2012 BMW X5 Complaint Log

I WAS REAR ENDED ON THE INTERSTATE AND PUSHED INTO A TRUCK IN FRONT OF ME ,BUT MY AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY . I STRUCK MY HEAD ON THE STEERING WHEEL. THERE IS SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE TO THE FRONT END OF THE CAR AND THE REAR END IS ALSO DAMAGED. THE AIR BAGS IN THE CAR THAT HIT ME DEPLOYED; AND THE TRUCK I HIT HAD AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. JUST WONDERING IF THERE ARE OTHER REPORTS OF PROBLEMS WITH BMW AIR BAGS NOT DEPLOYING ? *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 BMW X5. WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THE VEHICLE DECELERATED WHEN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. THE CONTACT HEARD AN ABNORMAL CLANK SOUND NEAR THE ENGINE, BUT THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE VEHICLE STALLED, BUT WAS ABLE TO BE RESTARTED. THE FAILURE LATER RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 38,000.

WHILE DRIVING AT 70 MPH ON THE FREEWAY, MY SUNROOF SPONTANEOUSLY SHATTERED INTO A MILLION PIECES. NO OTHER VEHICLES WERE AROUND AND NO FALLING DEBRIS WAS NEARBY. THE SUNROOF EXPLODED OUTWARD WITH A LOUD BANG, LIKE A GUNSHOT. GLASS RAINED DOWN INSIDE THE CAR AND MY PASSENGER AND I WERE CUT WHILE TRYING TO REMOVE PIECES OF GLASS FROM THE INTERIOR. *TR

SHORTLY AFTER STARTING THE CAR IT WENT INTO SAFE MODE WHEN I WAS ON A BUSY ROAD WITH A 55 MPH SPEED LIMIT WHICH WAS UNDER CONSTRUCTION AND REDUCED TO ONE LANE WITH NO SHOULDER OR PLACE TO SAFELY PULL OVER. THUS, I WAS IN A DANGEROUS SITUATION AND ALSO OBSTRUCTING TRAFFIC AND PUTTING OTHER DRIVERS AT RISK AS WELL. *TR

SAME THING AS LAST TIME. STARTED UP THE CAR, GOT IT OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY AND THE ENGINE FAILED. TRIED TO START IT AGAIN, THE ENGINE KEPT TURNING OVER AND FINALLY STARTED UP ENOUGH TO GO INTO THE TOW TRUCK. AT THE BMW DEALERSHIP AGAIN. *TR

DOOR LOCKED ITSELF WITH KEY INSIDE, AND CAN NOT OPEN. *TR

I TRIED TO START UP THE CAR, IT STARTED, I DROVE A FEW FEET, AND THEN FAILED. I RECEIVED A WARNING MESSAGE SAYING THAT THE ENGINE MALFUNCTIONED. I WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE PARKING LOT SO I MANAGED TO GET IT TO START AGAIN, IT BARELY MOVED, AND THEN FAILED AGAIN. ONE MORE TIME I WAS ABLE TO START IT AND GET IT INTO A PARKING SPACE. I TRIED TO START IT UP MULTIPLE TIMES AGAIN BUT NOTHING HAPPENED. I CALLED BMW TO HAVE IT TOWED. *TR

WHILE DRIVING THE FRONT WHEELS WILL AUTOMATICALLY FOLLOW A RUT IN THE ROAD CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO SWERVE UNEXPECTEDLY TO THE LEFT OR RIGHT. MY WIFE HAD RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS IN HER HANDS AND CANNOT DRIVE THE VEHICLE FOR FEAR OF AN ACCIDENT. WHEN WE TEST DROVE THE VEHICLE THE DEALER GAVE US A DIFFERENT MODEL WITHOUT THE AGGRESSIVE SUSPENSION - THE VEHICLE DRIVE BEAUTIFULLY. WHEN WE ARRIVED BACK AT THE DEALERSHIP THE DEALER HAD THIS MODEL ON THE FLOOR AND OFFERED US A "DEAL" TO PURCHASE IT. HOWEVER, THEY DID NOT MAKE US AWARE OF THE PROFOUND DIFFERENCE IN THE HANDLING. NOW AT 7000 MILES THE FRONT TIRES NEED TO BE REPLACED. DEALER SAYS WE MAY HAVE HIT A CURB. I SEARCHED ONLINE AND FOUND ANOTHER OWNER WHO COMPLAINED ABOUT THE SAME PROBLEM. ACCORDING TO HIS LETTER HE WAS ON THE WAY HOME AFTER PURCHASING THE VEHICLE AND IT "TOOK OFF ALL OVER THE ROAD." HE DROVE BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP TO ADVISE THEM THAT THE VEHICLE WAS DANGEROUS. HE FINALLY, WITH APPROXIMATELY 5000 MILES TRADED THE VEHICLE IN. WE ASKED THE DEALER IF THEY WOULD TRADE IT FOR THE MODEL WE TEST DROVE. THEY SAID BECAUSE IT WAS REGISTERED THEY WOULD ONLY GIVE US $45K. WE HAD JUST PAID $62K FOR IT. MY DAUGHTER RECENTLY BORROWED THE CAR, AND DECIDED IT WAS TOO UNSAFE TO DRIVE. THERE IS SOMETHING TERRIBLY WRONG WITH THE STEERING/SUSPENSION ON THE X5 SPORT ACTIVITY. PLEASE LOOK INTO TO IT. WE FEAR THAT WHEN DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY, WE WILL EVENTUALLY COLLIDE WITH A PASSING VEHICLE DUE THE PROBLEM. MY WIFE SIMPLY REFUSES TO DRIVE THE CAR CITING IT IS SIMPLY TOO DANGEROUS - SHE IS RIGHT! ON THE WEBSITE "TIRE RACK" THERE IS A DISPROPORTIONATE NUMBER OF X5 OWNERS WHO ARE FUMING ABOUT TIRE WEAR ON THE SUBJECT VEHICLE. MOST SEEM TO ACHIEVE NO MORE THAN 10K MILES. *TR

