2007 BMW 550I Problems

CAR HAS FAULTY PASSENGER SEAT OCCUPANCY SENSOR MATT. RECALL FOR THIS ISSUE WAS DONE IN 2014 - THE RECALL CALLED FOR INSPECTION AND POSSIBLE REPLACEMENT. IN THE INSTANCE OF MY CAR THE MATT WAS INSPECTED AND NOT-REPLACED. THE MATT NOW APPEARS TO BE FAULTING AS THE PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF LIGHT (FOR CHILDREN ETC.) IS ON EVEN WITH FULL GROWN ADULTS SITTING IN THE SEAT. SEEMS TO BE THAT THE AIRBAG WILL NOT GO OFF EVEN WHEN IT SHOULD. BMW ISSUES NUMEROUS WARRANTY EXTENSIONS FOR THE 04-10 E60 5 SERIES AND SEEMS TO BE A WIDELY REPORTED ISSUE. IN THE INSTANCE OF MY VIN THE RECALL WAS CONDUCTED (BUT THE MATT NOT REPLACED) AND THE PROBLEM THE RECALL AIMED TO CORRECT FOR IS OCCURRING. I WOULD SUGGEST ANOTHER RECALL OR AN EXTENSION OF WARRANTY FOR ALL VEHICLES THAT HAD THIS RECALL DONE AS NOT EVERY CAR HAD THE FAULTY PART REPLACED.

SENSOR AND CONTROL MODULE FLAW. *TR

THE INSULATION WIRING DETERIORATED CAUSING THE PASSENGER HEADLIGHT TO STOP WORKING WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY

WIRING IN HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLIES SHORTS OUT BECAUSE OF DEGRADED DEFECTIVE WIRING INSULATION. HEADLIGHTS CAN IMMEDIATELY FAIL WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT. PASSENGER SIDE HEADLIGHT FAILED. *TR

THE STEERING LOCK MALFUNCTION LIGHT IS ON. THIS INDICATOR LIGHT CAME WHILE THE CAR WAS STATIONARY.

FROM TIME TO TIME I AM GETTING A YELLOW WARNING LIGHT INDICATING ELV BLOCKED AND SOMETIMES PREVENTING ME FROM STARTING THE CAR. WAS ON THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY AND WAS STRANDED MANY TIMES. VERY FRUSTRATING AND DANGEROUS.

The vehicle is Burning a lot of oil due to the valve stem seals. Because of how the engine was designed. Since 2011 to 2018 was a law suit of the same engine since 2000 of the N62 V8 Engine of BMW. Smoke of oil comes out the exhaust and BMW cannot fix the issue they designed.

OIL LEAKS DUE TO IMPROPERLY FITTING VALVE STEM SEALS. THIS IS A MANUFACTURER DEFECT RENDERING THE CAR CONSTANTLY LEAKING OIL AND VIRTUALLY IN DANGER OF COMPLETE ENGINE FAILURE

ABOUT 3 MONTHS AGO I BOUGHT A 2007 BMW 550I WITH 29,802 MILES. WHEN A LARGE RED STEERING LOCK LIGHT APPEARED ON THE DASH, AS WELL AS, THE CENTER CONSOLE COMPUTER HAD INSTRUCTIONS "NOT TO TURN THE ENGINE OFF". THE CAR OPERATED NORMALLY JUST WITH AN UNCOMFORTABLE BIG RED LIGHT ON MY DASH. BEFORE CALLING THE BMW DEALER I DECIDED TO DO SOME RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET. I HAVE FOUND DOZENS OF BMW FORUMS REFERENCING STEERING WHEEL LOCK MALFUNCTIONS. MOST WERE RANGING FROM UPDATING COMPUTERS TO STEERING COLUMN REPLACEMENTS. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE BMW DEALER AS HE GAVE ME A LOANER AND TOOK MY CAR FOR THE NIGHT. THE FOLLOWING DAY HE CALLED ME IN AND TOLD ME I NEEDED TO FIX THIS PROBLEM THAT WOULD COST ME $700 OR THE STEERING MIGHT LOCK UP ON ME DURING DRIVING. WITH THIS MANY SIMILAR COMPLAINTS IT SOUNDS LIKE THERE MIGHT BE A RECALL ON THE BMW STEERING LOCK? *TR

