BMW 528i Complaints (2008)

118 consumer complaints on file.

#10542735September 9, 2013
POWER TRAIN
FOR THE PAST MONTH, MY CAR, A 2008 BMW 528 IX (AUTOMATIC) WOULD SLIP OUT OF DRIVE (D) INTO PARK (P) AS I WAS ACCELERATING FORWARD FROM A DEAD STOP. THE ELECTRONIC GEAR SHIFT MECHANISM WOULD DO THIS APPROXIMATELY 10% OF THE TIME, AND CAUSE THE CAR TO JERK TO A STOP. IT WOULD REQUIRE ME TO PUT IT BACK INTO DRIVE AND START AGAIN. AT FIRST I THOUGHT I MIGHT BE DOING SOMETHING WRONG, SO I DIDN'T REPORT IT IMMEDIATELY. HOWEVER, IT KEPT HAPPENING. THIS CREATED A DANGEROUS SITUATION, AS SOMETIMES I WAS IN AN INTERSECTION WHEN THIS OCCURRED. A FEW WEEKS LATER (BEFORE I HAD CHANCE TO TAKE IT IN FOR SERVICE), THE GEAR SHIFT STOPPED WORKING COMPLETELY, AND THE CAR WOULD NOT SHIFT INTO GEAR AT ALL. THE GEAR SHIFT MECHANISM IS AN ELECTRONIC PART, NOT A MECHANICAL CONNECTION. I CALLED BMW, AND THEY SAID THE PART WAS NOT COVERED BY ANY WARRANTY OR RECALL (THE CAR WAS 5K MILES OUT OF WARRANTY). I HAD TO PAY FOR THE REPAIR, A $1300 EXPENSE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10533157August 1, 2013
SERVICE BRAKES, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, EXTERIOR LIGHTING
REAR EXTERIOR LIGHTS(BRAKE, TAIL, & TURN SIGNAL) - MELTED WIRE ASSEMBLY IS CAUSING MALFUNCTION. WHILE DRIVING I NOTICED A "BURNING" SMELL. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, ALL AT ONCE MY DASH INDICATED THAT MY PASSENGER SIDE TAIL LIGHT, BRAKE LIGHT, AND TURN SIGNAL HAD SIMULTANEOUSLY MALFUNCTIONED. THE WIRING HARNESS THAT ATTACHES TO THE LIGHT ASSEMBLY IS MELTED. BMW DID A RECALL OF OVER 2,500 3-SERIES VEHICLES FOR THE EXACT SAME ISSUE BUT HAS NOT RECALLED THE 5-SERIES (????) THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10532957July 31, 2013
SEAT BELTS, AIR BAGS
RESTRAINT SYSTEM MALFUNCTION WARNING PERIODICALLY COMES ON WHILE DRIVING UNDER NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS. THIS DEFAULT DEACTIVATES AIRBAGS. HAVE TAKEN TO DEALER TO FIX 4 TIMES, AND TODAY THEY DECIDED TO CHARGE A FEE. THIS IS AN ONGOING ISSUE WITH MY CAR AND MANY OTHERS WITH RECALLS OF THE EXACT SAME MODEL BUT 2 YEARS OLDER. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10523496July 6, 2013
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
I HAVE A 2008 BMW 528I WITH 56,000 MILES WITH A CERTIFIED PRE-OWNED WARRANTY (THE FULL FACTORY WARRANTY EXPIRED LESS THAN A YEAR AGO). THE VEHICLE COMPUTER IDENTIFIED 3 FAULTS AND THE ENTIRE REAR PASSENGER TAIL LIGHT CLUSTER IS NON-OPERATIONAL. I ATTEMPTED TO REPLACE THE BULBS AND THE ISSUE WAS NOT RESOLVED. I THEN TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A BMW DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS AND REPAIR; I WAS SURPRISED WHEN THE ADVISOR INFORMED ME THE ISSUE IS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY (CPO) AND WILL COST $400+ TO REPAIR. THE REAR LIGHTS ARE A CRITICAL SAFETY COMPONENT FOR ANY AUTOMOBILE AND MUST BE OPERATIONAL AT ALL TIMES. I AM DISAPPOINTED THAT THIS REPAIR WILL NOT BE COVERED UNDER THE CPO WARRANTY. I CHOSE TO CONTACT BMW AND CHALLENGE THE WARRANTY COVERAGE BASED ON THE COMPONENT CRITICALITY. BMW DID NOT AGREE WITH MY POSITION AND STATED THE REPAIR WILL NOT BE COVERED BY BMW. UPON FURTHER INSPECTION OF THE VEHICLE AND TAIL LIGHT ASSEMBLY I IDENTIFIED THAT A WIRE HAS SHORTED AND MELTED SEVERAL PLASTIC PARTS RELATING TO THE TAIL LIGHT CLUSTER. BOTH THE LIGHT HOUSING AND THE WIRE ADAPTER ARE NO LONGER OPERATIONAL DUE TO THE BURNED AREA. I AM LUCKY THIS ELECTRICAL SHORT DID NOT START A FIRE BECAUSE IT IS LOCATED CLOSE TO THE BATTERY AND GAS PORT. I PERFORMED A QUICK SEARCH ONLINE AND REALIZED SEVERAL OTHER BMW 5-SERIES OWNERS HAVE EXPERIENCED THE VERY SAME ISSUE WITH THEIR VEHICLES. