2006 BMW M5 Problems

UPON STARTING MY CAR, I RECEIVED AN ERROR MESSAGE " FAULT IN PASSENGER RESTRAINT SYSTEM AFFECTING AIR BAGS, BELT TENSIONER OR BELT FORCE LIMITER" THE MESSAGE CONTINUES TO SHOW UP EVERY DAY.. THIS IS THE SAME ISSUE THAT HAS A RECALL IN ALL OTHER 5 SERIES MODELS FOR THIS YEAR, 2006 AND HAS A RECALL FOR THOSE VEHICLES. THIS MODEL SHOULD BE ADDED SINCE ITS THE SAME ISSUE. SEE ATTACHED.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 BMW M5. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG LIGHT REMAINED ILLUMINATED WHILE A PASSENGER OCCUPIED THE SEAT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE BASE OF THE SEAT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 35,000.

WELL DOCUMENTED (ON THE INTERNET) PROBLEM WITH THE PASSENGER SIDE ACTIVE RESTRAINT SYSTEM FAILING, TYPICALLY DUE TO THE PASSENGER SIDE OCCUPANCY MAT. THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN DOCUMENTED IN ALMOST EVERY MODEL MANUFACTURED SINCE 2000, BUT HAS ONLY BEEN ADDRESSED IN A FEW, SELECT, VEHICLES. THIS IS THE MOST COMMON COMPLAINT FOR THIS MODEL ON CARSAFETY.GOV AND HAS NOT BEEN ACKNOWLEDGED BY BMW OF NORTH AMERICA. THIS PROBLEM, IN ITSELF, CAN LEAD TO A VARIETY OF MALFUNCTIONS IN THE EVENT OF AN ACCIDENT CAUSING SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH. THE PROBLEM HAS ALSO LED TO A LARGE MARKET OF "DUMMY SENSORS" BEING SOLD ON EBAY AND SIMILAR SITES, WHICH TRICK THE COMPUTER INTO THINKING THE AIRBAG SENSOR IS CORRECTLY FUNCTIONING. THESE DUMMY SENSORS DO NOT REMEDY THE PROBLEM AND CAN LEAD TO AN INCREASED RISK OF INJURY OR DEATH. SYNOPSIS: AIRBAG SYSTEM WARNING LIGHT AND RESTRAINT SYSTEM WARNING LIGHT APPEAR IN INSTRUMENT CLUSTER. IDRIVE SYSTEM READS: PASSENGER RESTRAINT SYSTEM MALFUNCTION. SEAT SENSOR MAT FOR THE PASSENGER SEAT AIR BAG DISENGAGES WHEN PASSENGER IS SEATED. THE DISENGAGING OF THE PASSENGER AIR BAG POSES A GREAT DANGER FOR THE PASSENGER DUE TO THE PASSENGER AIR BAG WILL NOT DEPLOY IN A ACCIDENT CAUSING INJURY OR DEATH. BMW IS AWARE OF THIS ONGOING PROBLEMS WITH THE M5 E60 SERIES, BUT WILL NOT ADDRESS THIS ISSUE OF SAFETY. BMW CHARGES THE OWNER UP TO 5000.00 DOLLARS TO FIX THIS SAFETY ISSUE. *TR

MY VEHICLE IS REPORTING A PASSENGER RESTRAINT SYSTEM MALFUNCTION AS REPORTED IN THE NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 08V384000. I HAVE CONTACTED BMW NA MULTIPLE TIMES AND THE STATE MY VIN IS NOT LISTED IN THE RECALL. I FIND THIS VERY ALARMING AND UNSAFE. MY VEHICLE FITS ALL PARAMETERS AS STATED BY THE RECALL DOCUMENTATION BUT I AM STILL LEFT IN THIS POSSIBLY UNSAFE SITUATION WHEN A PROBLEM HAS BEEN DOCUMENTED AND RECALLED. PLEASE ASSIST IF POSSIBLE. THANK YOU IN ADVANCE FOR YOUR TIME. *TR

CLEARANCE FAILURE ON S85 ENGINE TO ROD BEARINGS CAUSES OIL STARVATION. THIS IN TURN CAUSES ENGINE CATASTROPHIC FAILURE. IF DRIVING THIS WILL EFFECT POWER BREAKING, POWER STEERING AND ALL COMPONENTS REQUIRING THE ENGINE TO BE RUNNING. THIS IS A VERY COMMON ISSUE, I NOW HAVE SYMPTOMS REQUIRING A CHANGE OF ROD BEARINGS. *TR

