAME CRAZED/FROSTED. EVERY BMW OF THIS VINTAGE HAS THE SAME PROBLEM. I SHOWED THIS TO OCCUR IN 2010 AT 100,000 MILES, BUT IN FACT IT WAS A STEADY DEGRADATION OVER SEVERAL YEARS. IT'S A SAFETY ISSUE, BECAUSE THE LIGHT OUTPUT IS SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCED. CAUSING RISK AT NORMAL HIGHWAY SPEEDS. IN ADDITION, THE CRAZING/FROSTING RESULTS IN ADDITIONAL GLARE TO ONCOMING TRAFFIC. I ASKED ABOUT RECALLS/REPLACEMENT PROGRAM FOR THIS DEFECT AT MY LOCAL BMW DEALER; THE SERVICE TECHNICIAN DISMISSED IT AS A NORMAL AGING ISSUE. I STRONGLY DISAGREE. A CAR OF THIS PRICE, OR ANY PRICE, SHOULD HAVE HEADLIGHTS THAT LAST LONGER THAN A FEW YEARS. I REPLACE THE HEADLAMP COVERS IF THEY WERE AVAILABLE, BUT THE ONLY SOLUTION IS TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE HEADLAMP ASSEMBLY AT A COST OF $1238 FOR EACH SIDE. YES, $1238. THIS WAS A QUITE EXPENSIVE AUTO, BUT REGARDLESS OF COST, THIS SAFETY ISSUE SHOULD RESULT IN A RECALL....UPDATED 07/30/15 *BF THE DEALER INFORMED THE CONSUMER IT WAS A NORMAL AGING ISSUE. THE CONSUMER STATED THE LIGHT OUTPUT WAS SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCED. UPDATED 09/01/15. *JB