1997 BMW 540IA — Problems, Recalls & Safety Data

I HAVE A 1997 540 BMW WITH 180,000 MI. INVESTIGATING THE CAUSE OF A FLAT DRIVER SIDE RIGHT FRONT TIRE I DISCOVERED THE FRONT SPRING STRUT PLATE WAS CRACKED AND ALLOWED ITSELF AND THE COIL SPRING TO CONTACT AND CUT DOWN THE TIRE. FOUND NHTSA CAMPAIGN # 04V183000 DESCRIBING EXACT CONDITION. TOWED TO DEVON HILL BMW IN PA. THEY WILL NOT PAY TO REPLACE SPRING STRUT PLATE. THEY STATE BMW DOES NOT SELL THE SPRING STRUT PLATE SEPARATE FROM THE STRUT AND SINCE I INSTALL AFTERMARKET BILSTIEN STRUTS AT 108,000 MI. WHICH REQUIRES THE INSTALLER TO USE THE EXISTING SPRING STRUT PLATE BMW IS NOT RESPONSIBLE. THERE IS ALSO A RECORD OF THE CAR BEING AT ANOTHER BMW DEALER AT 135,000 MILES WHERE THE REPAIR ORDER NOTES THE RECALL AND STATES THEY INSPECT STRUTS AND STATE NO FURTHER ACTION NEEDED. NO MENTION OF RETAINING CLIP INSTALLATION AS DESCRIBED IN THE REMEDY SECTION OF THE CAMPAIGN. I HAVE OWNED THE CAR SINCE 40,000 MI. I CALL BMW AND REFERRED ME BACK TO THE DEALER SERVICE MANAGER WHICH HAS NOT CHANGED HIS POSITION. *NM

1. BROUGHT MY CAR TO FIRESTONE AUTOMOTIVE REPAIR IN LOS ANGELES CALIFORNIA AND HAD THE THERMOSTAT REPLACED - WORK COMPLETED BY FIRESTONE - 2-5 DAYS LATER WENT TO BEVERLY HILLS BMW TO HAVE COOLANT RESEVOIR REPLACED WAS TOLD I NEEDED A NEW THERMOSTAT (JUST REPLACED AT FIRESTONE) AND WATER PUMP AND THAT I HAD A MAJOR ENGINE LEAK (LATER WAS TOLD I HAD A MINOR ENGINE LEAK NOT WORTH REPAIR AT THAT POINT) - HAD WATER PUMP REPLACED. - RECIEVED VEHICLE FROM BEVERLY HILLS BMW WITH THE ENGINE COVER REMOVED AND VEHICLE NOT CHECKED AS ASKED - THIS TOOK 3 WEEKS! 2. THE PROBLEM: WHILE DRIVING AT 65 MPH ON THE HWY 2 HOURS FROM MY HOUSE AN EXPLOSION OCCURED IN THE ENGINE BAY OF THE VEHICLE. 4 PEICES OF THE FAN HAD SHOT THROUGH THE HOOD OF THE VEHICLE MAKING A LARGE 1 INCH SLIT ACCROS THE ENTIRE HOOD AND APPROX 1 INCH HOLE THE WHOLE LENGTH. ALMOST LOST CONTROL AND CRASHED! PULLED OVER TO FIND THAT MY FAN WAS COMPLETLY GONE (THE PLASTIC PARTS HAD COMPLETLY EXPLODED FROM THE FAN CLUTCH AND GONE THROUGH THE HOOD AND LOOK TO HAVE TORE MANY HOSES INSIDE THE ENGINE BAY) AND COOLANT WAS LEAKING OUT (MY COOLING SYSTEM HAD BEEN COMPLETLY REPLACED WHITIN THE LAST 4 WEEKS). 3. TOWED THE CAR TO HARLOFF BMW WHERE THEY SUSPECTED THAT BEVERLY HILLS BMW FORGOT TO TIGHTEN THE FAN WHEN THEY REMOVED IT FOR SERVICE TO THE WATER PUMP. BEVERLY HILLS BMW REFUSED TO SERVICE THE CAR AT HARLOFF BMW AND TOWED THE VEHICLE TO BEVERLY HILLS BMW WHERE I WAS TOLD BY THE SERVICE MANAGER THAT EVERYTHING WOULD BE TAKEN CARE OF AND NOT TO WORRY. WAS TOLD TODAY THAT THIS IS MY FAULT AND THAT THEY SAID MY FAN WAS GOING BAD (NOT TRUE - HAVE DOCUMENTATION TO PROVE THIS AND NOW THEY SEEM TO HAVE DOCUMENTATION TO SAY OTHERWISE FRAUD?). DAMAGE: THE HOOD, MANY INTERNAL ENGINE BAY PARTS I HAVE FOUND MANY OTHER CASES OF THIS. EITHER BMW IS NOT SERVICING THIS PART OR THAT THEY CUT SOME CORNERS IN DESIGNING THE ENGINE FAN THERE IS NO WAY THAT AN ENGINE FAN SHOULD EVER EXPLODE THROUGH THE ENGINE HOOD!!! *NM

A FAULTY RADIATOR DESIGN (PLASTIC NECK?) CAUSED MY 97 BMW 540IA TO BREAK DOWN ON THE FREEWAY DURING RUSH HOUR. *NM

RADIATOR/OVERFLOW TANK ON MY 1997 BMWS 540IA CRACKED AND NEEDED REPLACEMENT AT 85,000 MILES. THE RADIATORS IN BMWS ARE KNOWN AS A WEAKNESS AND CONTINUALLY FAIL ON OWNERS. THIS SITUATION SHOULD BE REMEDIED!*AK

THE RADIATOR HOSE CONNECTION AT THE TOP OF THE RADIATOR FAILED COMPLETELY. IT IS MADE OF PLASTIC, AND SPLIT UNDER COOL WEATHER CONDITIONS. THIS RESULTED IN REPLACEMENT OF ENTIRE RADIATOR, AND REPLACEMENT OF RADIATOR OVERFLOW CONTAINER. IT WOULD APPEAR THAT THE USE OF PLASTIC IN THIS APPLICATION RESULTED IN HEAT STRESS OVER TIME, EVENTUALLY RESULTING IN COMPLETE FAILURE WITHOUT WARNING. POSSIBLE ENGINE DAMAGE STILL BEING ASSESSED AT THIS TIME. I UNDERSTAND THAT THIS PROBLEM HAS OCCURRED TOO MANY CUSTOMERS, HOWEVER, THE FACTORY REPLACEMENT PARTS APPEAR TO BE EXACTLY THE SAME AS ORIGINAL. THEREFORE, I CAN EXPECT TOTAL COOLANT FAILURE AGAIN IN THE FUTURE. THIS SEEMS IMPRUDENT, AND I HAVE NO RESPONSE FROM BMW ON THIS ISSUE. *JB