2005 BMW 5 Series Engine Problems

The contact owns a 2005 BMW 545I. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the accelerator pedal was depressed, and the contact became aware of a ball of white smoke coming from the exhaust. The contact stated that whenever the accelerator pedal was depressed, there was white smoke coming from the exhaust pipe. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed with a failed crank casting and the protective crank casting valve. The contact was informed that the failure was similar to an undisclosed manufacturer's recall, however the contact's VIN was not associated with the recall. The independent mechanic informed the contact that the smoke was excessive. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 122,195.

CERTAIN BMW MODELS INCLUDING E60 2005 545I ALMOST ALL REQUIRE VALVE SEAL REPLACEMENT DUE TO FAULTY MANUFACTURING DEFECTS. THIS RESULTS IN OIL LEAKING INTO THE ENGINE AND SECONDARY AIR INJECTOR CAUSING SMOKE TO EMIT OUT OF THE TAILPIPES. ALTHOUGH MY CAR PASSED AL COMPUTERIZED SMOG CHECKS, IT DID NOT PASS THE NEW VISUAL TEST BECAUSE OF THESE FAULTY VALVE STEM SEALS. THIS OCCURS AFTE IDLING THE ENGINE FOR 10 MINUTES. THE REPAIR COSTS FOR THIS ARE ABOUT EQUAL TO THE RETAIL VALUE OF THE CAR. EVERY MECHANIC I'VE SPOKEN TO BELIEVES THIS SHOULD BE RECALLED.

I HAVE LEFT MY CAR AT THE AIRPORT FOR A 2 DAY BUSINESS TRIP. WHEN I DROVE BACK FROM THE AIRPORT, WHILE ON THE HIGHWAY, I SAW A BIG PLUME OF SMOKE COMING FROM THE BACK OF MY CAR. THE ENGINE KIND OF HESITATED BUT DIDN'T' STALL. I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE TO A SAFE PLACE AND CHECK THE OIL DIPSTICK. THERE WAS NO OIL LEFT IN THE OIL COMPARTMENT. WHEN THE ENGINE COOLED DOWN I SAW BLACK LIQUID DRIPPING OFF THE EXHAUST PIPE. THE CAR SMELLED LIKE BURNT OIL. I SPOKE TO THE DEALERSHIP THAT SERVICES MY CAR AND THEY TOLD ME TO TOW IT TO AVOID ANY FURTHER DAMAGE. THE DEALERSHIP IDENTIFIED THE PROBLEM AS A FROZEN OIL SEPARATOR THAT CREATED A VACUUM LOCK AND PUSHED THE OIL TO BURN THRU THE ENGINE AND THE EXHAUST SYSTEM. FROM FURTHER DISCUSSION WITH THE DEALERSHIP SERVICE ADVISOR AND LOOKING INTO BMW POSTING FORUMS I REALIZED THAT THIS IS AN ISSUE THAT HAS BEEN HAPPENING FOR A WHILE NOW WITH BMWS IN COLD WEATHER CONDITIONS. I ALSO FOUND OUT THAT BMW HAS RELEASED IN FEB 2009 A SERVICE INFORMATION BULLETIN SIB 11 08 03 THAT RECOGNIZED, THAT THE DEFECTIVE PART MAY FAIL IN COLD WEATHER CONDITIONS, AND RECOMMENDED TO BMW SERVICE DEPTS REPLACEMENT WITH A NEW BETTER DESIGNED PART. HOWEVER, BMW DID NOT TAKE THE STEP TO NOTIFY CUSTOMERS WHO HAVE BEEN OR COULD BE AFFECTED BY THIS DEFECT. IF I KNEW ABOUT THIS ISSUE IN FEB 2009, WHEN MY CAR WAS UNDER THE NEW VEHICLE WARRANTY, I WOULD HAVE REPLACED IT AT NO COST AND THE ENGINE AND EXHAUST WOULD NOT HAVE GONE THRU THIS NEARLY DESTRUCTIVE INCIDENT. I NOW HAD TO INCUR THIS $1300 REPAIR COST AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT ELSE COULD MECHANICALLY INCUR WITH THIS CAR IN THE FUTURE DUE TO THIS MALFUNCTION.THE RESALE VALUE OF THE CAR HAS ALSO GONE DOWN AS WELL. I FEEL BMW HAS ACTED IRRESPONSIBLY, IF NOT CRIMINALLY, TO NOT NOTIFY AFFECTED CUSTOMERS ABOUT THIS DEFECT. IT COULD HAVE BEEN MUCH WORSE DRIVING IN THE INTERSTATE AND HAVING A STALLED ENGINE AT 60 MILES AN HOUR. *TR

AN EXCESSIVELY HARSH 2-1 DOWNSHIFT WHEN DECELERATING TO A STOP, OR TRANSMISSION "BANGS" INTO GEAR WHEN ACCELERATING FROM A FULL OR A "ROLLING" STOP (VEHICLE DID NOT COME TO A COMPLETE STOP). *JS

2005 BMW 545I. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO SEVERAL ISSUES WITH VEHICLE TO INCLUDE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG, TRANSMISSION ISSUES AND LEAKS *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED THE ISSUE WITH THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG WAS RECALLED. EVEN THOUGH THE PART WAS REPLACED TWICE UNDER WARRANTY AND EXHIBITED THE SAME SYMPTOMS AS STATED IN THE RECALL, THE CONSUMER'S VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED. THE CONSUMER ALSO STATED THERE WAS A JOLT/DELAY WHEN PULLING AWAY. WITHIN THE LAST THREE MONTHS, THE TRANSMISSION WOULD SHIFT BETWEEN 30-40 MPH AS IF IT WERE NOT GETTING ENOUGH FUEL. THERE WAS ALSO A COOLANT LEAK COMING FROM THE VALLEY PAN, A HOSE AND THE COOLANT TANK WERE REPLACED. THE ENGINE WAS REPLACED IN 2008, AND SINCE THEN, THE VEHICLE USED EXCESSIVE AMOUNTS OF COOLANT. *JB

THE COOLANT TRANSFER PIPE WHICH RUNS THROUGH THE ENGINE LEAKED ALL OF THE COOLANT AND REQUIRED AN IMMEDIATE SHUT DOWN. IT REQUIRED A REPAIR COSTING APPROXIMATELY $6,700 WHICH INCLUDED 38 HOURS OF LABOR. THIS IS CLEARLY A DESIGN FLAW. IT IS WIDELY CITED ON THE INTERNET. *TR