2001 BMW 325 Engine And Engine Coolingcooling Systemfan Problems

RECALL DATE: 09-28-2001 UNITS POTENTIALLY AFFECTED: 1,550 NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 02V138000 DEFECTIVE PART OR COMPONENT: ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:FAN DESCRIPTION: ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, THE ENGINE AUXILIARY/COOLING FAN OPERATION, INCLUDING VARIABLE SPEED, IS ELECTRONICALLY CONTROLLED. FAILURE OF THE FAN MOTOR CAN CAUSE THE ELECTRICAL CIRCUITRY OF THE FAN CONTROL UNIT TO OVERLOAD AND FAIL, CAUSING THE FAN TO STOP OPERATING. IF THIS WERE TO OCCUR, ENGINE OVERHEATING AND SUBSEQUENT ENGINE DAMAGE COULD RESULT. IN ADDITION, IT IS POSSIBLE FOR THE FAILURE OF THE ELECTRICAL CIRCUITRY TO CAUSE A FIRE IN THE FAN CONTROL UNIT LOCATED IN THE FRONT OF THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE FAN. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN SEPTEMBER 28, 2001. THIS IS A SUPPLEMENT TO A RECALL THAT BEGAN DURING SEPTEMBER 2001 (SEE RECALL CAMPAIGN 01V20 ). THIS VEHICLE WAS SOLD TO ME 03-2004 WITH THE ABOVE PROBLEMS DOCUMENTED BY SEVERAL SERVICE REPAIR SHOPS. I BEGIN...

I HAD BEEN DRIVING MY CAR FOR ABOUT 2 HOURS ON THE INTERSTATE WITH THE COOLANT TEMPERATURE GAUGE "DEAD CENTER" AS IT ALWAYS IS. I STOPPED THE CAR AT A STORE AND LEFT THE CAR RUNNING FOR ABOUT 5 MINUTES. AS I PROCEEDED BACK TOWARD THE INTERSTATE THROUGH SOME STOP AND GO TRAFFIC FOR ABOUT 5 MINUTES, I NOTICED THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE IN THE "RED ZONE" AND THE RED INDICATOR WAS ILLUMINATED. I PULLED TO THE SIDE OF THE ENTRANCE RAMP, KEPT THE CAR IDLING AND CRANKED THE HEAT UP. THE GAUGE WENT DOWN A LITTLE BIT. I STOPPED THE CAR FOR ABOUT 1 MINUTE, STARTED IT, AND THEN ACCELERATED TOWARD ANOTHER EXIT IN ORDER TO BE IN A SAFER PLACE. THE GAUGE WENT DIRECTLY BACK TO "DEAD CENTER" SO I CONTINUED DRIVING AND THE GAUGE STAYED THERE FOR THE NEXT 2 HOURS. THE OUTSIDE TEMPERATURE WAS IN THE MID-60S...

DAY AFTER PURCHASING VEHICLE ENGINE COOLING FAN FAILED, ALLOWING ENGINE TO OVERHEAT. THIS RESULTED IN A FIRE, 8" FLAME IN ENGINE COMPARTMENT. DEALERSHIP REPLACED ENGINE COOLING FAN. HOWEVER, FAN FAILED AGAIN, AND ENGINE COOLANT WAS FOUND TO BE ALL OVER THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT , UNKNOWN IF A FIRE OCCURRED IN THE SECOND INCIDENT. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION / ATTACHMENTS.*AK

THIS IS THE THIRD COOLING FAN TO FAIL IN THIS CAR. WHEN THE FAN FAILS THE CAR BECOMES INOPERABLE AND BOILS OVER QUICKLY.THE LAST FAN WAS THE "SECOND GENERATION" FAN AND WAS A REPLACEMENT DESIGN FOR THE ORIGINAL FAN DESIGN. NOW I AM TOLD THERE IS A "THIRD GENERATION" FAN BEING BUILT. THE CAR NOW QUALIFIES AS A "LEMON" UNDER WASHINGTON STATE LAW. THERE STILL IS NO RECALL NOTICE TO CONSUMERS DRIVING THESE CARS. LAST BREAKDOWN WAS LATE AT NIGHT IN AN UNSAFE AREA. THIS IS MY SECOND COMPLAINT TO NHSTA.*AK

OVERHEATED IN ITS FIRST ENCOUNTER WITH LIGHT STOP & GO TRAFFIC. NO RECALL NOTICE FROM BMW, SUPPOSEDLY BECAUSE OF A SHORTAGE OF REPLACEMENT FAN UNITS.