MY FAMILY AND I WERE HEADING HOME ON THE FREEWAY AND THE CARS ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND THE ENGINE WENT INTO LIMP HOME MODE ALONG WITH A LOUD KNOCKING FROM THE ENGINE. THE NEXT DAY I HAD TO CAR TOWED TO BMW OF HONOLULU. THE DEALERSHIP CONTACTED ME AND TOLD ME THAT I NEEDED A ENGINE WHICH THEY QUOTED ME A PRICE OF $35K FOR A NEW ENGINE. I THEN CALLED GETZINGER MOTORWERKES WHICH IS ANOTHER SHOP THAT WORKS ON BMW'S JUST TO GET A SECOND OPINION. AFTER DIAGNOSING MY CAR THE OWNER OF THE SHOP TOLD ME THAT IT WAS CRANK BEARINGS AND SINCE THEY WENT BAD THE MEDAL SHAVING WENT INTO MY ENGINE AND ALSO CAUSED THE VANOS PUMP TO GO BAD, HE THEN STATED THAT HE WAS JUST READING ABOUT THAT SAME ISSUE THAT HAS BEEN HAPPENING WITH A LOT OF 2006 M5;S DUE TO THE FACT THAT ITS A BAD ENGINE DESIGN AND THAT THOSE PARTS WOULD GO BAD EVERY 60,000 MILES. TO REPLACE THOSE PARTS IT WOULD COST $8,000 IN PARTS ALONE. SO NOW I AM STUCK PAYING FOR A CAR THAT I CAN'T EVEN DRIVE. I NOW LIVE IN ANOTHER STATE AND MY CAR IS STUCK IN HAWAII BECAUSE THE SHIPPING COMPANY WILL NOT SHIP IT IN THE CONDITION THAT ITS IN. *TR

THE EARLY M5 WITH THE SMG (SEQUENTIAL MANUAL GEARBOX) 7 SPEED HAVE NUMEROUS TSB'S AND WARRANTY CAMPAIGNS. THE SHIFTING OF THE GEARBOX IS UP EXECUTED BY PRESSURE FROM THE HYDRUALIC PUMP THAT STORES AAPRX 80PSI IN THE ACCUMULATER. THIS ACCUMULATOR OR PUMP HAS A HI CHANCE OF FAILING AND WHEN IT DOES THE CAR SHUTS DOWN WITHOUT WARNING. MY CAR SHUT DOWN IN THE MIDDLE OF THE INTERSECTION JUST RECENTLY. AND I HAVE HAD THIS PUMP REPLACE TWICE OUT OF WARRANTY AND ONCE WITHIN WARRANTY. A MAJOR FLAW OF THE GETRAG SMG 7SPD. BMW DISCONTINUED THIS TRANSMISSION BUT CONTINUES TO RAISE PRICES ON THE REPLACEMENT PUMPS AS THEY KNOW THERE IS A HIGH TURNOVER OF REPAIRS. PLEASE VISIT THE BMW M FORUMS AS THIS TOPIC IS HEAVILY DISCUSSED

WITH AN SMG TRANSMISSION, WHEN ACCELERATING FROM A COMPLETE STOP, THERE IS A LOUD THUMP IN THE REAR OF THE CAR AS IF SOMEBODY HIT YOU FROM BEHIND. IT IS VERY STARTLING AND I AM SURE SOMETHING IS WRONG WITH THE CAR. THIS IS A COMMON COMPLAINT AMONG ALL BMW M5 DRIVERS. I AM SURPRISED NOBODY PLACED A COMPLAINT ABOUT THIS YET. *TR

THE VEHICLE WARNING SYSTEM DISPLAYED A PASSENGER RESTRAINT FAULT WHICH DISABLES THE PASSENGER AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT. THE PROBLEM WAS INITIALLY INTERMITTENT, BUT WITHIN ONE WEEK IS NOW PERMANENTLY DISPLAYED. A DIAGNOSTIC SCAN BY MY DEALER INDICATES A FAULT WITH THE PASSENGER SEAT OCCUPANCY SENSOR(S). THIS SAME PROBLEM RESULTED IN A RECALL FOR OTHER MODELS/YEARS, BUT APPARENTLY NOT THIS ONE FOR SOME REASON. THE DEALER QUOTED $2500 FOR THE REQUIRED REPAIR/REPLACEMENT. MEANWHILE, ANY PERSON IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT IS NOT PROTECTED BY THE AIR BAG. *TR

