2001 BMW 325IX — Problems, Recalls & Safety Data

IN VARYING TEMPERATURES THE ELECTRONIC DOOR LOCKS ON MY 2001 BMW 325IX FAIL TO WORK, RENDERING IT IMPOSSIBLE TO OPEN THE LOCKS ON THE THREE PASSENGER DOORS, EVEN MANUALLY FROM THE INSIDE. THE PROBLEM HAS GOTTEN PROGRESSIVELY WORSE OVER THE YEARS AND SEEMS TO INCREASE WHEN THE INTERIOR TEMPERATURE IN THE CAR GETS HOT (SUCH AS ON A SUNNY DAY AFTER SITTING). *TR

IN VARYING TEMPERATURES THE ELECTRONIC DOOR LOCKS ON MY 2001 BMW 325IX FAIL TO WORK, RENDERING IT IMPOSSIBLE TO OPEN THE LOCKS ON THE THREE PASSENGER DOORS, EVEN MANUALLY FROM THE INSIDE. THE PROBLEM HAS GOTTEN PROGRESSIVELY WORSE OVER THE YEARS AND SEEMS TO INCREASE WHEN THE INTERIOR TEMPERATURE IN THE CAR GETS HOT (SUCH AS ON A SUNNY DAY AFTER SITTING). *TR

DUE TO THE MALFUNCTIONING OF THE ELECTRONIC FOR DOOR LOCKS, THE DOOR WILL NOT UNLOCK USING THE KEY PAD AND FROM THE CENTRAL CONSOLE LOCK BOTTOM FROM INSIDE THE CAR AND ALSO WITH THE MANUAL LOCK LEVER FROM INSIDE. BUT THE DRIVERS SIDE DOOR WILL UNLOCK USING THE KEY MANUALLY FROM OUTSIDE. ONCE THE CAR IS AUTO LOCKED AFTER IT STARTS MOVING, THE DOOR WILL NOT UNLOCK AND OPEN FROM INSIDE WITH THE MANUAL LEVER, EXCEPT THE DRIVER SIDE. THE CENTER COSOLE SWITCH WILL NOT UNLOCK ANY DOORS EXCEPT THE CARGO HATCH. MAIN SAFETY ISSUE IS AS FOLLOW: THE REAR SEAT AND FRONT RIGHT SIDE PASSENGERS CANNOT UNLOCK THEIR DOORS USING THE MANUAL LEVER ON THE DOOR. THIS CAN BE VERY DANGEROUS IN CASE OF AN EMERGENCY. THIS FAILURE LOCKS THE OCCUPANTS OF THE CAR UNLESS THEY CRAWL TO THE DRIVER SIDE OR TO THE BACK CARGO DOOR. I HAVE NOT YET TAKEN THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP. BUT I THOUGHT BMW NEEDS TO FIX THIS ON ALL CARS BEFORE SOME ONE GETS TRAPPED IN THE CAR AND CANNOT GET OUT TO SAFETY OR ESCAPE FROM THE CAR, IF THEY NEED TO. THANKS SINCERELY AMIT R PATEL *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 BMW 330XI. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ENGINE FAN DOES NOT SHUT OFF AND HAS DRAINED THE BATTERY. THE BATTERY WAS REPLACED, BUT THE FAN STILL DOES NOT SHUT OFF WHEN THE VEHICLE IS TURNED OFF AND THE KEY IS REMOVED. HE TURNED THE VEHICLE OFF AND REMOVED THE KEY, BUT THE ENGINE FAN WAS STILL RUNNING AN HOUR LATER. THE CONTACT CURRENTLY DISCONNECTS THE FAN WHEN HE PARKS AND PLUGS IT BACK UP WHEN HE IS READY TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE. NHTSA RECALL NUMBER 01V206000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING: COOLING SYSTEM FAN) DOES NOT APPLY TO HIS VIN. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 105,300. THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE. HE NOTICED SMOJE COMING FROM THE ENGINE. UPDATED 09/26/07. *JB

DEALER PERFORMING 60,000 MAINTENANCE CHECK ON 2001 BMW 325IX REPORTED THAT BOTH REAR SPRINGS WERE CRACKED. ALSO REPORTED THAT THEY HAD SEEN SIMILAR CRACKED SPRINGS ON A HALF DOZEN 3 SERIES CARS OF THE SAME VINTAGE (1999-2005) OVER THE LAST YEAR.*JB