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10521976June 26, 2013
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, EXTERIOR LIGHTING
ON OR ABOUT 25 MAY 2013, I STARTED HEARING A INTERMITTENT BEEPING SOUND INSIDE THE CAR, HOWEVER THERE WAS NO WARNING ON THE DASH BOARD SCREEN THEREFORE IT WAS HARD TO TRACE THE PROBLEM. THE INTERMITTENT BEEPING WOULD START AND STOP, WHILE DRIVING MAKING ME VERY NERVOUS BECAUSE I WASN'T SURE WHAT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN. THE BEEPING SOUND CHANGED TO SOUND OF SOMETHING TRYING TO RESET ITSELF LIKE A RESET PATTERN. NEXT ON 6 APR 2013, WHILE INSIDE A PARKING I THOUGHT I SEEN MY RIGHT TAIL LIGHT BLINK ON & OFF. THEN ON 8 APR 2013, I NOTICE MY RIGHT TAIL WAS OUT, SO I PURCHASED AND INSTALLED A NEW TAIL BULB BUT IT DIDN'T FIX THE PROBLEM. AFTER RESEARCHING, I FOUND IT WAS LED PROBLEM AND COULD ONLY BE FIXED BY A BMW SHOP. THE BMW MANUAL SUGGESTED TAKING THE CAR TO THE BMW DEALERSHIP, ON 16 APR 2013 I TOOK THE CAR TO I.G. BURTON THAT'S WHEN THEIR INSPECTION FOUND " RIGHT REAR TAIL LIGHT IS OUT ( FOUND THAT GROUND WIRE IS BURNT AND BULB HOLDER IS BURNT) RECOMMEND REPLACING BULB HOLDER AND GROUND WIRE. IT COST ME $374.48 TO HAVE THE PROBLEM FIXED. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10520512June 18, 2013
POWER TRAIN
DRIVING ABOUT TO PARKING WHEN THE CAR JUST STOP WORKING COMPLETELY MY CHILDREN AND I WHERE STRANDED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET . THEN IT WOULD TURN ON BUT I WAS UNABLE TO PUT GEAR IN DRIVE OR REVERSE . HAD IT TOWED WE THOUGHT IT WAS THE TRANSMISSION BECAUSE TRANSMISSION LIGHT WENT ON BUT TOOK IT TO A REPAIR SHOP THE TECH STATED THAT IT WAS NOT THE TRANSMISSION BUT THE PROBLEM COULD POSSIBLY BE THE SHIFTER . *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10512957May 21, 2013
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, EXTERIOR LIGHTING
THE WARNING CAME ON THAT THE RIGHT REAR TAIL LIGHT MALFUNCTIONED. WITHIN THE NEXT FEW DAYS THE WARNING WENT AWAY BUT THEN CAME BACK INTERMITTENTLY AND ALSO STATED THAT THE RIGHT REAR BRAKE LIGHT AND TURN SIGNAL HAD MALFUNCTIONED. THESE WARNINGS GO ON AND OFF SO MY HUSBAND PULLED THE HOUSING FOR THE LIGHT OUT AND DISCOVERED THE CONNECTOR PLUG AND HOUSING HAD MELTED BECAUSE THE BROWN WIRE WAS BURNT AND MELTED. SO HE WENT TO THE DEALER SHIP TO GET ANOTHER HOUSING UNIT AND NEW CONNECTOR TO FIX THE PROBLEM. AND A FEW MONTHS LATER THE OTHER SIDE HAD THE SAME ISSUE AND HE REPLACED IT AS WELL... NOW BOTH ARE BURNT AGAIN. I CALLED THE DEALER SHIP TO TAKE MY CAR IN FOR THIS ISSUE AND THEY WANT $140 TO LOOK AT IT AND THEY SAID THEY HAVE NOT HEARD OF THIS ISSUE BEFORE. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND NOW THAT I LOOK ONLINE IT LOOKS LIKE A LOT OF PEOPLE WITH THIS YEAR, MAKE AND MODEL HAVE THE SAME THING GOING ON. THIS NEEDS TO BE A RECALL. I FEEL LIKE THIS WILL KEEP HAPPENING SINCE BOTH HAVE BEEN REPLACED ALREADY AND IT'S HAPPENING AGAIN. SOMETHING IS WRONG. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10493782January 22, 2013
