2001 BMW X5 Body & structure Problems

2001 BMW X5 4.4I CAUGHT FIRE IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT WHILE PARKED IN A SHOPPING CENTER PARKING LOT.

NHTSA ID

11024122

Incident

Aug 18, 2017

Mileage

270,000 mi

FRONT DOORS ARE FREEZING UP IN COLD WEATHER. ONCE THE TEMPERATURE RISES THE DOORS WILL OPEN. HAPPENS EARLY IN THE MORNING/ LATE NIGHT WHEN I NEED TO LEAVE FOR WORK. SOMETIMES YOU CAN FORCE THE HANDLE TO OPEN BUT THEN THE DOOR WILL NOT CLOSE AND HAVE TO DRIVE HOLDING THE DOOR SHUT. THERE MUST BE A RECALL ON THIS,THERE HAVE BEEN SO MANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS ISSUE. THIS HAS HAPPENED TO ME DOZENS OF TIMES. WENT TO DEALER MANY TIMES, REPLACED BOWDEN CABLE/ACTUATORS. COST ME $600.00 TO FIX, WILL SEE IF IT WORKS NEXT WINTER. *TR

NHTSA ID

10238612

Incident

Dec 28, 2007

Mileage

83,000 mi

PURCHASED NEW X5 IN SEPT. 2001 - AND THAT'S WHEN MY PROBLEMS BEGAN! LUCKILY THE CAR WAS UNDER WARRANTY IN THE BEGINNING, OTHERWISE I WOULD HAVE PAID JUST AS MUCH IN REPAIRS AS I DID FOR THAT SO CALLED LUXURY VEHICLE OF MINE. (1) I IMMEDIATELY BEGAN HAVING PROBLEMS WITH CONDENSATION INSIDE THE FRONT HEADLAMPS WHICH TOOK DAYS TO CLEAR UP. DEALER DIDN'T KNOW WHY THIS HAPPENED. SEVERAL YEARS LATER AND I'M STILL EXPERIENCING THIS SAME PROBLEM. (2) ALL OF THE RUBBER TRIM AND MOLDING ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE VEHICLE (ESPECIALLY AROUND THE WINDOWS) HAS FADED AND BECOME DISCOLORED. (3) THE MOLDING AROUND THE DOOR FRAMES HAS DISINTEGRATED HORRIBLY AND STARTED TO COME OFF ($250 TO REPAIR). THE DEALER SAID THIS IS NORMAL. (4) WITHIN THE PAST THREE YEARS, I HAVE HAD THE DRIVERS SIDE WINDOW REGULATOR REPLACED THREE TIMES. I WAS ALSO TOLD THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM W/BMWS. (5) I NOW MUST ROLL DOWN MY WINDOW AND OPEN MY DOOR FROM THE OUTSIDE BECAUSE THE DOOR HANDLE JAMS AND WON'T ALLOW ME TO OPEN DOOR FROM THE INSIDE. THIS HAS HAPPENED FOUR TIMES ALREADY, ($1,000 TO FIX). (6) BOTH FRONT HEADLIGHTS HAVE BEEN REPLACED TWICE ALREADY - AND OF COURSE THE DEALER RECOMMENDS REPLACING THE ENTIRE ASSEMBLY AT $200 A POP. (7) THE BOTH FRONT DOOR LOCK ACTUATORS ARE DEFECTIVE AND NEED TO BE REPLACED ($400 EACH). IT WILL NOT LOCK/UNLOCK THE FRONT PASSENGER DOOR SO WE MUST DO SO MANUALLY. (8) THE REAR HATCH WOULD NOT OPEN PROPERLY. THE LATCH ASSEMBLY HAD TO BE REPLACED TWICE (THANKFULLY UNDER WARRANTY) BEFORE OUR PROBLEM WAS RESOLVED. (9) THE LEFT REAR TAIL LAMP ASSEMBLY IS NOW BEING REPLACED FOR THE THIRD TIME ($259) BECAUSE THE BULB CONTINUES TO GO OUT FOR SOME UNKNOWN REASON. HAD I KNOWN THAT I WAS BUYING A "MONEY PIT" INSTEAD OF A LUXURY VEHICLE, I WOULD HAVE RUN AWAY FROM THE DEALERSHIP SCREAMING. I AM PREPARING TO SELL OR TRADE THIS HEADACHE FOR SOMETHING WITH FEWER PROBLEMS. I WILL NEVER BUY ANOTHER BMW AGAIN! *NM