PASSENGER OCCUPANCY SENSOR IS BAD. THIS CAUSES A WARNING MESSAGE TO OCCUR THAT STATES THAT THE RESTRAINT SYSTEM IS MALFUNCTIONING. AFTER FURTHER RESEARCH, IF THIS MESSAGE IS DISPLAYED, THE AIRBAGS WILL NOT DEPLOY IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH. *TR

ENROUTE FROM PALO ALTO TO MOUNTAIN VIEW AND WAS AT A COMPLETE STOP WAITING AT A STOP LIGHT ON A MAJOR THOROUGHFARE (CENTRAL EXPRESSWAY) WHEN THE CAR STOPPED RUNNING. CARS BEHIND ME PROCEEDED TO PASS ME TO MAKE THE LEFT TURN WHILE MY CAR WAS SHUT DOWN. I WAS ABLE TO RE-START THE CAR AFTER ~5 - 10 MINUTES AND DRIVE ANOTHER 1000 FEET WHEN THE CAR STOPPED RUNNING AGAIN. PRIOR TO BOTH INCIDENTS THE PANEL INDICATED AN ALERT "TRANSMISSION FAIL" AND A "CHECK ENGINE" ALERT. THE CAR WOULD NOT START BACK UP AND HAD TO BE PUSHED THROUGH THE INTERSECTION TO A STREET WHERE IT COULD BE PARKED SAFELY. INITIAL AUTOBODY ELECTRONIC DIAGNOSIS AND REPAIRS RELATED TO BATTERY REPLACEMENT, HOWEVER, TRANSMISSION RELATED FAULT CODES STILL SHOWED UP. FORTES BROTHERS AUTOBODY DISCOVERED "SAFETY" RELATED NOTIFICATIONS ISSUED BY BMW AND THEREFORE RECOMMENDED TAKING CAR TO BMW. CAR WAS THEN TOWED TO BMW MOUNTAIN VIEW DEALERSHIP WHERE SERVICE DEPARTMENT DIAGNOSED AND THEN REPLACED BOTH HYDRAULIC PUMP AND CLUTCH. BASED ON SUBSEQUENT RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET, THERE ARE REFERENCES TO HYDRAULIC PUMP RECALLS BY BMW FOR BMW M5 2005 MODEL. ALTHOUGH MY CAR IS A BMW M5 2006 I AM REQUESTING FOLLOW UP TO CONFIRM THAT THE HYDRAULIC PUMP IS MANUFACTURED TO ALL REQUIRED SPECIFICATIONS AND DOES NOT POSE A SAFETY RISK. *TR

THE PASSENGER RESTRAINT SYSTEM, AIRBAG, SEAT BELT, BELT TENSIONER WARNING SHOWED UP IN THE CAR COMPUTER. WENT TO THE DEALER AND DEALER SAID THAT THEY WILL NEED TO REPLACE THE PASSENGER SEAT MAT SENSOR AND BATTERY SAFETY TERMINAL. THE COST IS AROUND $3500. WHEN I SEARCHED ONLINE I FOUND THAT THE BMW 5 SERIES 2004 - 2006 HAS A RECALL ON THIS ITEM ALREADY - PLEASE LINK. (HTTP://WWW-ODI.NHTSA.DOT.GOV/CARS/PROBLEMS/RECALLS/RECALLSUMMARY.CFM?RCL_CAMPAIGN_ID=08V384000&PROD_ID=113225&MODULETYPE=VEHICLE&MAKE=BMW&MODEL=5%20SERIES&VEH_MODEL_YEAR=2004&SEARCHTYPE=DRILLDOWN). HOWEVER, MY 2006 M5 EVEN THOUGH IS AN E60 AND THE SAME CHASIS AND MODEL AS THE 2004-2006 BMW 5 SERIES IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THAT'S THE REASON THAT THE DEALER IS ASKING ME FOR THE FULL PRICE. THIS FAULT WHICH IS ALREADY A RECALL FOR THE 5 SERIES CAR SHOULD BE ADDED FOR THE BMW M5 MODEL AS WELL. THIS IS A HUGE SAFETY ISSUE AS THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG WON'T DEPLOY UNLESS THIS IS FIXED. ON TOP OF THIS, BMW HAS THIS PART IN BACK ORDER AND THE PART WON'T BE AVAILABLE UNTIL 11/5/2012. I FIND THIS RIDICULOUS AS I AM SUPPOSED TO BE DRIVING AROUND A CAR WITH A FAULTY PASSENGER AIR BAG FOR OVER 8 MONTHS!! *TR