I OWN A 2007 BMW 550I SPORT. I RAN OVER A RAISED ROAD MARKER WHILE IN ATLANTA AND RUPTURED THE SIDE WALLS OF BOTH LEFT SIDE TIRES, WHILE ALSO BENDING THE FACTORY 18" RIMS. IN MY JUDGMENT THE CONTACT WAS NOT SIGNIFICANT ENOUGH TO CAUSE THE DAMAGE THAT OCCURRED. ONCE I HAD THE TIRES REMOVED I NOTICED THAT THE INSIDE PORTION OF EACH REAR TIRE WAS WORN DOWN TO THE METAL MESH EMBEDDED IN THE TIRE. THE OUTER PORTION OF THE TIRES SHOWED AT LEAST ANOTHER 10K MILES ON THEM. THIS WAS/IS VERY DISCONCERTING AND ALARMING TO ME. I SEE IT AS A DESIGN FLAW, AND A SIGNIFICANT SAFETY CONCERN. ONE SHOULD NOT HAVE TO HAVE THEIR CAR LIFTED INTO THE AIR EVERY 3-6K MILES TO INSPECT FOR THIS ISSUE. THIS IS A $60K + AUTOMOBILE. WHILE EXTREMELY SATISFIED WITH SOME ASPECTS OF THE VEHICLE, AND SATISFIED WITH OTHERS, THIS IS A DEAL BREAKER FOR ME. IF I EVER RECOMMEND A BMW 550I TO ANYONE, IT WILL BE WITH THE CAVEAT OF BE CAREFUL WHEN IT COMES TO THE FACTORY WHEELS AND ANY TYPE OF TIRE THAT YOU MOUNT ON IT BECAUSE OF THE ONGOING REAR ALIGNMENT ISSUES. I HAD THE SAME EXACT PROBLEMS WITH AN OTHERWISE GREAT 99' 525I SPORT. THE REALIGNMENT WORE OUT 2 MICHELIN PILOT SPORTS/REAR IN LESS THAN 10K MILES. *TR

2007 BMW 550I, AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION, ABOUT 48,000 MILES. AFTER A PERIOD OF HIGHWAY DRIVING, IF REVERSE IS SELECTED (E.G., IN A PARKING LOT, A U-TURN THAT REQUIRES BACKING UP), THE TRANSMISSION WILL GO INTO NEUTRAL FOR SEVERAL SECONDS RATHER THAN IMMEDIATELY ENGAGING. SCENARIO 1 (COMMON): PULLING INTO PARKING LOT AFTER 22 MINUTE HIGHWAY COMMUTE TO WORK. I START TO GO BY AN OPEN SPOT AND NEED TO ENGAGE REVERSE IN ORDER TO PULL IN. I PUT THE CAR IN REVERSE, BUT THE TRANSMISSION GOES INTO NEUTRAL. AFTER ABOUT 3-5 SECONDS, REVERSE FINALLY ENGAGES. THIS IS A RECENT PHENOMENON. PREVIOUSLY, ENGAGEMENT WAS IMMEDIATE. INCIDENT 1 (6 JUNE 2011): AFTER DRIVING FOR A PERIOD OF TIME AT FREEWAY SPEEDS, A TIGHT U-TURN WAS REQUIRED. COMING OUT OF THE U-TURN, THE ROAD WAS DOWNHILL. I NEEDED TO PUT THE CAR IN REVERSE IN ORDER TO MAKE THE TIGHT U-TURN. I PUT THE SHIFTER IN REVERSE, AND STEPPED ON THE GAS. THE ENGINE REVVED AND THE CAR ROLLED FORWARD. OBVIOUSLY, IT WAS IN NEUTRAL. I PUT THE CAR IN DRIVE, THEN REVERSE. SAME THING. I PUT THE CAR IN PARK, THEN REVERSE, SAME PROBLEM. ULTIMATELY, I HAD TO TURN OFF THE CAR, THEN START IT AGAIN. NOW, REVERSE ENGAGED. UNFORTUNATELY, I RAN INTO A FIXTURE AT VERY LOW SPEED, CAUSING NO DAMAGE TO THE FIXTURE AND COSMETIC DAMAGE TO MY FRONT FENDER. INCIDENT 2 (10 JUNE 2011): AFTER DRIVING FOR ABOUT AN HOUR AT FREEWAY SPEEDS, I WAS PULLING INTO A HOTEL PARKING LOT. I NEEDED TO ENGAGE REVERSE IN ORDER TO PULL IN AS I DROVE SLIGHTLY PAST THE ENTRANCE TO THE PARKING LOT. I PUT THE CAR IN REVERSE AND STEPPED ON THE GAS. THE ENGINE REVVED AND DID NOT MOVE. THE TRANSMISSION WAS IN NEUTRAL. I AGAIN HAD TO TURN OFF THE VEHICLE, THEN TURN ON THE VEHICLE BEFORE I COULD ENGAGE REVERSE. *TR

