BMW X3 Complaints (2006)

143 consumer complaints on file.

#10393908March 31, 2011
AIR BAGS
FRONT PASSENGER SEAT AIRBAG SENSOR FAILED IN FEBRUARY. AS A RESULT, PASSENGER AIR BAGS WILL NO LONGER DEPLOY UNTIL THE SENSOR IS REPLACED. COST TO REPLACE IS ABOUT $1,300--MAINLY LABOR. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10389880March 11, 2011
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
THE PASSENGER AIRBAG SENSOR LIGHT AND DASHBOARD AIRBAG LIGHT BOTH TURNED ON SHORTLY AFTER PURCHASING OUR PRE-OWNED 2006 BMW X3. THIS MEANS THAT OUR PASSENGER AIRBAG WILL NOT DEPLOY IN THE CASE OF AN ACCIDENT. THE BMW DEALERSHIP HAS DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM TO BE THE PASSENGER SEAT MAT. I SAW THAT THERE IS A RECALL ON SOME 2006 X3 SEAT MATS, BUT WAS INFORMED BY BMW THAT MY VIN NUMBER IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. IT SEEMS VERY ODD THAT OUR CAR WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL, YET THE EXACT SAME PART IS FAULTY. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10383002February 16, 2011
SEATS
2006 BMW X3 HEATER ON THE DRIVERS SEAT MALFUNCTIONED AND BURNED A HOLE IN THE SEAT AND MY COAT. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10379172January 25, 2011
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE, ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
I STARTED MY 06 BMW X3 IN MY DRIVEWAY TO WARM IT UP PRIOR TO DRIVING. IT APPEARED TO BE FINE, I BACKED OUT OF MY DRIVEWAY AND NOTICED IT WAS SMOKING FROM THE EXHAUST. I DROVE ABOUT 100FT TO THE END OF MY STREET AND THE SMOKING WORSENED SO I DECIDED TO RETURN HOME. I TURNED ONTO THE MAIN STREET AND DROVE AT MOST 20MPH FOR A FEW BLOCKS TO GET BACK HOME. THE SMOKE WAS POURING OUT OF THE EXHAUST SO BADLY THAT I COULDN'T SEE OUT MY BACK WINDOW. IT WAS BLUE/GREY COLORED. THE CAR WAS PUTTING AND CHUGGING. I DID NOT MAKE IT HOME. EVENTUALLY THE CAR CHUGGED A FEW TIMES AND COMPLETELY SHUT DOWN. THE WARNING LIGHTS ALL LIT UP AND I LOST ALL POWER, INCLUDING POWER STEERING. IT WAS STRANDED ACROSS A DRIVEWAY AND WOULD NOT START. I HAVE FOLLOWED ALL RECOMMENDED MAINTENANCE, DRIVE LOCALLY AND USE PREMIUM GAS. THERE WAS NO REASONABLE EXPLANATION TO THIS FAILURE. I HAD IT TOWED TO A LOCAL BMW REPAIR SHOP AND FOUND THAT IT WAS THE "OIL SEPARATOR" THAT FAILED. MY INVOICE STATES THAT IT WAS AN "ENGINE HYDRAULIC LOCK". THE FAILURE OF THE "OIL SEPARATOR", WHICH IS CALLED A CYCLONE SEPARATOR ON MY INVOICE, CAUSED THE CAR TO FLOOD WITH OIL. THE CYCLONE SEPARATOR AND CRANKCASE VENT HOSES WERE REPLACED. RESEARCHING ONLINE I FOUND THAT THIS IS A COMMON ISSUE WITH BMW, MOSTLY THE X5 MODELS. BMW N.A. REFUSED TO ASSIST ME, MY WARRANTY EXPIRED 3 MONTHS PRIOR DUE TO THE YEAR OF THE CAR, BUT HAD NOT MET THE MILEAGE REQUIREMENT. THE REPAIR COST $1100 AND I WAS WITHOUT A VEHICLE FOR 3 DAYS. I ALSO HAD TO PAY $70 FOR A TOW AS BMW WOULD NOT HONOR THE ROAD ASSISTANCE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10378441January 24, 2011
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 BMW X3. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG LIGHT WOULD NOT TURN OFF. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER AS THE FAILURE WAS SIMILAR TO RECALL 08V384000 (AIR BAGS: FRONTAL). THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED BY THE DEALER THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 55,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 58,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10376536January 13, 2011
