2008 BMW X5 Powertrain & Transmission Problems

I've been experiencing drive train problems with my vehicle and upon research I've concluded that not just only me but many people with the same vehicle as mine have been having transfer case/driveshaft/differential problems and the scary part is that no codes pop up for this issue!! I've already took it to many shops I've even took it to an official BMW dealership and they don't seem to help but the real reason I'm reaching out is because I nearly had a near death experience related to this issue on the freeway.. the vehicle seemed to shake violently and felt like it wanted to seize up while driving and had to do an emergency pull over but once again it doesn't throw no codes and not only that I've already spent thousand of dollars into this car for it to react like that while driving! Please hear me out and help me resolve this as soon as possible.. thank you [XXX] INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

while driving in a highway far from any measure city, the car start slowing down and overheating signal showed up. fan start running like a jet engine. after towing it to a mechanic. it turns out the water pump failed a long with thermostat and the plastic resurve water leaked. it seams like a design fault to make a plastic resurve water that hold hot water. the car had 121000 mile. coast was $5400

Seat Calibration; Airbag/Seat Belt Tensioner, level control system malfunction etc

car will not start. towed over 120mil to the closest mechanics. starter was dead.

COMPUTER SYSTEM DOES NOT FUNCTION PROPERLY, CAUSING VEHICLE TO GO INTO TRANSMISSION ERROR MODE-VEHICLE ABRUPTLY LOSES POWER AND SPEED WHILE DRIVING. THIS HAS HAPPENED ON HIGHWAY (SAW OUR LIVES FLASH BEFORE OUR EYES AS SEMIS BORE DOWN ON US AND ALMOST DROVE OVER US/OTHER VEHICLES TRYING TO AVOID COLLISIONS AND IN TOWN WITH SEVERAL NEAR-COLLISIONS INVOLVING OURS' AND OTHER VEHICLES. VEHICLE HAS HAD SEVERAL RECALLS AND COMPUTER SYSTEM HAS BEEN UPDATED AT OUR EXPENSE WITH PROBLEM NOT RESOLVED AND WE ARE TOLD WE NEED NEW TRANNY. WE DO NOT BELIEVE THIS IS SO AS WHEN YOU TURN OFF VEHICLE AND TURN IT BACK ON-CODE DISAPPEARS AND CAR DRIVES FINE UNTIL YOU GO UP A HILL OR LET FOOT OFF ACCELERATOR/ ACCELERATE, ECT. INSTEAD OF ADDRESSING THE PROBLEM WITH THE COMPUTER SYSTEM, DEALERSHIPS MAKE BANK ON REPLACING TRANSMISSIONS THAT SOON FAIL AGAIN DUE TO THE COMPUTER ISSUES.

WHILE VEHICLE IS RUNNING TRANSMISSION MALFUNCTION CODE COMES ON AND VEHICLE INSTANTLY LOSES POWER. ALMOST BEEN REAR ENDED ON HIGHWAY SEVERAL TIMES.SPENT 1000 RECENTLY ON TRANSMISSION PARTS. RESEARCHED AND FOUND OUT THIS IS A SOFT WARE ISSUE AND BMW HAS NOT ACKNOWLEDGED ALTHOUGH THOUSANDS OF REPORTS HAVE BEEN FILED-SOME BY OWNERS WITH ONLY 1000 MILES ON THEM THIS HAS BEEN AN ONGOING ISSUE THAT BMW HAS IGNORED.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 BMW X5. WHILE DRIVING OVER 40 MPH, AN ABNORMAL LOUD NOISE COULD BE HEARD FROM UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE DRIVESHAFT JOINTS WERE WORN OUT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V311000 (POWER TRAIN). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 132,000.

WHILE DRIVING WITH THE HEAT ON, THERE'S A BURNING SMELL THAT COME THROUGH THE VENTS. CONTINUE DRIVING WITH HEAT ON LONG ENOUGH AND DESPITE THE SMELL, THE RIGHT SIDE(PASSENGER) BEGAN TO SMOKE, SO BAD YOU CANT SEE TO DRIVE... WHILE DRIVING AND YOU PRESS ON THE GAS TO ACCELERATE, IT'S NOT A SMOOTH TRANSITION, U CANT BEAT A HONDA... WHILE DRIVING EVERY NOW AND THEN U HEAR A LOUD SCREECHING SOUND TILL YOU TURN YOUR CAR OFF... IN STATIONARY POSITION WITH THE CAR ON, ITS MAKES LOUD ENGINE RUNNING SOUNDS... THE CAR ALSO PULLS TO THE RIGHT... *TR