2006 BMW M5 WITH SEQUENTIAL TRANSMISSION WOULD NOT ENTER GEAR AT LIGHT, RENDERING VEHICLE IMMOBILIZED. *CN

FOR ABOUT A 1.5 MONTHS, I HAVE BEEN HAVING MAJOR ISSUES WITH SMG. IN THE MORNING ON STARTUP. I PUT THE CAR IN REVERSE, IT SHOWS (R). I STEP ON THE GAS AND IT REVS AND DOESN'T DO ANYTHING. YOU THEN HEAR A LOUD CLUNK AND IT POPS BACK TO NEUTRAL. SAME THING WITH DRIVE IN WHICH THERE IS A HUGE DELAY EVEN WHEN IT SHOWS 1. EXTREMELY SCARY WHEN YOU HAVE TRAFFIC COMING UP BEHIND YOU AND YOU CAN'T GET INTO GEAR. I HAVE OPENED DIALOGUES WITH BMWNA, MY LOCAL DEALER, THE GM OF MY LOCAL DEALER DONNA TAFOYA AND AT THIS MOMENT, THE ONLY ERROR THEY GOT WAS A SZL FAILURE. (REPLACED 2X ALREADY) OTHER THAN THAT, NO FAULTS WHATSOEVER SO TO THEM, IT'S A "GHOST" ISSUE. PUMA CASE HAS ALSO BEEN CREATED AND THE FIELD REP WILL BE OUT HERE ON THE 15TH. IN THE MEANTIME, I STILL DO NOT HAVE A CAR I CAN TRUST AND THIS IS MY DAILY DRIVER. *NM

TL-THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 BMW M5. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE HE COULD SMELL STRONG FUEL ODOR AFTER FILLING THE FUEL. THE INDEPENDENT MECHANIC DIAGNOSED THE FUEL TANK HAD A CRACK INSIDE THE PLASTIC. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 21,000. NE

HEADLIGHT WENT OFF WHILE DRIVING, WHEN I WENT TO REPLACE THE BULB DISCOVERED THAT ALL THE WIRING INSIDE THE HEADLIGHTS HAVE THE INSULATION CRUMBLING OFF CAUSING EXPOSED BARE WIRES TO SHORT TOGETHER. THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE ON A CAR THAT IS ONLY 7 YEARS OLD. I RESEARCHED ON THE INTERNET AND FOUND THAT IS A COMMON PROBLEM ON BMWS. IF YOUR WARRANTY EXPIRED BMW WILL NOT FIX IT. THIS IS ESPECIALLY DANGEROUS AT NIGHT WENT THE HEADLIGHT START TO FLICKER ON AND OFF. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 BMW M5. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN ATTEMPTING TO START THE VEHICLE, WHETHER THE VEHICLE WAS IDLE OR TRAVELING AT LOW SPEEDS, THERE WAS A SUDDEN ENGAGEMENT THAT CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO SURGE FORWARD INTERMITTENTLY. THE DEALER MADE TEN ATTEMPTS TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE BUT TO NO AVAIL. THEY ADVISED THE CONTACT TO KEEP HIS FOOT ON THE BRAKE PEDAL UP TO THE POINT OF ACTUAL ACCELERATION. THE CONTACT DID NOT INFORM THE MANUFACTURER OF THE FAILURE NOR WAS THE VEHICLE REPAIRED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 39,500 AND THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 29,000.

STEERING WHEEL LOCK MALFUNCTIONS AND KEEPS STEERING WHEEL LOCKED, WILL NOT RELEASE INTERMITTENTLY.