SEATS
UPON TURNING THE SEAT HEATER ON I NOTICED A BURNING SMELL AND SMOKE INSIDE THE CAR. THE SEAT WAS UNUSUALLY HOT. I FELT A BURNING SENSATION AND PULLED OVER TO FIND THAT THE SEAT HEATING ELEMENT HAD BURNED THROUGH THE LEATHER AND TWO LAYERS OF A HEAVY DUTY WINTER COAT. WHEN I TURNED IT OFF THE SMOKE STOPPED. WE TOOK THE CAR TO THE BMW DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD IT IS NOT PART OF A SAFETY RECALL OR UNDER WARRANTY. REFUSED ANY MONETARY CONSIDERATION AND WANTED $1400 TO REPAIR. CONSIDERING THE CAR COULD CATCH ON FIRE THE REPAIR SHOULD BE CONSIDERED A SAFETY ISSUE AND REPAIRED FOR FREE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10486463November 29, 2012
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 BMW 528I. THE CONTACT STATED THAT A STRONG BURNING ODOR WAS EMITTED IN THE TRUNK AREA WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO START THE ENGINE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR FURTHER INSPECTION. THE FAILURE WAS LOCATED AT THE BATTERY CABLES, WHICH WERE NOT PROPERLY CONNECTED. PRIOR TO THE FAILURE, THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 12V126000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: BATTERY: CABLES). THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 137,300.
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10484962November 16, 2012
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, EXTERIOR LIGHTING
I TURNED MY CAR ON AND IT INSTANTLY NOTIFIED ME THAT MY TAILLIGHT WAS OUT. THEN I STEPPED OUT AND TAPPED THE TAILLIGHT AND IT WENT BACK ON THEN I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP THE NEXT DAY NOW THEY ARE SAYING THE CONNECTORS ARE BURNT AND THEY WANT ME TO PAY 200$ TO REPAIR SOMETHING THAT THE MANUFACTURE SHOULD OF CORRECTED AND PERFECTED THIS IS RIDICULOUS HOPE SOMEONE HELPS ME. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10478495October 3, 2012
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, EXTERIOR LIGHTING
WARNING CAME ON THAT THE RIGHT REAR TAIL LIGHT MALFUNCTIONED. WITHIN THE NEXT FEW DAYS THE WARNING WENT AWAY BUT THEN CAME BACK INTERMITTENTLY AND ALSO STATED THAT THE RIGHT REAR BRAKE LIGHT AND TURN SIGNAL HAD MALFUNCTIONED. THESE WARNINGS WERE INTERMITTENT. ABOUT A WEEK LATER THE SIGNALS CAME ON EVERY TIME THE CAR WAS DRIVEN. I LOOKED AT THE LIGHTING HOUSING AND DISCOVERED THAT BOTH THE PLUG AND HOUSING HAD MELTED DUE TO A BROWN WIRE. I WILL BE TAKING THE CAR TO THE SHOP TOMORROW TO GET FIXED BUT IT SEEMS MORE DAMAGE COULD HAVE BEEN DONE UNLESS I DISCOVERED THE EXISTENCE OF THE PROBLEM. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10478119October 1, 2012
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
I SMELL GAS AND ITS STRONG I DON'T SEE ANY LEAKS OF ANY KIND AND WHEN I PUT GAS IN THE CAR I DON'T SEE LEAKS, BUT I SMELL GAS EVEN IF I HAVEN'T PUT GAS IN. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10469422August 6, 2012