WAS DRIVING AT ABOUT 45MPH WHEN HEARD A ROARING SOUND FOLLOWED BY A LOUD SNAPPING SOUND. RPMS WAS STABLE WITH NO WARNING LIGHTS. IT HAPPENED RIGHT AT THE STATE BORDER ON LA PLATA HWY 140. THERE'S NO EMERGENCY LANES ON NEITHER SIDE OF THE HWY. I WAS ABLE BACK UP ON REVERSE FOR 25FT AND PARKED SAFELY AT THE REST STOP ON THE COLORADO SIDE. ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON THEN. HAD VEHICLE TOWED TO A SHOP WHO DISCOVERED THE FRONT DRIVE SHAFT BROKE LOOSE WHEN THE UNIVERSAL JOINT SNAPPED IN HALF, COMING OFF FRONT HUB. THERE'S COLLATERAL DAMAGE TO TRANSMISSION CASING, TRANNY COOLING LINES, AND DINGS TO EXHAUST PIPE. O2 SENSOR FAILED AND TRIGGERED ENGINE LIGHT.

IN OCTOBER OF 2015 WHILE MAKING A RIGHT TURN VERY SLOWLY INTO A ONE LANE DRIVE THRU, MY BMW X5 ACCELERATED CLIMBED UP A 2 FOOT WALL THAT WAS ON THE DRIVERS SIDE RODE THE FRONT DRIVERS SIDE WHEEL UPON THE WALL. I TRIED TO BREAK AND PULL THE HAND BRAKE THE CAR WOULD NOT STOP. I TURNED THE STEERING WHEEL TO THE RIGHT THE CAR HOPPED OFF THE WALL ON TO THE GROUND AND I TURNED OFF THE CAR. THE CAR JUST ACCELERATED SO FAST AND HARD MY SISTER AND I COULD NOT BELIEVE HOW IT CLIMBED THE TILE WALL WITH ONE WHEEL AND CAME DOWN TO THE GROUND. NOW I HAD JUST GOT THE CAR BACK FROM THE DEALERSHIP 5 DAYS EARLIER WHEN THEY REPLACED THE WATER PUMP AND REPLACED THE 2 FRONT TIRES AND DID A WHEEL ALIGNMENT A $2500.00 JOB. IT WAS VERY SCARY LUCKILY THERE WAS NO PEOPLE OR ANOTHER CAR CLOSE BY. I IMMEDIATELY CALLED THE DEALERSHIP AND TOOK IT IN THE NEXT MORNING. I EXPLAINED WHAT HAPPENED I FELT THAT THE CAR HAD A MALFUNCTION WITH THE ACCELERATOR IT MADE THE CAR GO SO FAST AND HARD. IT WASN'T JUST A CRASH INTO THE WALL IT CLIMBED THE WALL. OF COURSE BMW SAID THE ENGINEER SAID THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE BRAKES OR DRIVE SHAFT? WHAT GETS TO ME IS THAT I JUST GOT THE CAR BACK FROM THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP. I FEEL LIKE THE POWER OF THE VEHICLE WAS SO STRONG AND POWERFUL THERE WAS NO WAY THAT IT COULD HOP ON THE WALL LIKE THAT AND NOT JUST CRASH STRAIGHT INTO THE WALL. OH SIDE NOTE THE VERY NEXT MORNING 10-12-2015 MY SISTER HEARD ON ABC MORNING NEWS THAT A BMW SUV JUST RAN INTO A GLASS WINDOW AT A STORE THE CAR ACCELERATED ON IT'S OWN!

I WAS TRAVELING ON I-78 EAST IN PENNSYLVANIA, APPROACHING EXIT 59, AND SUDDENLY THE CAR JERKED AND BEGAN TO DECELERATE. AT THAT TIME MY SPEED WAS 40 MPH. THAT PART OF THE INTERSTATE IS PRETTY MUCH UPHILL, THAT'S WHY I WAS DRIVING AT A REDUCED SPEED. WHEN I PRESSED DOWN ON THE GAS PEDAL A LITTLE MORE THAT'S WHEN THE TRANSMISSION MALFUNCTION WARNING LIGHT APPEARED. I IMMEDIATELY PULLED OFF ONTO THE SHOULDER. I HAD MY CAR TOWED TO THE NEAREST BMW DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD A NEW TRANSMISSION WILL COST ME $7,776.45 EXCLUDING LABOR AND TAXES. IT'S BAFFLING THAT AN X5 WITH 73K MILES WOULD NEED A TRANSMISSION THAT SOON. *TR