I LEASED A BMW 328I ON 02/07/07. IT IS A BRAND NEW MODEL WITH A NEW ENGINE THAN BMW 325, ACCORDING TO THE SALESMAN. ON 02/16/07, WHILE I STOPPED THE VEHICLE AT THE RED LIGHT, I FOUND OUT THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START MOVING WHEN THE GREEN LIGHT WAS ON. THE CAR WAS STOPPED ON THE ROAD AND I HAD NO IDEA WHAT WAS GOING ON. LOTS OF CARS WERE BEHIND ME AND SPEEDING PAST MY CAR. I WAS VERY UPSET AND I GOT THE 800 TOLL FREE NUMBER FOR BMW'S FREE TOWING SERVICE FROM MY SALES PERSON VIA PHONE. THE FIRST LADY WHO ANSWERED THE PHONE TOLD ME TO CALL 911 AFTER A FIVE MINUTES TALKING TO ME WITH LOTS OF QUESTIONS. A NICE GENTLEMAN HELPED ME TO PUSH MY CAR TO A SAFETY STORES PARKING LOT. SO I CALLED 800 BMW TOW LINE NUMBER AGAIN. THE CAR WAS ACTUALLY TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP BY BMW 1-800 FREE TOW LINE AFTER A 3-HOUR'S WAITING TIME. THE SALESMAN HAD TO SEND HIS ASSISTANCE TO DELIVER ME ANOTHER USED CAR DUE TO I WAS IN A HURRY TO PICK UP MY SON FROM SCHOOL. I WAS THEN TOLD ON 02/17/07 FROM THE SALES PERSON THAT THE FUEL SENSOR IS A MANUFACTURE DEFECT. IT WILL STOP ITS SENSOR FUNCTION AT THE LAST QUARTER OF THE FUEL INDICATOR. SO I WAS DRIVING THE VEHICLE WITHOUT KNOWING THERE WAS NO MORE FUEL INSIDE THE CAR BECAUSE I THOUGHT IT STILL HAD A QUARTER FUEL IN THE TANK. I WAS SO SCARED TO HEAR IT AND I TOLD HIM THAT THIS FUEL SENSOR DEFECT MIGHT KILL MY LIFE IF I WAS DRIVING THE CAR ON THE FREEWAY AT THAT TIME WHEN THE CAR SUDDENLY STOPPED. SO I REFUSED TO TAKE BACK THE VEHICLE AND REQUESTED FOR EXCHANGING FOR ANOTHER CAR. BUT BMW REJECTED MY REQUEST BECAUSE "IT'S JUST A MINOR PROBLEM AND THEY ALREADY FIXED IT, " ACCORDING TO THE SALES PERSON'S MESSAGE TO ME ON MY CELL PHONE LAST NIGHT. I DON'T WANT TO BE TESTED FOR BMW TO SEE IF THEY REALLY FIXED THE FUEL SENSOR PROBLEM. IT'S VERY RISKY TO USE MY LIFE TO TEST FOR BMW WHETHER NEW SENSOR PUT ON MY VEHICLE IS ANOTHER DEFECT OR NOT. NOW I WANT TO CANCEL MY LEASING AGREEMENT ASAP. I AM HOPING BMW TO RECALL ALL THE 328I. *JB