EXTERIOR LIGHTING, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
THE 8 PIN CONNECTOR TO THE RIGHT REAR LIGHT ASSEMBLY MELTED. TURN SIGNAL, BRAKE LIGHT STOPPED WORKING ONE WIRE SEEMS CORRODED. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10468369July 30, 2012
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
THE GROUNDING WIRE IN THE CONNECTOR TO THE TAIL LIGHT BULB HOLDER MELTED AND MELTED PARTS OF THE CONNECTOR. THIS RESULTED IN NO SIGNAL, BRAKE AND RUNNING REAR LIGHTS. A RECALL HAS BEEN CALLED FOR BMW E46 3 SERIES FOR THIS EXACT PROBLEM. THE RECALL SHOULD BE EXPANDED TO COVER THE 5 SERIES AS WELL. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10460537June 4, 2012
EXTERIOR LIGHTING, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
THE 8 PIN CONNECTOR TO THE REAR LIGHT ASSEMBLY MELTED. TURN SIGNAL, BRAKE LIGHT STOPPED WORKING WHILE I WAS DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10457693May 7, 2012
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 BMW 528I. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN THE RECALL ASSOCIATED WITH NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 12V126000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:BATTERY:CABLES). AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WAS CONTACTED AND STATED THAT THE PARTS NEEDED TO PERFORM THE RECALL REPAIR WERE ON A NATIONAL BACK ORDER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND STATED THAT THE PARTS WERE NOT YET AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 32,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10449334February 25, 2012
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
GROUND WIRE FOR PASSENGER SIDE TAIL LIGHT BURNED UP. GROUND WIRE, BOTH SIDES OF ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR, AND TAIL LIGHT BULB HOLDER ALL BURNED UP. PASSENGER SIDE BRAKE LIGHT, TAIL LIGHT, TURN SIGNAL AND BACK UP LIGHT DO NOT FUNCTION AT ALL. IMPROPERLY RATED FUSE DID NOT BLOW BEFORE CIRCUIT BURNED UP AND MELTED. THIS CIRCUIT IS NOT DESIGNED CORRECTLY. THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD TO MYSELF AND ANYONE DRIVING BEHIND ME. CAR MODEL IS A 2008 528I. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10447799February 13, 2012
POWER TRAIN
TRANSMISSION FAILED ON TWO OCCASIONS. FIRST TIME WAS ON INTERSTATE 95. THE CAR STALLED IN MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC AND I WAS LUCKY IN PULLING CAR ONTO SHOULDER. WARNING MESSAGE CAME ON TO INDICATE A TRANSMISSION FAILURE AND THAT THE CAR SHOULD BE TAKEN TO A BMW DEALER TO BE FIXED. WHEN THIS OCCURS THE CAR STALLS AND MUST BE PULLED OVER TO THE ROAD SHOULDER. THIS ELECTRIC TRANSMISSION IS PROBLEMATIC AND A SAFETY ISSUE BECAUSE WHEN THE CAR STALLS YOU MUST BE ABLE TO PULL OFF THE ROAD; IF NOT YOU COULD BE KILLED, ESPECIALLY WHEN TRAVELING ON THE INTERSTATE. THE CAR WAS TAKEN TO A BMW DEALER TO BE FIXED. HOWEVER, THE SAME TRANSMISSION INCIDENT HAPPENED FEBRUARY 4, 2012 AND I WAS CAUGHT IN TRAFFIC NEARLY HAD AN ACCIDENT. THIS PROBLEM OCCURS AT MODERATE AND HIGH SPEEDS. MY CONCERN IS THAT I COULD BE KILLED IF I AM UNABLE GET THE STALLED CAR PULLED TO THE SHOULDER OFF THE ROAD. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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