I WAS DRIVING MY CAR UNDER NORMAL CONDITIONS, AROUND 40MPH AND ALL OF A SUDDEN I STARTED TO LOOSE THE POWER TO MY CAR TO THE POINT THAT IT SHUT DOWN IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD. I CALLED MY HUSBAND AND THERE WAS NOTHING WE COULD DO TO START THE CAR TO MOVE IT TO THE SIDE. IT HAD TO BE TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP TO RESET SOME ELECTRONICS AND WAS TOLD ITS A SAFETY ISSUE ON THE CAR. I ASKED THEM TO EXPLAIN TO ME WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF I WAS ON THE NEW JERSEY TURNPIKE OR STATEN ISLAND EXPRESSWAY OR ROUTE 17 IN NJ WHAT WOULD HAPPEN . NO EXPLANATION WELL I CAN EXPLAIN IT . I WOULD PROBABLY BE REAR ENDED AND CAUSE A PILE UP. I THINK THIS NEEDS TO BE LOOKED INTO. I WONDER HOW MANY TIMES THIS HAS HAPPENED AND THE ACCIDENTS IT HAS CAUSED. *TR

THE 2008 BMW X5 3.0I HAS MAJOR TRANSMISSION ISSUES WHICH SEVERELY AFFECTS THE THROTTLE RESPONSE TIME AND GEARS SLIPS OCCASIONALLY. WHILE DRIVING ON HIGH WAY VEHICLE WILL NOT RESPOND TO GAS PADDLE AND GEARS SLIP AND MAKE METAL NOISES. ALSO WHEN VEHICLE STARTS FROM A STOP, GEARS SLIP AND IT MOVES THE VEHICLE BACKWARD AS IF IT IS IN REVERSE 'R' GEAR AND YOU HAVE TO HIT BRAKES THEN IT WILL MOVE FORWARD WITH A SEVERE JERK. SIMILAR GEAR SLIPPING HAPPENS WHILE STOPPING THE VEHICLE. THE HESITATION AND GEAR SLIP ARE BIG SAFETY ISSUE AS VEHICLE WILL NOT MOVE FAST ENOUGH AS NEEDED (WHILE MERGING ON HIGHWAY RAMP OR CHANGING LANES) AND COULD GET IN TO A SIDE OR REAR COLLISION. SIMILARLY WHEN STARTING FROM STOP THE SUDDEN BACKWARD MOVEMENT COULD RESULT IN CRASH WITH VEHICLE MOVING BEHIND. THE DEALER SAID IT IS HAPPENS WITH X5 AS IT A HEAVY VEHICLE, WHICH NO BODY WOULD BUY AS A JUSTIFIABLE REASON FOR A PREMIUM LUXURY VEHICLE. THESE ISSUES HAPPEN EVERYDAY AND AFFECT THE SAFE OPERATION OF THE VEHICLE ON ROADS. THESE ISSUES SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED AND BMW SHOULD RECALL THE AFFECTED VEHICLES. *TR

CAR SURGES CONTINUOUSLY AFTER TAKING OFF FROM A RED LIGHT OR STOP SIGN. I HAVE HAD TO PULL OFF THE ROAD UNTIL IT STOPS. THIS IS A KNOWN DEFECT OF THIS AUTO. THIS HAPPENS EVERY DAY. IT IS SPORADIC. SEVERAL COMPLAINTS HAVE BEEN MADE, AND I HAVE BEEN TOLD BY BMW'S REPAIR DEPARTMENT THAT THEY KNOW OF NO SUCH PROBLEM, THEN THEY ADMITTED THEY DID KNOW OF THE PROBLEM, BUT IT WAS A "SOFTWARE" ISSUE AND NO DOWNLOAD WAS AVAILABLE FOR ME, AND THEN EVENTUALLY THE DEALERSHIP STOPPED RETURNING MY CALLS. *TR

THE X5 DOES NOT RESPONSE WELL TO THROTTLE INPUTS. HESITATION IS EXTREMELY PRONOUNCED AT ALL TIMES. THE HESITATION FEELS LIKE STALLING. NOT SURE IF THIS IS CAUSED BY THE ENGINE, TRANSMISSION, SOFTWARE OR SOME OTHER REASONS. THIS HAPPENS MOSTLY WHEN THE TRANSMISSION IS IN REGULAR "D" MODE BUT IT ALSO HAPPENS IN THE MANUAL MODE AT TIMES. PASSING AND MERGING IN HEAVY TRAFFIC SHOULD BE AVOIDED BECAUSE THE X5 COULD RECEIVE REAR-ENDED ACCIDENTS DUE TO THE SUDDEN HESITATION. HAD MANY NEAR-MISSES AND SUSPECT EVENTUALITY. *TR