WHILE DRIVING AT ABOUT 45 MPH THE ENGINE SPUTTERED WITH A MESSAGE DISPLAYING "ENGINE MALFUNCTION" AND THE VEHICLE LOST POWER AND STALLED ALL HAPPENING WITHIN ABOUT 5 SECONDS. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TOWED TO THE BMW DEALERSHIP. WE WERE ADVISED BY THEIR MASTER TECHNICIAN THAT THE FUEL PRESSURE RAIL SENSOR WAS DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED (DIAG CODE: D1350_00000000_04_02 AND FAULT 48A9 & 3F31). WE ASKED HIM IF THIS COULD SOMEHOW BE PREVENTED AND HE REPLIED "NO" AND WENT ON TO SAY THAT HE HAS NEVER HEARD OF THIS HAPPENING BEFORE. HIS COMMENT WAS TROUBLING TO US, SINCE WE JUST GOT DONE DRIVING ABOUT SIX HOURS ON THE FREEWAY WHEN THIS INCIDENT HAPPENED NEAR OUR HOME. WHAT IF THIS HAPPENED ON THE FREEWAY? I PROBABLY WOULD NOT BE HERE FILING THIS COMPLAINT! PLEASE INVESTIGATE SO THAT THIS CAN BE PREVENTED FROM OTHERS EXPERIENCING THIS TRAUMA. *TR

ENGINE STALLED. I WAS AT A STOP SIGN. THE ENGINE WAS RUNNING, WHEN GREEN SIGNAL CAME ON, STARTED TO MOVE THE CAR, BUT INSTEAD OF GAINING SPEED WITH ACCELERATION, THE ENGINE STALLED WITH WARNING SIGN STATING "ENGINE MALFUNCTION, FUNCTIONING WITH REDUCED POWER". THE VEHICLE WAS NOT ACCELERATING, INSTEAD WAS STALLING AND MOVING VERY SLOWLY AT LESS THAN 10 MILES PER HOUR SPEED AND DID NOT GAIN ANY MOMENTUM EVEN AFTER FULL THROTTLE APPLIED. BEING A LOW TRAFFIC ROAD, I WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER TO THE RIGHT MOST LANE; BUT IT WAS A TERRIFYING EXPERIENCE AS THE VEHICLE WAS STALLING AT THE INTERSECTION AND WAS MOVING INCH BY INCH. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER, WHO CHECKED EVERYTHING AND SAID EVERYTHING WAS ALRIGHT. I ALSO QUESTIONED HIM, WHETHER THE EVENT WAS RECORDED IN THE VEHICLE COMPUTER INFO; BUT HE SAID NOTHING WAS RECORDED. I CHECKED ONLINE FORUMS AND FOUND SO MANY PEOPLE HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM MULTIPLE TIMES AND EVEN AFTER MULTIPLE SERVICES, MOST OF THE PEOPLE CONTINUED TO HAVE THIS SAME PROBLEM. THIS IS A MAJOR ISSUE, AS COUPLE OF CUSTOMERS HAVE EVEN SAID, THEIR VEHICLES STALLED ON THE FREEWAY. I REQUEST YOUR ORGANIZATION TO LOOK INTO THIS. THANK YOU. *TR

TAKATA RECALL I WAS NOTIFIED THAT THE AIRBAG SHOULD BE REPLACED IN EARLY FEBRUARY, BUT NO ACTION HAS YET BEEN TAKEN, AS OF 26 AUGUST.