DEFECTIVE COOLANT FAN CAUSED OVERHEATING AT LESS THAN 1000 MILES AND WHILE SITTING IN A PARKING LOT. DEALER SAID BMW WAS AWARE THAT THERE WERE DEFECTIVE FANS AND REPLACED THE FAN WITH THE SAME TYPE OF DEFECTIVE FAN. ON 7/29/01 WHILE SITTING IN TRAFFIC THE CAR OVERHEATED AGAIN AND THE ENGINE COOLANT LIGHT CAME ON. AS TRAFFIC MOVED, CAR COOLED BUT ENGINE COOLANT LIGHT STAYED ON. CAR TOWED TO DEALER FOR REPLACEMENT FAN. *AK

THE CAR HAS OVERHEATED TWICE. IT WAS NOT DRIVEABLE AND WAS TOWED TO DEALER WHERE I PURCHASED IT. THEY CLAIM IT WAS A MALFUNCTIONING FAN, AND THE PART WAS REPLACED TWICE.

AUXILIARY FAN STOPPED AND ENGINE OVERHEATED DURING REGULAR DRIVING.*AK

AUXILIARY COOLING FAN PROBLEM CAUSED ENGINE OVERHEATING. OVERHEATING BROKE ENGINE THERMOSTAT & THERMOSTAT HOUSING. *AK

AFTER DRIVING 15 MILES AND PARKING VEHICLE IN GARAGE, SHE SMELLED AN ELECTRICAL/BURNING SMELL. CONSUMER RESTARTED VEHICLE AND BACKED IT OUT OF GARAGE. WHEN VEHICLE WAS OUTSIDE OF GARAGE CONSUMER NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM HOOD, AND COULD SEE FIRE IN ENGINE COMPARTMENT WHEN SHE LOOKED THROUGH GRILL. FIRE COMPANY AND INSURANCE ADJUSTER DETERMINED THAT ENGINE FAN WAS COMPONENT RESPONSIBLE FOR FIRE. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION/ATTACHMENTS.*AK

ELECTRIC COOLING SYSTEM FANS ON BMW 325 SERIES ARE FAILING WITH REGULARITY. REPLACEMENT FAN ALLEGED TO BE UPGRADED VERSION. RECENTLY ALL SUCH VEHICLES ENTERING U.S. ARE HAVING THIS SIZE FAN REPLACED WITH OLD STYLE, LARGER, HIGH VOLUME FANS. HAVE NO CONFIDENCE MY PRESENT REPLACEMENT/UPGRADED FAN WILL NOT FAIL AGAIN, PARTICULARLY IN LIGHT BMW ARE REPLACING SUCH SIZE FANS WITH MUCH LARGER ONES PRIOR TO DELIVERY AS THESE VEHICLES ENTER THE U.S. CHECK WWW.BIMMER.ORG IN THE E46 SERIES BULLETIN BOARD FOR THE LAST THREE MONTHS COMMENTS ON "AUX FANS". IT 'APPEARS' BMW HAVE BEEN AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM FOR SOME REASONABLE LENGTH OF TIME AND CONTINUED TO INSTALL AND DELIVER DEFECTIVE FANS IN THESE AUTOMOBILES. THERE ARE PRESENTLY FANS FROM THIS ORIGINAL DEFECTIVE BATCH STILL ON THE MOTORWAYS. I KNOW OF ONE INSTANCE WHERE AN 'UPGRADED' FAN STOPPED WORKING LEAVING THE MOTORIST STRANDED, THOUGH LATER WAS SAID TO BE OPERABLE. THE...