1994 BMW E46 — Problems, Recalls & Safety Data

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1994 BMW E46. THE CONTACT HAS NOT YET RECEIVED A RECALL LETTER FOR HIS VEHICLE. HE MOVED, WHICH MAY BE THE REASON WHY HE HAS NOT RECEIVED IT IN THE MAIL. THE CONTACT FELT THAT THE VEHICLE SHOULD BE REPAIRED FOR FREE EVEN THOUGH HE HAS NOT RECEIVED A RECALL LETTER. HE STATED THAT THE BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH DOES NOT WORK AT ALL. THE VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY AT THE DEALER FOR THE BRAKE LIGHT REPAIR. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 116,000 AND THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

I WAS RECENTLY DRIVING A 1994 BMW 740I WITH APPROXIMATELY 110,000 MILES ON IT, IT HAD BEEN TAKEN CARE OF VERY WELL, AND UNEXPECTEDLY THE TRANSMISSION WILL "REST" IN A NEUTRAL STATE WHEN IT IS PUT INTO DRIVE OR REVERSE. THIS MEANS IT WILL GO BACKWARDS WHEN IT IS ON AN INCLINE, MAKING IT VERY UNSAFE. THIS PROBLEM DID NOT EXIST PREVIOUSLY WITH THE VEHICLE, AND AFTER MANY MANY HOURS OF RESEARCHING ONLINE, THIS PROBLEM AFFECTS MANY DIFFERENT MODELS OF VEHICLE THAT BMW MAKES. *JB

I WAS TRAPPED INSIDE MY BMW BECAUSE OF A FAULTY DOUBLE-LOCKING ANTI-THEFT SYSTEM. IT WAS QUITE TRAUMATIC. BMW USA REFUSES TO BE OF ANY HELP....OR TO REPLACE THE DOUBLE LOCKING SYSTEM SOFTWARE BECAUSE OF THE VEHICLE'S AGE, DESPITE THE CANADIAN AND USA RECALL OF SIMILAR SOFTWARE SYSTEMS. THE CAR WAS IMMOBILIZED AND THE WINDOWS UNABLE TO OPEN. (THE OWNER'S MANUAL NOTES THIS SYSTEM IS NOT TO BE ENGAGED WHILE PASSENGERS ARE IN THE VEHICLE. THERE IS "POSITIVELY" NO WAY OUT, IT SAYS, AND THE ONLY WAY TO DISABLE THE SYSTEM IS TO USE THE MASTER KEY ON THE OUTSIDE DRIVER'S DOOR LOCK). AFTER ONE HOUR, THE ONLY WAY OUT WAS FOR SOMEONE TO BREAK THE GLASS WINDOW FROM THE OUTSIDE FOR ME TO EXIT. THIS SYSTEM HAS NOT BEEN RECALLED, HOWEVER, MY RESEARCH SHOWS THAT THE BMW 525IS DOUBLE LOCKING SYSTEM WAS RECALLED IN 1994 (FOR THE SAME DOUBLE LOCKING SYSTEM-SEE BELOW) THERE IS A CANADIAN RECALL, I LEARNED IN MY RESEARCH ALSO (SEE BELOW) UNITED STATES RECALL FOR THE 525 SERIES (NOT THE 530 WHICH IS OURS) NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 94V219000 COMPONENT: 1994 BMW 5-SERIES LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH 1994 BMW 525ITA LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH THE DOUBLE-LOCK FEATURE CAN ENGAGE WITH OCCUPANTS AND THE DOOR/IGNITION KEY INSIDE THE VEHICLE. CONSEQUENCE: THE OCCUPANTS OF THE VEHICLE WOULD BE UNABLE TO EXIT EITHER FROM THE DOORS OR FROM THE WINDOWS OF THE VEHICLE. DRIVE-AWAY PROTECTION WOULD PREVENT THE ENGINE FROM STARTING. REMEDY: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE GENERAL CONTROL MODULE WITH ONE CONTAINING THE REVISED SOFTWARE TO PERMIT WINDOW OPENING WITH THE DOUBLE-LOCK ENGAGED AND KEY IN THE IGNITION. CANADIAN RECALL FOR THE 530 SERIES WHICH IS OURS MAKE: BMW MODEL: 530ITA THE CENTRAL LOCKING SYSTEM DOUBLE LOCK FEATURE COULD UNINTENTIONALLY BE ENGAGED WITH OCCUPANTS AND THE DOOR/IGNITION KEY INSIDE THE CAR. THIS COULD OCCUR IF ANY SYSTEM COMPONENTS MALFUNCTIONED. *NM