DURING NORMAL OPERATION OF VEHICLE AT 70 MPH VEHICLE ABRUPTLY SLOWS DOWN BELOW 45 MPH, IN THE DASH " ENGINE MALFUNCTION, ENGINE OPERATING AT REDUCED OUTPUT. POSSIBLE TO CONTINUE. DRIVE WITH CAUTION. HAVE THE SYSTEM CHECKED BY THE NEAREST BMW CENTER" WARNING COMES ON THE DISPLAY. UNSAFE TO DRIVE CAR ON HIGHWAY BECAUSE AT ANYTIME CAR CAN SLOW DOWN ON ITS OWN. *TR

I WISH THIS COMPLAINT TO BE MADE PUBLIC. THIS VEHICLE HAS HAD VALVETRONIC MOTOR COMPONENTS REPLACED THREE TIMES, 5/2012, 10/2013 AND 1/2015. IN THE FIRST 34 MONTHS OF OWNERSHIP, IT SPENT ABOUT 60+ DAYS IN SERVICE UNDER WARRANTY. THE VEHICLE NOW HAS LESS THAN 29500 MILES ON IT. I REQUESTED THAT BMW TAKE THIS CAR BACK AS AN EARLY LEASE RETURN, AND ALLOW ME TO SKIP THE LAST TWO MONTHS OF LEASE PAYMENTS. BMW DENIED MY REQUEST. THE MOST RECENT INCIDENT HAPPENED ON 12/23/2014. WHILE DRIVING 65MPH IN THE DARK, POURING DOWN RAIN OF RUSH HOUR MORNING COMMUTE, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, AND SAID "MAY BE OPERATING UNDER REDUCED POWER." THE CAR QUICKLY LOST POWER, AND COULD ONLY DO 25 MPH AS I TRIED TO SAFELY NAVIGATE MYSELF OFF OF THE HIGHWAY AS I RAPIDLY DECELERATED. ON THE SERVICE TICKET I WAS GIVEN AT THE DEALERSHIP ON 1/20/2015 WHEN THE REPAIR WAS COMPLETED, IT SAYS: "FAULTY VVT MOTOR AND ECCENTRIC SHAFT MECHANICAL TOLERANCES. FOLLOWED AND COMPLETED SIB 12 14 10. REPLACED ECCENTRIC SHAFT WITH ECCENTRIC SHAFT MOTOR. CLEARED FAULTS AND COMPLETED. DURING REPAIR CRANK CASE VENT PIPE CAME APART DUE TO BRITTLE MATERIAL. ALSO WHEN REFITTING UPPER RIGHT MICRO FILTER/ENGINE COWL TRIMMING CAME APART DUE TO BRITTLE MATERIAL." UNFORTUNATELY, THIS CAR IS A LEASE, AND I AM CONCERNED THAT BMW WILL SELL THIS CAR TO SOMEONE ELSE. IT IS A SAFETY HAZARD. I HAVE REFUSED TO DRIVE THIS VEHICLE OFF THE DEALER'S LOT, AND HAVE LEFT IT PARKED THERE SO I MAY START THE LEASE RETURN ASAP. I HAVE A MORAL OBLIGATION TO KEEP OTHERS SAFE, AND WILL POST UPDATED SERVICE RECORD INFORMATION TO THE CARFAX REPORT FOR THIS VIN. BMW SHOULD BE FORCED TO ANSWER TO THIS PROBLEM. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 BMW X5. WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH, THE ENGINE MALFUNCTION LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THE WARNING MESSAGE ENGINE MALFUNCTION REDUCED ENGINE POWER DISPLAYED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL AND THE ENGINE POWERED DOWN. THE VEHICLE WAS MERGED OFF THE FREEWAY AND DRIVEN TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE. THE FAILURE RECURRED MULTIPLE TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE OR DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 900.

THE VEHICLE SPORADICALLY SUFFERS FROM ENGINE FAILURE WHEN EXECUTING A SHARP TURN. THIS HAS HAPPENED SO FAR ON THREE SEPARATE AND DISTINCT INSTANCES DURING ITS FIRST 1,000 MILES OF SERVICE, UNDER THE OPERATION OF TWO DIFFERENT DRIVERS, WITH SEVERAL PASSENGER WITNESSES ON ONE OCCASION. WHEN THESE FAILURES HAPPEN, THE VEHICLE ENGINE STALLS OR OTHERWISE SHUTS ITSELF OFF, WHICH LEADS TO LOSS OF POWER STEERING IN MID-TURN AND LOSS OF BRAKING. THE ONLY WAY TO RECOVER CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE IS TO LET IT COAST TO A STOP, THEN PUT THE VEHICLE IN PARK, THEN PUSH THE IGNITION BUTTON TO RE-START THE CAR. *TR

