2008 BMW 3 Series Body & Structure Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 BMW 328XI. EVER SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED, THE FRONT END VIBRATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO STATED THAT THE ENGINE MOUNT BRACKET BOLTS WERE FRACTURED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 62,000. THE CONSUMER REQUESTED TO BE REIMBURSED FOR THE COST OF REPAIRS. *JS *BF *TR*JB

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 BMW 328I. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE DOOR HANDLE GRIP WAS DETERIORATING. ADDITIONALLY, A STICKY SUBSTANCE WAS GETTING ON THE OCCUPANT'S HANDS. ALSO, THE BRAKE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO BMW OF CHATTANOOGA (6806 E BRAINERD RD, CHATTANOOGA, TN 37421, (423) 381-6419), BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND DID NOT ASSIST. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 140,016.

MOTOR MOUNT BOLTS SHEARING OFF. COMMON PROBLEM THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED WITH A SAFETY RECALL.

MY FAMILY AND I LEFT FOR VACATION IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT AND WERE DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE FROM FLORIDA TO VIRGINIA. THERE WERE NO OTHER CARS AROUND SINCE IT WAS SO LATE. WE WERE DRIVING AT ROUGHLY 78 MPH. WE HAD THE SUNROOF ANGLED OPEN. SUDDENLY, WE HEARD AN EXPLOSION, WHICH SOUNDED LIKE A GUNSHOT, AND WE WERE ALL COVERED IN BITS OF GLASS. THE SOUND WAS SO SUDDEN AND LOUD THAT I NEARLY RAN OFF THE ROAD. WE REALIZED THE SOURCE OF THE FALLING GLASS WAS FROM OUR SUNROOF, WHICH NOW LOOKED LIKE A DOME. SOMETHING CAUSED IT TO WARP IN AN OUTWARD POSITION. TINY PIECES OF GLASS WERE FALLING ON US LIKE SNOW. WE PULLED OFF AT A TRUCK STOP AND VACUUMED OUT THE GLASS INSIDE THE CAR. THEN, AS WE SHUT THE CAR DOOR, THE LEFT SIDE OF THE SUNROOF COLLAPSED, CREATING A GAPING HOLE. WE THEN BOUGHT DUCT TAPE TO SEAL THE ENTIRE STRUCTURE SO THAT WE COULD MAKE THE REST OF OUR 13 HOUR DRIVE TO OUR DESTINATION. WHEN WE ARRIVED, MY HUSBAND FOUND A FORD DEALERSHIP WHO GAVE US A HUGE SHEET OF WINDOW TAPE TO HELP SEAL IT OFF BETTER. WE THEN CALLED THE BMW MANUFACTURER IN GREER, S.C. TO FILE A COMPLAINT.. THEY ADVISED ME TO TAKE THE CAR TO OUR LOCAL DEALERSHIP AND HAVE THEM DOCUMENT THE PROBLEM. I WAS THERE TODAY, 7/8/2016, AND WAS TOLD IT WOULD COST $400 TO REMOVE THE HEADLINER AND COMPLETE A DIAGNOSTIC TEST. I PROMPTLY WALKED OUT. I'VE READ OF HUNDREDS OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS EXACT SITUATION HAPPENING TO OTHER PEOPLE. WHY IS THIS TYPE OF GLASS NOT UNDER A RECALL NOTICE? I'M SCARED TO DEATH FOR MY 16 YEAR OLD TO DRIVE THIS CAR WITH THE ROOF ANGLED UPWARD. NO ONE, FROM WHAT I'VE READ, CAN SEEM TO FIND ANY REASON FOR THE GLASS TO COMPLETELY CHANGE SHAPE AND EXPLODE. IF GLASS CAN'T HOLD UP TO HIGHWAY SPEEDS, WHY IS IT BEING USED?! THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE.