SEATS
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 BMW X3. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH THE HEATER ON THE DRIVERS SEAT MALFUNCTIONED AND BURNED A HOLE IN THE SEAT. AS A RESULT THE DRIVER WAS INJURED. THE DEALER WAS CONTACTED AND STATED THAT THEY WOULD NOT COVER THE REPAIR COST BECAUSE THE WARRANTY EXPIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR REPAIRS. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#10376284January 11, 2011
SEATS, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
06 BMW X3 3.0 DRIVER SEAT HEATER GETS EXTREMEMY HOT IN ONE SPOT. HOT ENOUGH TO CAUSE A BURN IF NOT TURNED OFF QUICKLY. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10373137December 28, 2010
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 BMW X3. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH WHEN THE PASSENGER AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE PASSENGER SEAT WAS OCCUPIED AT THE TIME OF THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE LIGHT WOULD SPORADICALLY ILLUMINATE OVER A SIX MONTH PERIOD WHETHER THE PASSENGER SEAT WAS OCCUPIED OR NOT. THE DEALER ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT HIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 08V384000 (AIR BAGS:FRONTAL). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 93,539.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10369375December 6, 2010
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
FAILURE OF FRONT PASSENGER AIRBAG SAFETY SYSTEM AS DESCRIBED IN NHTSA ACTION NUMBER EA08001 FOR MY 2006 BMW X3 (54,700 MILES). *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10368850November 29, 2010
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, SEATS
WE WERE DRIVING IN COLD WEATHER AND ACTIVATED THE SEAT WARMERS ON THE DRIVER AND FRONT PASSENGER SIDES WHEN WE DETECTED AN ODOR OF SOMETHING BURNING AND SMOKING. WE STOPPED AND GOT OUT OF OUR SUV AND DISCOVERED A BURNT HOLE/SPOT ON THE DRIVER'S SEAT, LOWER LEFT SEAT BACK BOLSTER. ON TAKING IT OUR BMW DEALER FOR REPAIR, WE WERE TOLD THAT THE SEAT WARMER WAS DEFECTIVE AND THAT IS WHAT CAUSED THE BURNT HOLE/SPOT ON THE SEAT BACK, I.E., "FAILED COMPONENT 3". FURTHER WE WERE TOLD THAT OUR SUV WAS TWO MONTHS OUT OF WARRANTY, AND THAT THE COST OF REPAIR WOULD COST $2,900. WE HAVE SEARCHED THE INTERNET AND DISCOVERED SIMILAR MALFUNCTIONS ON BMWS EQUIPPED WITH SEAT WARMERS. FURTHER, WE HAD TO REPLACE THE SEAT WARMER SYSTEM ON THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE APPROXIMATELY TWO YEARS AGO BECAUSE IT TOO BECAME INOPERATIVE. THIS IS A CLEAR CASE FOR BMW TO ABSORB THE COST OF REPAIR, SINCE THIS SEAT WARMER MALFUNCTION HAS A HISTORY OF OCCURRENCES. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION REGARDING THIS CASE.WV
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10363973November 4, 2010
SEATS, EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL
2006 BMW X3 .HEATED SEATS BURNED A HOLE ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE DRIVER SEAT CAUSING BURNS TO MY LEFT THIGH. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10356602September 20, 2010
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
