2000 BMW 540I Electrical System Problems

WIRING HARNESS IN LOOM AT CONNECTION BETWEEN BODY AND TRUNK LID IS SHOWING CRACKED WIRES WHICH CAN LEAD TO A VARIETY OF SYMPTOMS WHEN WIRES SHORT. TRUNK WILL ONLY OPEN MANUALLY WITH KEY. KEY FOB REMOTE AND INSIDE VEHICLE TRUNK RELEASE DO NOT WORK. TRUNK CANNOT BE OPENED WHEN DOORS ARE UNLOCKED USING TRUNK HANDLE. OTHER SYMPTOMS INCLUDE MANY FALSE DASHBOARD WARNING INDICATORS RANGING FROM LOW COOLANT, TRUNK LID NOT CLOSED, ETC. WIRING SHORT COULD BE FIRE HAZARD. MANY EXAMPLE CASES CAN BE FOUND HERE HTTP://WWW.BIMMERFEST.COM/FORUMS/SHOWTHREAD.PHP?T=397245. *TR

LIKE 80% OF OWNERS OF BMW 540I, 740I, 740IL, X5 OWNERS FROM YEARS 1999-2003 SUFFER FROM FACTORY DEFECT VARIABLE VALVE TIMING UNITS OR AS BMW CALLS IT VANOS. THE PARTS ON THE INSIDE CAUSE TERRIBLE DIESEL TYPE NOISES. I'VE TALKED TO MANY CERTIFIED MECHANICS WHO HAVE TOLD ME IF AFFECTS HOW THE ENGINE RUNS AND PERFORMS. *TT

ENGINE FIRE: ELECTRONIC THERMOSTAT WIRES OVERHEATED AND CAUSED WIRES AND ELECTRICAL CONNECTORS TO BURN. SMOKE ENTERED THE CABIN WHILE DRIVING AND VEHICLE PERFORMANCE HAS BEEN DEGRADED. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 BMW 540I. WHILE DRIVING LESS THAN 70 MPH, THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT IN THE VEHICLE FILLED WITH SMOKE. THE CONTACT PULLED THE VEHICLE OVER AND CALLED THE POLICE AND FIRE DEPARTMENTS. IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THERE WAS AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM. THE INSURANCE COMPANY REFUSED TO PAY FOR ANY DAMAGE BECAUSE THERE WERE NO FLAMES. AN ANALYSIS WAS PERFORMED BY BMW. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 149,900. UPDATED 12/11/08. *LJ UPDATED 12/11/08