CAR SUFFERS FROM TERRIBLE HESITATION UPON ACCELERATION FROM A ROLLING STOP. DESCRIBED AS TIP-IN ON DISCUSSION WEBSITES. I NOTE MANY HAVE COMPLAINED OF THIS IN VARIOUS BMW MODELS AND BMW DOES NOT ADMIT THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM. IT IS A SIGNIFICANT SAFETY ISSUE. *TR

I LEASED MY 2012 BMW X5 35I IN MAY 2011. I WAS DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE WITH 2 TODDLERS AT AROUND 65 MPH, WHEN THE CAR SUDDENLY LOST POWER AND THE MESSAGE DISPLAYED "ENGINE MALFUNCTION, REDUCED POWER". I PULLED OVER ON THE SHOULDER, AND TRIED TO RE-START THE CAR, BUT IT WON'T START. WHEN IT DID START AFTER MULTIPLE ATTEMPTS, THE CAR SHOOK VIGOROUSLY AND THEN TURNED OFF. I INITIATED THE SOS CALL VIA THE BMW ASSIST FEATURE IN THE CAR. FOR SOME REASON, THE CALL FAILED MULTIPLE TIMES, AND THE DATA COULD NOT BE TRANSFERRED. WHEN THE CALL DID GO THROUGH, THE CAR COULD NOT SEND MY EXACT COORDINATES TO THE REPS TO HELP ME GET A TOW TRUCK. AFTER TRYING FOR ABOUT 30 MIN TO GET HELP FROM THE BMW ASSIST, I TRIED TO RESTART THE CAR, WHICH STARTED NORMALLY AS IF NOTHING EVER HAPPENED. THE IN-BUILT DIAGNOSIS SAID "ALL SYSTEMS OK". I GOT ON THE INTERSTATE, AND AS I REACHED AROUND 60 MPH, THE ENGINE STALLED AGAIN WITH THE SAME MESSAGE "ENGINE MALFUNCTION ...". FOR THE NEXT 1.5 HOURS, I TRIED TO CALL THE BMW ASSIST OVER MY PHONE TO GET HELP. THE SAID THE TOW TRUCK SHOULD COME IN THE NEXT HOUR. FOR ABOUT 2 HOURS, THE 2 TODDLERS AND 3 ADULTS WERE SITTING BY THE INTERSTATE. WHEN THE TOW TRUCK DID NOT SHOW UP, I CALLED THE BMW ASSIST REPS AGAIN, TO BE TOLD THAT THE TRUCK SHALL TAKE ANOTHER 45 MINUTES TO REACH US. I THEN CALLED MY FRIEND TO TAKE EVERYBODY HOME, AND I STAYED WITH THE CAR. I THEN TRIED TO DRIVE AT ABOUT 40 MPH AND TAKE THE CAR TO THE DEALER, ONLY TO BE PULLED OVER BY THE HIGHWAY PATROL. HE SAID I WAS VIOLATING THE LAW BY DRIVING AT 40 MPH IN A 70 MPH ZONE. I THEN CALLED MY INSURANCE COMPANY TO GET A TOW TRUCK, WHICH ARRIVED IN 30 MIN. THE NEXT DAY MY WIFE TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER, AND THE REPORT SHEET THEY PROVIDED SAID THAT THE HIGH PRESSURE PUMP WAS FAULTY, AND THAT THEY HAVE REPLACED IT. I AM YET TO TAKE MY CAR ON THE INTERSTATE TO CHECK THE PERFORMANCE AT 65 MPH. *TT

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 BMW X5. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ENGINE ROMS WOULD FLUCTUATE REPEATEDLY AS THE VEHICLE WOULD ATTEMPT TO STALL. THE DUAL EXHAUST SYSTEM FAILED AND ONLY THE DRIVER'S SIDE EXHAUST WAS OPERABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER SEVERAL TIMES AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THERE WERE NO FAILURE WITHIN THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 5 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 7,500.

TAKATA RECALL. RECEIVED RECALL NOTICE MARCH 2016. CALLED TODAY TO CHECK ON REPLACEMENT. WAS TOLD I HAD TO REQUEST REPLACEMENT. RECEIVED CALL BACK TO TELL ME THE REPLACEMENTS WILL COME IN 3 MONTHS. KEEP RECEIVING OFFERS TO TRADE IN. ARE THEY REPLACING AIRBAGS IN TRADE-INS BEFORE THOSE NOT TRADED IN? THE WAIT IS EXCESSIVE. *TR