2006 BMW X3 PASSENGER SEAT AIRBAG LIGHT ACTIVATES. NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID #: 08V384000 2006 BMW X3 - [XXX], PRODUCED 03/2006. 20100910 @ 1319: ZACH AT AUTOBAHN MOTORS IN FW ADVISED $1021 [PARTS AND LABOR] TO REPAIR PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG SEAT MAT. ZACH ADVISED RECALL FOR THAT SPECIFIC ITEM DOES NOT COVER OUR VEHICLE DUE TO PRODUCTION MONTH BEING 4 MONTHS OUTSIDE THE RECALL PARAMETERS. ACCORDING TO NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID # 08V384000, SMALL CRACKS IN THE SEAT MAT CAUSES THE PASSENGER AIRBAG TO DEACTIVATE AND ILLUMINATE THE "ON-OFF" LAMP. THIS IS EXACTLY THE ISSUE BEING EXPERIENCED IN MY VEHICLE. 20100910 @ 1325: CONTACTED BMW CUSTOMER RELATIONS [800-831-1117] SPOKE WITH TOM. EXPLAINED THE ISSUE TO TOM AND HE TRANSFERRED ME TO KRISTIN DYER. KRISTIN CONFIRMED THE RECALL ENDED WITH X3'S PRODUCED IN 11/2005. SPOKE WITH RICHARD, SERVICE MANAGER, AT AUTOBAHN. KRISTIN STATED SHE WOULD 'ESCALATE' THE MATTER TO BE DETERMINED WHETHER IT WOULD BE REPAIRED UNDER WARRANTY. 20100920 @ 1326: SPOKE WITH BETSY HOHMANN [BMW CUSTOMER RELATIONS], SHE ADVISED THERE WOULD BE "NO GOODWILL ASSISTANCE" FROM BMW. BESTY ACKNOWLEDGED THAT THE SEAT MAT PROBLEM WAS DIAGNOSED APPROPRIATELY. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10349208August 13, 2010
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
AUTOMATIC AIRBAG DISARM LIGHT CAME ON INTERMITTENTLY WHILE ADULT PASSENGER WAS IN FRONT SEAT. THE LIGHT NOW REMAINS ON AT ALL TIMES AND THE FRONT AIRBAG IS DEACTIVATED EVEN WITH ADULT PASSENGER IN SEAT. CALLED BMW USA WAS TOLD MY VIN NUMBER NOT INCLUDED IN RECALL. I HAVE THE SPORT SEATS AND SAME YEAR AS THOSE WITH PROBLEM. OBVIOUSLY THE SAME ISSUE AS OTHER INCLUDED IN RECALL. HIGHLY CONCERNED CAR WITH 55,000 MILES WILL NOT BE SAFE BECAUSE AIRBAGS WON'T WORK. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10328015April 29, 2010
AIR BAGS
AIR BAGS. FRONT PASSENGER SEAT SENSOR MAT FAULT AND AIR BAG WARNING LAMP AS WELL AS THE PASSENGER AIR BAG ON - OFF LAMP WILL BE ILLUMINATED. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10327110April 23, 2010
STRUCTURE, AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
EXPERIENCED A WET FLOOR BOARD IN BACKSEAT ON THE DRIVER SIDE ALONG WITH A PUDDLE IN THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE. DEALERSHIP SAID IT WAS A SEAL, THEY REMOVED THE BACKDOOR PANEL AND WATER TEST SHOWED THE VAPOR SEAL HAD BECAME LOOSE. THE NEXT RAIN, STILL A PUDDLE IN THE FRONT - WHICH MEANS THAT VAPOR SEAL WENT BAD AS WELL. ALSO, WATER IS DROPPING IN FROM THE SUNROOF CONTROLS ON THE ROOF. THEY STILL FUNCTION AND THE SEAL AROUND THE SUNROOF SEEMS BONE DRY. I ALSO EXPERIENCE THE AIR BAG ISSUE - IT WAS FIXED UNDER WARRANTY. BUT THIS MAY BE A RECALL THAT BMW NEEDS TO LOOK INTO. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10323535April 2, 2010
AIR BAGS
2006 BMW X3 PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG DEACTIVATION LIGHT COME ON INTERMITTENTLY. SOMETIMES THE "FASTEN SEAT BELT" LIGHT ON THE DASH COMES ON WHILE DRIVING WITH A LOUD BEEP (WHILE THE DRIVER IS WEARING THE SEAT BELT AND THERE IS NO ONE OR NO OBJECT ON THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT. THIS IS MORE ALARMING AS ONE IS NOT SURE IF THE AIR BAG IS GOING TO WORK OR NOT IN EMERGENCY. THIS HAPPENS INTERMITTENTLY AND SEARCHING THE WEB SHOWS OTHERS ARE HAVING SIMILAR ISSUES. I HAVE TAKEN IT TO THE DEALER A FEW TIMES AND EACH TIME THEY RUN SOME DIAGNOSTICS, KEEP IT