DOOR FAILED, UNABLE TO OPEN FROM INSIDE, OUTSIDE OR THROUGH KEY. I AM AN R&D ENGINEER AND UPON EVALUATING THE FAILURE MODE OF THE DOOR I AM CONCERNED AT A OPERATORS ABILITY TO ESCAPE A VEHICLE THAT IS DISABLED AND IN A DANGEROUS STATE. I WOULD BE SURPRISED F THIS DEFECT CANNOT BE LINKED TO FATALITIES.

I AM UNABLE TO OPEN/UNLOCK THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR. OTHER DOORS ARE FINE BUT I WOULD BE TRAPPED IN CASE OF FIRE OR ACCIDENT. DOOR DOES UNLOCK THROUGH MANUAL KEY (NOT FOB). *TR

WINDSHIELD TRIMMING DETERIORATING / PASSENGER SIDE INSIDE DOOR HANDLE IS MELTING. *TR

DOOR LOCKS FAILED, WITH DOORS IN THE LOCKED POSITION. NO WAY TO OPEN THE 3 PASSENGER DOORS. DRIVER CAN ESCAPE BY DOUBLE PULLING THE HANDLE, BUT ONLY IF THERE'S A PERSON (WEIGHT SENSOR?) ON THE DRIVER'S SEAT. PASSENGERS CANNOT GET OUT! READING THE ONLINE MESSAGE BOARDS, THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH E90 BMWS (AND A SIMILAR ONE WITH THE PREVIOUS GENERATION E46). THERE ARE HUNDREDS (THOUSANDS?) OF POSTS DESCRIBING THIS EXACT PROBLEM. A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE.

ONE OF THE ELECTRIC DOOR LOCK ACTUATORS FAILED AND CAUSED A FUSE TO BLOW. WHEN THIS OCCURRED THE DRIVER DOOR COULD ONLY BE UNLOCKED WITH THE METAL KEY AND NOT BY THE ELECTRONIC LOCK REMOTE. WHAT WAS SO DANGEROUS IS THAT NONE OF THE OTHER 3 PASSENGER DOORS COULD BE OPENED EITHER FROM OUTSIDE OR EVEN FROM THE INSIDE WITH THE DOOR HANDLE. ESSENTIALLY ALL THE PASSENGERS WERE TRAPPED IN THE CAR AND HAD TO CLIMB OUT THROUGH THE DRIVER DOOR WHICH COULD BE OPENED FROM THE INSIDE WITH THE DOOR HANDLE. HAD THERE BEEN AN ACCIDENT OR FIRE OR OTHER EMERGENCY IT COULD HAVE TAKEN TOO LONG TO EXIT THE VEHICLE. THE 3 PASSENGER DOORS DID NOT BEGIN WORKING UNTIL THE FUSE AND DOOR LOCK ACTUATOR WAS REPLACED AT A COST OF NEARLY $700. BMW IS AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM. SI B51 19 07 FACTORY SERVICE BULLETIN. *TR

DRIVERS SIDE DOOR FAILURE. DOOR FAILS TO UNLOCK FROM EITHER THE INSIDE OR OUTSIDE OF CAR. DANGEROUS IN CASE OF ACCIDENT WOULD BE UNABLE TO EXIT THE VEHICLE. NO WAY TO OPEN THE DRIVERS DOOR. *KB

I HAVE A 2008 BMW 335I (E90) THAT LOST BOTH HEADLIGHT WASHER COVERS WHILE TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY. THESE PARTS STRUCK THE WINDSHIELD WITH GREAT FORCE AND LIKELY HIT THE VEHICLES TRAVELING BEHIND MY CAR. THESE PARTS LIKELY LITTERED THE ROADWAY WITH DEBRIS THAT COULD CAUSE OTHER VEHICLES TO SWERVE TO AVOID RUNNING OVER THEM. THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM/DEFECT WITH NEWER BMW VEHICLE (SEE BMWLAND AND E90POST WEBSITES FOR CUSTOMER COMPLAINTS). *TR