2004 BMW 5 SERIES Electrical System Problems

ABOUT 3 WEEKS AGO WE NOTICED IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT "A MARK" THAT LOOKS LIKE A BURNT - WE THOUGHT THAT IT WAS JUST A MARK OR SOMEBODY PUT A HOT BOTTLE O CUP ON THE SEAT - BUT THIS MORNING WE TURN THE HEATING IN BOTH SEAT TO WARM UP A LITTLE BIT THEN SMELL AND SMOKE START TO COME OUT THE BURNT MARK. WE TURNED IT OFF BOTH SIDES AND OPEN THE WINDOW - NOW OUR CONCLUSION IS THE HEATING ELEMENT CAUSED THAT BURN IN THE SEAT.

WIRE ROT DETERIORATION AT THE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY. CONCERN ELECTRICAL FIRE DUE TO BARE EXPOSED WIRES. NOTIFIED THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURE WITHOUT RESOLUTION. PERSONALLY HAD TO PAY OVER $500 TO HE DEALERSHIP JUST TO WRAPPED WITH ELECTRICAL TAPE. AFTER 3 MONTHS, CURRENTLY EXPERIENCING HIGH BEAM FAILURE (HID ADOPTIVE PASSENGER SIDE) WHICH THE DEALER TO REPLACEMENT COST OF $2599.

BMW RECALLED 2004 BMW 525I AND OTHERS FOR THE SEAT MAT SENSOR. I HAD CALLED THEM (2012-13) AND THEY TOLD ME THAT MY VEHICLE (BASED ON VIN) WASN'T PART OF THE RECALL. I INFORMED THEM THAT MY VEHICLE'S MAT SENSOR WAS ALSO DEFECTIVE AND SHOULD BE REPLACED BY THEM. THEY, BMW USA TOLD ME THAT MINE WAS NOT DEFECTIVE. I STILL CANT UNDERSTAND IF THE REST ARE DEFECTIVE, HOW COME MINE IS CONSIDERED NOT DEFECTIVE WHEN ITS INOPERATIVE AND SAME PROBLEM AS THOUSANDS OF OTHER 2004 525I. *TR

WARNING NOTICE ON "I DRIVE" SYSTEM THAT THERE WAS AN EMERGENCY WITH THE LIGHTING SYSTEM AND THE CAR SHOULD BE STOPPED IMMEDIATELY. DIRECTIONAL SIGNALS NO LONGER WORKED, EMERGENCY FLASHERS WERE INOPERATIVE AND HEADLIGHTS NOT OPERATING PROPERLY. BROUGHT CAR TO DEALER THE NEXT DAY AND THE PROBLEM WAS CORRECTED WITH AN UPDATE TO THE "I DRIVE" SOFTWARE LEADING ME TO BELIEVE THAT BMW IS AWARE OF THIS VERY SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE BUT HAS CHOSEN TO IGNORE IT UNTIL OWNERS EXPERIENCE THE PROBLEM AND THEN THE OWNER HAS TO PAY FOR THE UPDATE TO CORRECT THE SOFTWARE GLITCH. MY COST WAS $320.92. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 BMW 545I. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE NOTICED THAT THERE WERE VARIOUS WARNING LIGHTS THAT ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENTAL PANEL. HE STATED THAT THE VEHICLES I-DRIVE WOULD MALFUNCTION CAUSING THE RADIO TO FAIL, GPS, AND HE WAS UNABLE TO MAKE PHONE CALLS FROM THE VEHICLE. THE SPEEDOMETER ALSO DISPLAYED 0 INSTEAD OF THE ACTUAL MPH THAT WAS BEING DRIVEN. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY A DEALER AND THEY WERE UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 88,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

TL* THE CONTACT WOULD LIKE TO USE HIS SUBMITTED EMAIL AS THE ACTUAL COMPLAINT. OUR 2004 BMW 530I HAD THE DRIVER'S HEATED SEAT CATCH FIRE. I AM NOT GETTING MUCH HELP FROM BMW ON THIS MATTER. TO ME, THIS IS ONE HELLUVA OF AN EASY WAY TO CAUSE A MAJOR ACCIDENT. ONLY BECAUSE OF MY PARTNER'S QUICK THINKING AND TURNING OFF THE HEATER WAS SHE ABLE TO STOP THE FIRE. IT WAS HOT ENOUGH THAT IT MELTED THE FOAM (TOXIC I AM SURE) IN THE SEAT. SOMETHING LIKE THIS HAPPENING WHILE YOU ARE GOING DOWN THE ROAD IS RIGHT UP THERE WITH TOYOTA AND THEIR ACCELERATION PROBLEMS. EITHER WAY A MAJOR ACCIDENT CAN HAPPEN. NOT TO MENTION THAT A PERSON COULD BE SEVERELY BURNED. WHILE THE CAR IS OUT OF WARRANTY THIS SEAT HAS NEVER BEEN ABUSED. THE DRIVER OF THE CAR WEIGHS IN AT ABOUT 120 POUNDS. FROM CHECKING...

04 BMW 545 ELECTRICAL FAILURE MPM. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 BMW 5 SERIES. THE CONTACT NOTICED A BURNING SMELL AND FELT SOMETHING BURNING HER LEG. SHE SUSTAINED BURNS TO HER THIGH AND BUTTOCKS AREA DUE TO THE SEAT WARMER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS UNABLE TO ASSIST. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO LOCATE NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 08V384000 (AIR BAGS:FRONTAL) FOR THE SAME YEAR, MAKE, AND MODEL VEHICLE. SHE ALSO STATED THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG WAS INOPERABLE. THE MANUFACTURER ADVISED HER TO EXPECT A RECALL ON THE AIR BAG; HOWEVER, WITHOUT A RECALL, THEY COULD NOT ASSIST. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THERE WERE NO OPEN RECALLS BASED ON HER VIN, BUT NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 04V575000 (SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:SEAT HEATER/COOLER) WAS REFERENCED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE LESS THAN 54,000.