NHTSA ID

10138040

Incident

Apr 12, 2005

1. HAD CAR SERVICED AT 60,000 MILES, ONLY 3 WEEKS LATER THE GREEN DASHES STARTED APPEARING AGAIN AND STAYING ON, AS IF I NEEDED TO HAVE CAR SERVICED. CALLED DEALER AND THEY SAID NOT TO WORRY, THIS HAS BEEN KNOW TO HAPPEN, JUST IGNORE IT. 2. VERY LOUD NOISE FROM SUN ROOF (CLOSED) WHILE TRAVELING ON FREEWAY AND LEAKS DURING CAR WASHES? DEALER SAID THEY CAN REPLACE THE SEAL AND THIS SHOULD FIX THE PROBLEM. 3. BRAKE LIGHT INDICATOR ON DASH COMES ON AND OFF, AS IF BULB IS OUT, BUT JUST REPLACED BULB, THEN REPLACED AGAIN, SOMETIMES THIS BRAKE LIGHT WORKS AND SOMETIMES IT DOESN'T. 4. WINDOW ON FRONT PASSENGER WINDOW WOULD NOT GO BACK UP AFTER OPENED, THEN A DAY LATER, THE DOOR WOULD NOT OPEN OR CLOSE. DEALER REPLACED THE WINDOW MECHANISM THAT CONTROLS BOTH THE DOOR HANDLE AND THE WINDOW AT MY COST MIND YOU THE REAR WINDOW AND DOOR HAD BEEN DONE ONLY A YEAR BEFORE. THE DEALER TOLD ME THAT THIS HAPPENS ON ALL GERMAN CARS, DOESN'T MATTER THE AGE OF CAR OR MAKE. HOW FRUSTRATING - SPEND $45,000 AND KNOW WINDOWS WILL EVENTUALLY QUIT WORKING?? 5. FRONT RIGHT HEADLAMP GETS MOISTURE IN IT AND IT TAKES 3-5 DAYS TO CLEAR UP. 6. DRIVER CUP HOLDERS, WHAT IS UP WITH THAT - CAN ONLY PUT ONE CUP IN IT, WHEN TRY TO PUT 2 IN, THEY OVERLAP, VERY FRUSTRATING WHEN DRIVING. 7. STORAGE IN FRONT MINIMAL AND A HASSLE, YOU HAVE TO REACH BACK AND SORT OF BEHIND YOU TO GET INTO COMPARTMENT - DANGEROUS WHILE DRIVING. 8. LEATHER SEATS ARE VERY HARD, NEED A PLUSHIER LEATHER. 9. WHEELS, BRAKE "DUST" GETS ALL OVER THE WHEELS MUCH MUCH MORE THAN ANY OTHER LUXURY CAR I HAVE EVER HAD. 10. CARGO COVER IN REAR NEEDS WORK, CHECK OUT THE ONE LEXUS USES IN RX30. 11. NEED MORE CARGO SPACE - COMPARED TO RX330 AND THE VOLVO X90, SPACE IS EXTREMELY SMALL. 12. DISAPPOINTED IN MY CAR - WANT TO SELL IT, WILL NOT BUY ANOTHER BMW. *NM

NHTSA ID

10135032

Incident

Aug 3, 2005

Mileage

63,200 mi

NAR 04/28/2003. MR IN THE COLD WEATHER THE DOOR FREEZES UP MAKING IT IMPOSSIBLE TO SECURE THE DOOR SHUT. *CB

NHTSA ID

10017747

Incident

Feb 1, 2003

CONSUMER STATES A PROBLEM EXISTED WHERE THE VEHCLE WOULD SUDDENLY CUT OFF WHEN IN A TURN AND WHEN FIRST STARTING. THE FAN BLOWER MOTOR AND THE COOLANT THERMOSTAT HAD TO BE REPLACED TO CORRECT IMPROPER HEATER OPERATION. *TT

NHTSA ID

567569

Incident

Sep 5, 2000

VEHICLE WAS PARKED, THEN SAW THAT HATCBACK WINDOW HAS SHATTERED. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK

NHTSA ID

8015260

Incident

Jun 24, 2002

THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE WINDOWS RATTLE WHEN GOING UP DUE TO WINDOW REGULATOR FAILURE. *YH

NHTSA ID

565716

Incident

Nov 24, 2000

THE BRAND NEW X5 HAS DANGEROUSLY DESIGNED FRONT DOORS. THE JAMB OF THE DOOR SWEEPS BACK TO A VERY SHARP METAL POINT. WHEN YOU OPEN OR CLOSE THE DOOR, THE TOP CAN STRIKE YOU IN THE HEAD CAUSING INJURY. THIS IS BECAUSE WHEN YOU GRAB THE HANDLE YOU DON'T REALIZE THAT THE TOP SWEEPS FURTHER BACK NEAR YOUR HEAD. I HAD POKED MY EYELID ON AUGUST 14TH AND CALLED BMW. I NOW HAVE SEVERELY INJURED MY EAR. GETTING 11 STICHES. I CALLED BMW ON 10/13/00 TO FILE ANOTHER REPORT. IF ONE IS SIX FEET TALL, THIS CAR WILL INJURE THEM. *AK *NLM **DIMSII IVOQ ENTRY POSTED AFTER 12/12/02 CUT-OVER TO ARTEMIS*734326

NHTSA ID

10007036

Incident

Oct 13, 2000

THE NEW BMW X5 HAS DANGEROUSLY DESIGNED FRONT DOORS. THE JAMB OF THE DOOR SWEEPS BACK TO A VERY SHARP METAL POINT. WHEN YOU OPEN OR CLOSE THE DOOR, THE TOP CAN STRIKE YOU IN THE HEAD CAUSING INJURY. THIS IS BECAUSE WHEN YOU GRAB THE HANDLE, YOU DON'T REALIZE THAT THE TOP SWEEPS FURTHER BACK NEARER YOUR HEAD. I HAD POKED MY EYELID ON AUGUST 14TH AND CALLED BMW. I NOW HAVE SEVERELY INJURED MY EAR, GETTING 11 STICHES. I CALLED BMW ON 10/13/00 TO FILE ANOTHER REPORT. IF ONE IS SIX FEET TALL, THIS CAR WILL INJURE THEM.*AK

NHTSA ID

734326

Incident

Oct 13, 2000