2004 BMW X3 Engine Problems

CHECK OIL LIGHT CAME ON SO VEHICLE WAS PULLED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. WITHIN SECONDS, SMOKE HAD ENGULFED THE ENGINE BAY. THE ENTIRE VEHICLE WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES WITHIN A FEW MINUTES.

WHILE SITTING AT A RED LIGHT THE CAR SUDDENLY ACCELERATED AND I COULDN'T CONTROL IT OR STOP IT WHILE PUSHING HEAVILY ON THE BRAKE PEDAL. I HIT THE CAR IN FRONT OR ME. THIS HAS HAPPENED MORE THAN ONCE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 BMW X3. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE STALLED AND WAS UNABLE TO RESTART ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. BURDICK BMW (5947 E CIRCLE DR, CICERO, NY 13039, (315) 459-6000) WAS CONTACTED, BUT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 155,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

THE ENGINE MOUNT BRACKET BOLTS HAVE ALL SHEARED OFF INSIDE THE ENGINE BLOCK CAUSING A SAFETY CONCERN WITH THE ENGINE NOT BEING FULLY SUPPORTED. THIS PROBLEM IS NOT AN ISOLATED INCIDENT, BUT RATHER VERY COMMON ON ALL X3 MODELS. THE INTERNET IS FULL OF CUSTOMER COMPLAINTS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. I AM THE SECOND OWNER OF THE CAR AND JUST AFTER PURCHASE I FOUND THE PROBLEM. IT WOULD APPEAR THAT THIS FAILURE OCCURRED A LONG TIME AGO, CONSISTENT WITH THE NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS OF FAILURE AT 60,000 MILES. THIS IS A DESIGN FLAW AND BMW SHOULD HAVE PROVIDED A LONG TERM SOLUTION. YET TO THIS DAY, NONE EXISTS. REPLACEMENT BOLTS WILL STILL HAVE THE SAME FAILURE MODE.

AFTER JUST SPENDING $2400 LAST WEEK ON MY CAR. I WAS TRAVELING 65 MPH ON INTERSTATE 78 WHEN MY 2004 BMW X3 LOST ALL POWER. I WAS LUCKY ENOUGH TO GLIDE MY CAR FROM THE LEFT LANE TO THE RIGHT SHOULDER. I TRIED TO START THE CAR AGAIN AND ALL THE LIGHTS ON THE DASHBOARD KEPT FLASHING ON & OFF AND CAR WOULD NOT START. AS I SAT IN MY CAR ON BARELY A SHOULDER 18 WHEELER'S AND CARS FLEW BY ME SHAKING MY CAR. I SERIOUSLY THOUGHT I WAS GOING TO DIE. *TR

DRIVING IN NEIGHBORHOOD WITH STOP SIGNS AND CROSS STREETS. SPOUSE DRIVING. OTHER PASSENGER IN FRONT. ME IN REAR SEAT PASS SIDE. 10 MIN INTO TRIP. APPROACHING STOP SIGN, A FEW SECONDS AFTER BRAKE INITIALLY APPLIED, ENGINE BEGINS TO REV. HEAVY BRAKING STOPS VEHICLE, BUT ENGINE STILL REVVING. FROM BACK SEAT, I HAVE CLEAR VIEW OF DRIVER'S FEET AND CAN SEE THAT PROBLEM IS NOT MISAPPLICATION OF PEDALS. CAN ALSO SEE THAT HAND POSITION IS "10 & 2" AND NOT NEAR CRUISE CONTROL BUTTONS DRIVER TURNS OFF ENGINE TO STOP REVVING. WE CHECK FLOOR MATS TO SEE IF THIS WAS PROBLEM. THEY WERE NORMAL POSITION AND NOT NEAR ACCELERATOR PEDAL. WHEN ENGINE RESTARTED, PROBLEM DISAPPEARS. FRIGHTENING INCIDENT. THERE WAS A PEDESTRIAN IN CROSSWALK WHO WALKED IN FRONT OF VEHICLE WHILE THIS HAPPENED. *TR