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Electrical System
01/31/2012
WHILE DRIVING, THE CAR SUDDENLY SHUT DOWN AND LOST ALL POWER. HAD TO PULL OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD QUICKLY TO AVOID AN ACCIDENT; HAD THIS BEEN AT HIGH SPEED, THE SITUATION MIGHT HAVE BEEN WORSE. SUBSEQUENTLY WHEN TRYING TO START, THE CAR SHOWS A MYRIAD OF WARNING LIGHTS AND FAULTS. A FUSE FOR THE MAIN COMPUTER (DME) HAD BLOWN, DUE TO A WIRING SHORT BETWEEN THE ELECTRONIC THERMOSTAT AND THE MAIN COMPUTER. REPLACING THE FUSE IS NOT A PERMANENT FIX, AS IT BLOWS SHORTLY AFTER EACH TIME THE CAR IS STARTED, RENDERING THE CAR UNDRIVEABLE. THIS FIX TO REPLACE SHORTED WIRING IS IN THE THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS. THE CAR HAD BEEN METICULOUSLY MAINTAINED AND HAD NEVER SUFFERED ANY RELATED ISSUE BEFORE. THERE IS A POOR CONNECTION, FAULTY WIRING, DESIGN FLAW, OR THE LIKE IN THIS SYSTEM. *TR
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Tires
07/30/2010
INSTALLED TWO NEW BRIDGESTONE POTENZA POLE POSITION RE 960AS IN JULY 2010(PURCHASED FROM THETIRE RACK),ON MY 2003 BMW 540I(AT BRIDGESTONE TIRE DEALER).REAR,275R1835.TWO MONTHS LATER WHILE DRIVING 40MPH ON A VERY WELL MAINTAINED ROAD(LAKE SHORE DRIVE,IN CHICAGO),LOUD BANG WAS HERD FROM THE BACK AND GOT FLAT WITHOUT RUNNING OVER ANY DEBRIS ON THE ROAD.CLAIMED THROUGH THE SELLER(THE TIRERACK),THE TIRE WAS SENT TO THE MANUFACTURER FOR INSPECTION(SINCE THE CUT AND THE DISINTEGRATION SEEMED CONSISTENT WITH MATERIAL DETECT) BUT RECEIVED A COLD SHOULDER FROM THEM CITING THAT THE BLOWN TIRE DID NOT HAVE A DEFECT. THE SELLER REFUSED TO HONOR MY WARRANTY(THE TIRE WAS REGISTERED FOR THAT). WHAT TO DO? *TR
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Steering
08/10/2010
THE 2003 BMW 540I POWER STEERING PUMP SPOOL VALVE WAS FOUND (DISASSEMBLED AND JUDGED BY BMW TECHNICIAN) TO JAM AT LOWER RPM THUS CAUSING COMPLETE LOSS OF POWER STEERING ASSIST, ESPECIALLY IN REDUCED RPM TURNS OFF HIGHWAYS. ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS I NEARLY CRASHED INTO THE MEDIAN-WALL BECAUSE OF IT. I SENT A LETTER TO BMW BUT ALL THEY TOLD ME IS THAT IT WOULD BE FORWARDED BUT THAT I WOULD NEVER HEAR BACK FROM THEM AGAIN. I CONSIDER THIS A MATERIAL/PART FLAW THAT BMW HAS TO CONSIDER AS SERIOUS AND OFFER SOME FORM OF REPAIR/REPLACE PLAN OR CUSTOMER-DIRECTED ACTION AS IT CAN LEAD TO SERIOUS CRASHES DURING TURNING MANEUVERS! *TR
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Engine And Engine Cooling, electrical System
07/10/2010
INTERMITTENT ENGINE SHUT-DOWN. ENGINE SHUTS OFF WHILE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION AT ANY SPEED. "ENGINE FAILSAFE" WARNING LIGHT COMES ON. VEHICLE MUST BE STOPPED, KEY TURNED OFF AND RE-STARTED. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE THAT BMW IS AWARE OF AND HAS ISSUED A RELATED TSB. $2000 PLUS REPAIR BILL FOR A NEW "ENGINE WIRING HARNESS". BMW SHOULD BE RECALLING THESE VEHICLES. *TR
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Latches/locks/linkages
02/04/2010
BMW 530I 2003. DRIVER DOOR WILL NOT UNLOCK, EITHER ELECTRONICALLY OR MANUALLY. DOOR LOCK ACTUATOR FAILURE. NO MANUAL OVERRIDE. FORCED TO CRAWL OVER CONSOLE AND EXIT FROM ANOTHER DOOR. *TR