OVERNIGHT AND TELL ME THERE IS NO FAULTS REGISTERED, DIAGNOSTICS FOUND NO ISSUES, AND THEY COULD NOT REPRODUCE THE PROBLEM AND THERE IS NOTHING THEY CAN DO. TODAY THEY TOLD ME THE SAME THING AGAIN AND WHEN I DROVE OUT OF THE DEALERSHIP THE FASTEN SEAT BELT LIGHT WENT ON WITH THE BEEP BUT BY THE TIME I TURED AROUND TO GO BACK THE ALARM TURNED OFF. SO I DIDN'T GO BACK. ON THE WAY HOME HAD TO STOP AT THE GROCERY AND THE LIGHT AND ALARM TURNED ON AGAIN ON THE WAY HOME FROM GROCERY. IT'S PRETTY DISAPPOINTING FOR A BRAND KNOWN FOR SAFETY AND QUALITY.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10320623March 18, 2010
SEATS
2/5/10 SMELL OF FIRE IN MY 2006, BMW, X3, NOTICED DRIVERS SEAT HAD A BURNT HOLE MARK. I BROUGHT THE VEHICLE TO THE BMW SERVICE DEPARTMENT AND THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT FOUND A MANUFACTURING FAULT IN THE SEAT, HEATER SHORTED OUT. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10315778March 2, 2010
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 BMW X3. THE DRIVER STATED THAT HER AIR BAG LIGHT REMAINED ILLUMINATED CONTINUOUSLY. SHE TOOK THE VEHICLE INTO THE DEALER WHO STATED THAT HER AIR BAGS WERE NOT ACTIVATED AND IF SHE WAS INVOLVED IN A COLLISION, HER AIR BAGS WOULD NOT WORK. THE DEALER ALSO TOLD HER THAT THE FAILURE WAS CAUSED BY THE SENSOR. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 64,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10290337October 30, 2009
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
I WAS EXITING A CITY PARK, I WAS STOPPED WAITING FOR A STEADY STREAM OF TRAFFIC TO PASS SO I COULD MAKE A LEFT TURN. MY FOOT WAS ON THE BRAKE PEDAL AND SUDDENLY IT SEEMED AS THOUGH SOMEONE HAD PUSHED THE GAS PEDAL TO THE FLOOR AS I WAS HOLDING DOWN THE BRAKE PEDAL. I HELD DOWN THE BRAKE PEDAL AS HARD AS I COULD BECAUSE THE CAR WANTED TO TAKE OFF AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED ACROSS THE TRAFFIC. I HAVE NEVER EXPERIENCED THIS IN THIS CAR OR ANY CAR BEFORE, NEEDLESS TO SAY IT WAS VERY FRIGHTENING. THE ENGINE WAS RACING AT A EXTREMELY HIGH RATE OF SPEED. I CAN'T REMEMBER IF I PUT THE CAR IN PARK FIRST OR JUST SHUT THE CAR OFF. I RESTARTED THE CAR AND SINCE IT SOUNDED ALRIGHT I RELUCTANTLY PUT IT IN GEAR TO DRIVE HOME. I MADE IT HOME SAFELY WITHOUT INCIDENT. THIS INCIDENT OCCURRED ON MONDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2009 . WE CONTACTED YOUR AGENCY FIRST, BUT WE ARE PHONING OUR DEALER IN INDIANAPOLIS TO COME AND PICK THE CAR UP, IT WILL NOT BE DRIVEN UNTIL IT IS THOROUGHLY CHECKED. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10281975August 27, 2009
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 BMW X3. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH ON NORMAL ROAD CONDITIONS; THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT INDICATOR ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED UNTIL THE ENGINE WAS TURNED OFF. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THE FAILURE WAS CONTRIBUTED TO AN OCCUPANT DETECTION MAT. THERE WAS A RECALL UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 08V384000 (AIR BAGS;FRONTAL). THE VIN NUMBER WAS EXCLUDED FROM THE RECALL DEFECT. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED FOR THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 73,900. BL
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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