I HAVE A 550I WITH THE SPORT PACKAGE. BOTH REAR TIRES WORE OUT THE INNER 1/4" OF TIRE COMPLETELY WHILE THE OUTER, AND THE VISIBLE PORTION OF THE TREAD HAD PLENTY OF DEPTH LEFT (APPROX 4/32" OR MORE). THE RIGHT TIRE WAS SLIGHTLY WORSE AND BLEW OUT ON THE HIGHWAY CAUSING A DANGEROUS SITUATION. THE LEFT WEAR WAS VERY CLOSE. ALIGNMENT IS WITHIN THE BMW SPECS. HOWEVER, THE REAR NEGATIVE CAMBER SPECIFICATION IS JUST TOO HIGH, AND THE REAR SUSPENSION DOES NOT HAVE ENOUGH ADJUSTMENT TO REMOVE SOME OF THE NEGATIVE CAMBER. BMW SHOULD SPECIFY A TIGHTER TOLERANCE FOR THE REAR CAMBER ON THESE CARS (IN PARTICULAR, THOSE WITH THE SPORT SUSPENSION), AND SPECIFY LESS NEGATIVE CAMBER IN THE REAR. ADDITIONALLY, THERE NEEDS TO BE A WAY TO REMOVE MORE CAMBER OUT OF THE REAR TIRES THAN THE STOCK SUSPENSION ADJUSTMENTS ALLOW. *TR

WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS ON THE NYS THRUWAY, I HIT A VERY SMALL POTHOLE AND BOTH RIGHT SIDE TIRES RUPTURED AT THE TIRE BEAD. AT LEAST TWENTY OTHER CARS PASSED OVER THE SAME POTHOLE AND NO DAMAGE WAS DONE TO THEIR TIRES. THE TIRES PARTIALLY SEPARATED FROM THE RIMS MAKING DRIVING THE EXTREMELY HAZARDOUS. EVEN THOUGH THE CARS HAS RUN FLAT TIRES, THE TIRES SEPARATED SO FAR FROM THE BEAD IT MADE DRIVING THE CAR DANGEROUS. THIS IS THE THIRD TIME SMALL OBJECTS IN THE ROADWAY CAUSED THESE RUNFLAT TIRES TO RUPTURE DANGEROUSLY ON VERY SMALL POTHOLES. HAD I CONTINUED DRIVING ON THEM AS STATED BY BMW, THEY WOULD HAVE SEPARATED FROM THE RIMS AND CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. *TR

BRAKE FAILURE AT LOW SPEED ON AN DESCENDING INCLINE (DRIVEWAY) PUMPED BRAKES RAPIDLY AND BRAKES HELD TRACTION. LATER THAT DAY 10/08/13 BRAKES FAILED ON LOW SPEED ON THE DESCENDING STREET. ON 10/09/13 WHEN DRIVING IN FREEWAY TRAFFIC, I AGAIN HAD TO SWERVE IN ORDER TO AVOID A REAR END COLLISION NO WARNING LIGHTS WERE ACTIVATED, NO SERVICE LIGHTS WERE ACTIVATED AT ALL 3 INCIDENTS. ON 10/10/13, I TOOK THE CAR IN TO CHECK ON THE PROBLEM AND WAS TOLD THAT THE CAR'S MASTER BRAKE CYLINDER, BRAKE BOOSTER AND BRAKE VACUUM PUMP NEEDED TO BE REPLACED FOR AN EXCESS OF $2500 FOR SAFETY ISSUE THAT WAS NOTED IN AN EARLIER RECALL. I CALLED BMW CUSTOMER SERVICE AND WAS TOLD MY PARTICULAR VIN NUMBER WAS NOT COVERED IN THE GENERAL RECALL AND MY ONLY RECOURSE WAS TO INFORM NHTSA, WHICH I AM DOING. *TR

FIRST INCIDENT 10/08/13:BRAKE FAILURE AT LOW SPEED ON AN DESCENDING INCLINE (DRIVEWAY) PUMPED BRAKES RAPIDLY AND BRAKES HELD TRACTION. LATER THAT DAY 10/08/13 BRAKES FAILED ON LOW SPEED ON THE DESCENDING STREET. ON 10/09/13 WHEN DRIVING IN FREEWAY TRAFFIC, I AGAIN HAD TO SWERVE IN ORDER TO AVOID A REAR END COLLISION NO WARNING LIGHTS WERE ACTIVATED, NO SERVICE LIGHTS WERE ACTIVATED AT ALL 3 INCIDENTS. ON 10/10/13, I TOOK THE CAR IN TO CHECK ON THE PROBLEM AND WAS TOLD THAT THE CAR'S MASTER BRAKE CYLINDER, BRAKE BOOSTER AND BRAKE VACUUM PUMP NEEDED TO BE REPLACED FOR AN EXCESS OF $2500 FOR SAFETY ISSUE THAT WAS NOTED IN AN EARLIER RECALL. I CALLED BMW CUSTOMER SERVICE AND WAS TOLD MY PARTICULAR VIN NUMBER WAS NOT COVERED IN THE GENERAL RECALL AND MY ONLY RECOURSE WAS TO INFORM NHTSA, WHICH I AM DOING. *TR

