2000 BMW 528IA — Problems, Recalls & Safety Data

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 BMW 528IA. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED, THE PASSENGER AIR BAG DEPLOYED WITHOUT WARNING OR AN IMPACT. AS A RESULT, THE FRONT WINDSHIELD FRACTURED. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER OR INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING OR REPAIRS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 234,040.

WHILE DRIVING I ACTIVATED THE DRIVERS SIDE SEAT HEATER. AFTER A MINUTE OR TWO, I NOTICED A BURNING SMELL AND THEN STARTED TO FEEL A BURNING SENSATION IN MY LEFT SIDE BY MY PANT POCKET. I REACHED TOWARDS THE AREA AND THE LEATHER SEAT MATERIAL WAS EXTREMELY HOT AND APPEARED TO BE SCORCHING THE LEATHER SEAT MATERIAL. I IMMEDIATELY TURNED OFF THE SEAT HEATER AND WILL NOT USE IT AGAIN UNTIL IT IS REPAIRED. THIS SAME SCENARIO HAPPENED ALMOST FIVE YEARS AGO TO THE SAME VEHICLE. THE DEFECTIVE PART WAS REPLACED BY MY DEALER SERVICE DEPARTMENT. THE PART APPARENTLY FAILS AFTER AN AVERAGE OF FIVE YEARS. THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD AS ONE COULD GET BURNED WHILE DRIVING AND NOT KNOW WHAT TO DO WHICH COULD RESULT IN A SERIOUS CRASH OR FIRE. *TR

NOTICED A BURNING SMELL IN THE LAST FEW DAYS AND DETERMINED THAT IT IS ONLY THERE WHEN THE SEAT HEATER IS ON. THERE IS AN ODOR THAT CAN BEST BE DESCRIBED AS THE SMELL FROM AN OVERHEATED HAIR DRYER. IT IS OBVIOUS SOMETHING IN THE SEAT IS OVERHEATING AND COULD BE A POTENTIAL SAFETY HAZARD. I ALSO NOTICED VERY HOT AREAS ON THE SEAT NEAR THE LEFT SIDE WHERE MY LEFT REAR PANT POCKET WOULD REST. NHTSA CAMPAIGN #04V575000 ADDRESSES THIS ISSUE ON MODEL YEAR 2004 BMW 5 SERIES CARS, BUT MINE IS A 2000. *NM

YESTERDAY I PAID MY BMW DEALER $262.43 TO FIX A PROBLEM WHICH RESULTED DIRECTLY FROM A POOR ENGINEERING DESIGN. SPECIFICALLY, THE CHARGE WAS TO REPLACE THE SWITCH AND FRONT SEAT TRIM COVER WHICH HAD BROKEN, FOR THE FOURTH TIME, DURING NORMAL OPERATION (THE SWITCH SHORTED OUT, BECAME INOPERABLE, AND IT WAS NOT POSSIBLE TO ADJUST THE SEAT OR STEERING WHEEL FORE/AFT, UP/DOWN, ETC. ). APPARENTLY, BMW IS UNWILLING TO ADMIT TO POOR ENGINEERING DESIGN OF THESE PARTS, PREFERRING INSTEAD TO ATTRIBUTE BREAKAGE TO IMPROPER ENTRY/EXIT TECHNIQUE BY THE CUSTOMER. AFTER IT BROKE THE FIRST TIME, AND WAS REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY, MY SERVICE MANAGER WARNED ME THAT BMW IS RELUCTANT TO PAY FOR THIS REPAIR MORE THAN ONCE, AND HE INSTRUCTED ME ON THE PROPER TECHNIQUE OF EXITING THE VEHICLE SO AS TO PRECLUDE A RECURRENCE OF THE PROBLEM. AFTER OVER SIXTY YEARS OF EXPERIENCE AT SUCCESSFULLY ENTERING AND EXITING A VARIETY OF VEHICLES, WITHOUT EVER PREVIOUSLY BREAKING ANY PART OF A SEAT, I WAS OFFENDED THAT BMWS SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEM WAS TO ABROGATE RESPONSIBILITY FOR FAULTY ENGINEERING DESIGN AND TO BLAME ME FOR NOT KNOWING HOW TO GET OUT OF A CAR. THOSE OF US WITH BAD KNEES (THAT INCLUDES MY WIFE, ME, AND MANY PEOPLE MY AGE) SIMPLY ARE NOT ABLE TO CONSISTENTLY EXECUTE THE ACROBATICS NECESSARY TO EXIT THE VEHICLE WITHOUT PUTTING ANY PRESSURE ON THE OUTSIDE EDGE OF THE SEAT AND CONSEQUENTLY, I EXPECT THAT WE WILL, FROM TIME TO TIME, BREAK A SEAT WHICH IS DESIGNED TO BREAK DURING THE NORMAL OPERATION OF PUTTING WEIGHT ON THE EDGE - A CLEAR VIOLATION OF GOOD ENGINEERING DESIGN. *AK

CONSUMER IS HAVING PROBLEMS WITH CRUISE CONTROL. HE CAN BE RIDING ALONG AND WANTS TO ACCELERATE A LITTLE WHILE IN CRUISE CONTROL, AND AFTER ACCELERATION, SPEED SOMETIMES DOES NOT RETURN TO ORIGINAL SPEED. *AK CONSUMER STATES THE SPEED MAY DROP FROM 3-10 MPH BELOW THE PRESENT SPEED, AND THEN SUDDENLY ACCELERATE ON ITS OWN BACK TO THE PRESET SPEED, THE SUDDEN ACCELERATION ALMOST CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. *JB