THE GEAR SHIFTING/TRANSMISSION IN MY 2008 3.0 X5 IS AN ONGOING AND DANGEROUS PROBLEM FROM DAY 1. THE CAR DOES NOT ACCELERATE RELIABLY AND I HAVE HAD MANY NEAR COLLISIONS. I HAVE BEEN COMPLAINING TO BMW SERVICE (PORT CHESTER, NY) SINCE SEPT. 3 2008. I PURCHASED THE CAR NEW AT THE END OF MAY 2008. BMW SERVICE TOLD ME BMW USA WAS AWARE AND THERE WAS A "SOFTWARE UPDATE" COMING THE BEGINNING OF OCT WHICH SHOULD ADDRESS THIS PROBLEM. I CALLED THE SERVICE CENTER IN OCT AND WAS TOLD NO UPDATE WAS RELEASED YET. I CALLED BMW OF NORTH AMERICA ON OCT 6 AND WAS TOLD THAT THERE WAS A SYSTEM UPDATE RELEASED TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE AND THEY WOULD CONTACT THE SERVICE CENTER MANAGER. I LEFT SEVERAL MESSAGES BEFORE HE RETURNED MY CALL. THE UPDATE WAS INSTALLED ON OCT 14, 2008. THERE WAS ABSOLUTELY NO IMPROVEMENT TO THE HESITATION/STALLING. ON EACH SUBSEQUENT SERVICE VISIT I COMPLAINED OF THIS SAME ISSUE. EACH TIME THEY ACKNOWLEDGED THE PROBLEM. I HAD A TEST DRIVE WITH THE REPAIR FOREMAN WHO ADMITTED THAT BMW WAS WELL AWARE OF THIS ISSUE. IT WAS A NEW SYSTEM THAT WAS DESIGNED TO GET BETTER GAS MILEAGE AND WAS "REACTIVE" TO THE OWNERS DRIVING STYLE. IT WAS NOT WORKING AND THEY DID AWAY WITH IT FOR NEW VEHICLES. THE REPAIR FOREMAN HAS SEEN MANY 2008 3.0 X5'S WITH THIS PROBLEM. I WAS TOLD A SECOND UPDATE WAS COMING TO FIX THE PROBLEM. ON SEPT 28, 2009 THE UPDATE WAS DONE UPDATE, WHICH AGAIN DID NOTHING. I ADVISED BMW I WAS FILING A COMPLAINT WITH THIS AGENCY.WITHIN A FEW DAYS SOMEONE CALLED TO SAY THEY WOULD TAKE CARE OF THIS PROBLEM AND SERVICE MANAGER WOULD CALL. I NEVER HEARD FROM ANYONE AGAIN AT BMW SERVICE. I HAD A NEAR MISS ACCIDENT AGAIN. BMW IS HIDING THIS DANGEROUS PROBLEM FROM THE PUBLIC!! INTERESTINGLY, WHEN I COMPLAIN, BMW DOES NOT ENTER THE COMPLAINT INTO THEIR SYSTEM, BUT ALWAYS SAY THEY WILL LOOK INTO IT. ARE THEY HIDING THESE COMPLAINTS? PLEASE HELP ME BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE. THERE ARE MANY OTHERS WITH THIS PROBLEM. *TR

2002 X5 WOULD NOT GO INTO REVERSE. *TR

THERE IS A SIGNIFICANT PROBLEM WITH THE ENGINE/TRANSMISSIONS ON THE BMW X3 MODEL. I HAVE HAD A 2007 AND NOW A 2008, THE 2007 BOUGHT BACK BY BMW DUE TO MAJOR ISSUES. THE PROBLEM IS THAT THE TRANSMISSION IS NOT REACTIVE, AND CAUSES MAJOR HESITATION, DELAYED SHIFTING, AND AWKWARD RESPONSES FROM THE THROTTLE WHICH IS A SERIOUS ISSUE WHEN MERGING OR PASSING ETC. THE CAR DOES NOT GET UP TO SPEED, AND AT TIMES LITERALLY "CHOKES" WHICH CAN CAUSE AN ACCIDENT AS SOMEONE BEHIND YOU CAN JUST BEGIN TO ACCELERATE AND PLOW RIGHT INTO YOU. BMW HAS NO FIXES FOR THIS ISSUE AT THE MOMENT; OTHERS PER A BMW FORUM HAVE ALSO LET YOUR OFFICE KNOW ABOUT THIS PROBLEM. BMW BASICALLY DOES NOT CONSIDER IT A SAFETY ISSUES, BUT IT DEFINITELY IS. THIS OCCURS ALL THE TIME, AND THE MANUFACTURER SAYS THERE ARE NO ENGINE SOFTWARE UPDATES (LAST ONE DID NOTHING) TO RECTIFY THE ISSUES. THIS IS AN INHERENT DEFECT IN THE VEHICLE AND IT IS DANGEROUS. THIS SYSTEM DOES NOT LET YOU SELECT AN X3 MODEL. IT IS A BMW X3. *TR