2006 BMW 530XI Structure Problems

BMW IS RECALLING 200,000 MY 2006 3 SERIES SPORT SEAT, MY 2004-2006 5 SERIES STANDARD AND SPORT SEAT, AND MY 2004-2006 X3 PASSENGER VEHICLES. DEPENDING ON THE MANNER AND FREQUENCY OF THE FRONT PASSENGER'S ENTRY AND EXIT, SMALL CRACKS HAVE DEVELOPED IN THE MAT. IF THIS OCCURS, THE FRONT PASSENGER AIR BAGS, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE HEAD PROTECTION SYSTEM, WILL BE DEACTIVATED AND THE AIR BAG WARNING LAMP AS WELL AS THE PASSENGER AIR BAG "ON-OFF" LAMP WILL BE ILLUMINATED. CONSEQUENCES: IN THIS SITUATION THE FRONT PASSENGER AIR BAGS WILL NOT DEPLOY EVEN IF A SUFFICIENTLY SEVERE ACCIDENT WOULD OCCUR AND OCCUPANT PROTECTION PROVIDED BY THE SYSTEM WOULD NOT BE POSSIBLE. REMEDY: DEALERS WILL REWORK THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT SENSOR MAT SO THAT EXTERNAL FORCE APPLICATION TO THE SEAT DOES NOT CAUSE A CRACK TO THE MAT. THE RECALL BEGAN ON NOVEMBER 6, 2008. BMW WILL ALSO EXTEND THE...

A RECENT RAIN STORM FLOODED THE SPARE TIRE WELL COMPARTMENT AND FRIED ALL THE ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS STORED UNDERNEATH THE TIRE. LUCKILY I WASN'T DRIVING THE WAGON THAT DAY AND THE CAR WAS PARKED ON THE DRIVEWAY. OTHERWISE, THE CAR WOULD HAD SHUT DOWN IF IT WAS MOVING AND COULD CAUSE AN ACCIDENT (HAPPENED TO SOMEONE AS DISCUSSED IN THE BIMMER FORUM). APPARENTLY, BMW HAVE KNOWN ABOUT THIS SAFETY ISSUE AS WELL AS THE SUNROOF DRAINAGE & TIRE WELL DESIGN DEFECTS FOR QUITE SOME TIME. THEY EVEN GENERATED A TECHNICAL SERVICE/SERVICE INFORMATION BULLETIN (SIB54-06-06 & 61-13-06 ON SPECIAL ROOFS) FOR THEIR SERVICE DEPARTMENT TO USE. HOWEVER, BMW KEEPS DENYING ANY DAMAGE LIABILITY AND REFUSING TO ADMIT ANY DESIGN DEFECTS. BMW NA, PUBLIC RELATIONS AND THE SF BMW DEALERSHIP RESPONDED TO ME THAT IT IS DUE TO "EXTERNAL FACTORS" (RAINS) AND THEREBY THEY HAVE NO RESPONSIBILITY TO THE DAMAGED VEHICLE. THE SERVICE...

THIS BMW 530XI WAGON SUFFERED A COMPLETE ELECTRICAL FAILURE AFTER THE SUNROOF DRAINAGE SYSTEM DRAINED RAIN WATER INTO THE COMPARTMENTS WHERE THE BATTERY, FUSES, VARIOUS WIRING HARNESSES AND COMPUTER MODULES ARE STORED. APPROXIMATELY 7 HOURS AFTER THE RAIN STORM, THE OWNER (WITH NO KNOWLEDGE OF THE IMPROPERLY DRAINED WATER) ATTEMPTED TO OPERATE THE VEHICLE. DURING THE DRIVE, THE CAR DISPLAYED TWO SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONS, FOLLOWED SHORTLY THEREAFTER BY THE MESSAGE "ELECTRONIC SYSTEM MALFUNCTION. CONTINUED DRIVING NOT POSSIBLE" AND MULTIPLE WARNING LIGHTS AND SOUNDS. THE CAR WAS PARKED IN A SAFE AREA AND LATER TOWED TO THE BMW DEALER. THE BMW DEALER CONFIRMS THAT THE SUNROOF DRAINED RAIN WATER INTO THE ELECTRONICS COMPARTMENTS, SHORTING OUT AT LEAST FOUR COMPUTER MODULES, AND DESTROYED THE BATTERY AND MULTIPLE SWITCHES, RELAYS, AND WIRING HARNESSES. CERTAIN SYSTEM COMPONENTS, INCLUDING AN AIR BAG CONTROL UNIT, SHOWED EVIDENCE OF A FIRE (PRESUMABLY DUE TO A SHORT CAUSED BY...

VERY BIG LEAK ON MY GARAGE FLOOR. NO DASHBOARD SENSOR ALERTED ME TO THIS LEAK. TRANSMISSION MECHATRONICS SLEEVE WAS LEAKING AND HAD TO BE REPLACED ALONG WITH THE OIL PAN AND TRANSMISSION OIL ADDED. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE AND I HAVE HEARD THAT THIS IS COMMON WITH THE 500 SERIES. THIS SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED. *TR

THE BMW VEHICLES WITH PANORAMIC MOONROOFS HAVE A KNOWN FAILURE (SEE BIMMERFEST.COM) IN THE WATER SEALS AND DRAIN CHANNELS ASSOCIATED WITH THE SUNROOF. THE ISSUE IS THAT CLOGGED LINES PRODUCE FLOODING IN THE ELECTRICAL COMPARTMENT. THIS FLOODING CAUSES TOTAL ELECTRICAL FAILURE. IN MY CASE, THE CAR WAS STOPPED AND DID NOT START AGAIN. HOWEVER, A READ OF THE MESSAGE BOARDS ASSOCIATED WITH BMWS SHOWS THAT MANY PEOPLE HAVE TOTAL FAILURE WHILE DRIVING AND THAT THE STEERING COLUMN LOCKS UP COMPLETELY. THERE IS NO ABILITY TO MANUALLY STEER A BMW ONCE THE ELECTRICAL GOES OFF. *TR