WAS REPLACING H7 HEADLAMPS AND DISCOVERED ALL OF THE INSULATION ON THE WIRING INSIDE BOTH HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLIES HAD DISINTEGRATED AND BOTH ASSEMBLIES CONTAINED MULTIPLE BARE WIRES. THIS COULD RESULT IN A SHORT OR BLOWING A FUSE WHEN DRIVING MAKING HEADLAMPS STOP WORKING. COULD EASILY CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. OR CAR COULD CATCH ON FIRE DUE TO SHORT CIRCUIT. I HAVE GOOGLED THIS AND FOUND MANY MANY SIMILAR COMPLAINTS. A RECALL SHOULD HAVE ALREADY BEEN VOLUNTARY ON BMW USA OR FORCED BY THE NTSB. EXTREMELY DANGEROUS SITUATION.

I PULLED MY BATTERY TO CHARGE IT AND NOW I'M GETTING A WHEEL LOCK ALARM WHICH WILL NOT ALLOW MY CAR TO START. IT IS IN MY DRIVE WAY SAME AS WHEN I LAST USED IT. IT RAN FINE PRIOR TO CHARGING MY BATTERY.

I HAVE A 550I WITH THE SPORT PACKAGE. BOTH REAR TIRES WORE OUT THE INNER 1/4" OF TIRE COMPLETELY WHILE THE OUTER, AND THE VISIBLE PORTION OF THE TREAD HAD PLENTY OF DEPTH LEFT (APPROX 4/32" OR MORE). THE RIGHT TIRE WAS SLIGHTLY WORSE AND BLEW OUT ON THE HIGHWAY CAUSING A DANGEROUS SITUATION. THE LEFT WEAR WAS VERY CLOSE. ALIGNMENT IS WITHIN THE BMW SPECS. HOWEVER, THE REAR NEGATIVE CAMBER SPECIFICATION IS JUST TOO HIGH, AND THE REAR SUSPENSION DOES NOT HAVE ENOUGH ADJUSTMENT TO REMOVE SOME OF THE NEGATIVE CAMBER. BMW SHOULD SPECIFY A TIGHTER TOLERANCE FOR THE REAR CAMBER ON THESE CARS (IN PARTICULAR, THOSE WITH THE SPORT SUSPENSION), AND SPECIFY LESS NEGATIVE CAMBER IN THE REAR. ADDITIONALLY, THERE NEEDS TO BE A WAY TO REMOVE MORE CAMBER OUT OF THE REAR TIRES THAN THE STOCK SUSPENSION ADJUSTMENTS ALLOW. *TR

I RECENTLY CONTACTED MY LOCAL BMW OF HONOLULU DEALERSHIP (808) 597-1225, INQUIRING THE RECALL NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 13V564000. I WAS INFORMED SOLELY BASED ON MY VIN NUMBER, I'M NOT ELIGIBLE FOR REPAIR, EVEN THOUGH MY AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT IS ON. HOW CAN THIS BE JUSTIFIED? MY SAFETY AND MY FAMILIES SAFETY IS ON THE LINE, BUT BECAUSE A NUMBER, I'M NOT COVERED? ON TOP OF THIS ISSUE, I WILL BE SHIPPING MY VEHICLE, BUT THE LOCAL SHIPPING COMPANY WILL NOT SHIP ANY VEHICLE THAT HAS WARNING LIGHTS ON UNLESS IT CAN BE VERIFIED BY A CERTIFIED MECHANIC THAT THE CAR IS SAFE TO DRIVE. PLEASE ADVICE ME ON WHAT I CAN DO. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 BMW 550I. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SRS WARNING LAMP ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE PASSENGER WOULD HAVE THE SEAT BELT ON, BUT IT WOULD INDICATE THAT THERE WAS A RESTRAINT MALFUNCTION. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 43,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 43,500.