2011 Bmw X3 SAV: complaints, problems and recalls

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 BMW X3. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE TRAVELING 25 MPH, THE STEERING CONTROL MALFUNCTION LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THE POWER STEERING ASSIST FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE UNKNOWN REPAIRS WERE PERFORMED. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE FAILURE WAS EXPERIENCED MULTIPLE TIMES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 25,000.

Owner-reported narrative. 25,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10585849 at NHTSA ↗

VEHICLE IS PARKED ON DRIVEWAY THE ENGINE STARTED . DRIVETRAIN MALFUNCTION SHOWS WITH CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON. ENGINE STARTS BUT CAN NOT PUT IT DRIVE OR REVERSE

Owner-reported narrative. 49,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10876485 at NHTSA ↗

I FEEL THIS VEHICLE IS UNSAFE DUE TO THE CONFIGURATION OF THE GEARSHIFT WHICH IS ELECTRONIC. I HAVE BEEN DRIVING FOR 50 YEARS AND EVERY CAR OR TRUCK I HAVE OWNED OR DRIVEN THE SHIFT LEVER WHEN PUSHED FORWARD ON THE CENTER CONSOLE OR UP ON THE COLUMN GOES INTO PARK. IN THIS BMW WHEN YOU PUSH THE SHIFT LEVEL ALL THE WAY FORWARD THE VEHICLE IS IN REVERSE NOT PARK, A SEPARATE BUTTON MUST BE PUSHED TO ELECTRONICALLY PUT THE VEHICLE IN PARK.I BELIEVE THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD TO BOTH THE DRIVER (WHO CAN THINK THE VEHICLE IS IN PARK AS I HAVE ON SEVERAL…

Owner-reported narrative. 82,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10887535 at NHTSA ↗

BMW'S USE ELECTRIC WATER PUMPS COMPARED TO MOSTLY BELT DRIVEN PUMPS USED BY OTHER MANUFACTURES. IN THE BMW COMMUNITY IT IS WIDELY KNOW THAT THE PUMPS WILL FAIL AFTER 60,000 MILES, AND SOME EVEN SOONER. BMW KNOWS ABOUT THIS ISSUE AND HAS IN FACT CHANGED THE DESIGN AND THE VENDOR SUPPLIER FOR THIS PART. THE COMPANY SHOULD VOLUNTARILY RECALL ALL VEHICLES THAT HAVE THE FAULTY PUMP DESIGN AND REIMBURSE THOSE WHO HAVE HAD TO CHANGE IT OUT OF WARRANTY ON THEIR OWN EXPENSE. BMW HAS NOT TAKEN ANY RESPONSIBILITY BUT ITS A SAFETY ISSUE AS ONE CAN LOOSE…

Owner-reported narrative. 67,700 miles reported. Look up ODI 10940309 at NHTSA ↗

VEHICLES HAVE BEEN EQUIPPED WITH LOWER ANCHOR BARS FOR USE IN ATTACHING CHILD RESTRAINT SYSTEMS WHICH, IF SPECIFICALLY USED WITH EUROPEAN-ISOFIX-TYPE RIGID-STYLE CONNECTOR CHILD RESTRAINT SYSTEMS, COULD BECOME DAMAGED DURING VEHICLE OPERATION. IF THE LOWER ANCHOR BAR(S) BECOME DAMAGED DURING VEHICLE OPERATION, THIS WOULD INCREASE THE RISK OF INJURY TO A CHILD IN A CHILD RESTRAINT SYSTEM ATTACHED TO THE LOWER ANCHOR BARS IN A CRASH. A REINFORCING BRACKET WILL BE WELDED TO THE LOWER ANCHOR BARS AND THE VEHICLE BODY.

Owner-reported narrative. 60,900 miles reported. Look up ODI 10946280 at NHTSA ↗

AS TEMPERATURE GAUGE RISES ABOVE FIRST HASH MARK A WARNING COMES ON THE SCREEN CAR RUNNING HOT DRIVE SLOW AND GET SERVICED. ONCE TEMP REACHES BEFORE THE MID-POINT WHICH IS 250 SO AT ABOUT 230 TO 240 DEGREES THE CAR LOOSES ALL POWER. PUTTING THE PEDAL TO THE FLOOR IT DOWN SHIFTS ENGINE RACES AND CAR GOES NO WHERE SLOWS DOWN TO 10 MPH THIS IS REALLY DANGEROUS WHEN THERE IS NOWHERE TO PULL OVER IN TRAFFIC. CAR SHOULD NOT BE PROGRAMMED TO CUT POWER IN THIS CONDITION HAD MY WIFE ALL FREAKED OUT.

Owner-reported narrative. 80,120 miles reported. Look up ODI 10970843 at NHTSA ↗

IN THE SUMMER OF 2014, THE PANORAMIC MOON ROOF EXPLODED FOR NO REASON. WHILE DRIVING TO WORK, WITH THE MOON ROOF SHADE CLOSED,THERE WAS A VERY LOUD "BANG". AFTER SAFELY PULLING TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, AN INSPECTION REVEALED NO EVIDENT DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE. AFTER PULLING INTO THE LOT AT WORK, A "RAINING' SOUND WAS COMING FROM THE ROOF. AS SOON AS THE SHADE WAS OPENED, SHATTERED GLASS FELL INTO THE CAB OF THE CAR. AN INTERNET SEARCH REVEALED THAT THIS WAS NOT AN ISOLATED CASE. IT WAS DRIVEN TO THE DEALER AND THE REPAIR WAS DONE A…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11056921 at NHTSA ↗

TAKATA RECALL: THE DEALER HAD FAILED TO OBTAIN THE PART OR PARTS NECESSARY TO FIX THE AIRBAGS PROBLEM FOR MORE THAN SIX MONTHS ALREADY SINCE THEY CLAIMED HAD ORDERED THE PARTS. I CALLED BACK, MADE APPOINTMENT, CONFIRMED APPOINTMENT AND WHEN I WENT BACK TO DEALER, THEY SAID THEY DID NOT HAVE THE PART. THEY SAID THEY WERE ORDERING IT AND WILL CALL ME BACK. WEEKS HAD PASSED AND I HAVE NOT HEARD FROM THE DEALER ABOUT THIS ISSUE. I WOULD NOT WANT TO WAIT UNTIL AN ACCIDENT HAPPENS AND THEN IT WOULD BE TOO LATE.

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11082458 at NHTSA ↗

Reported: 2014-04-10 (April 10, 2014)

BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain model year 2010-2011 128i Coupe, 128i Convertible, 328i Sedan, 328i xDrive Sedan, 328i Coupe, 328i Convertible, 328i Sports Wagon and Z4 sDrive 30i, 2011-2012 135i Coupe, 135i Convertible, 335i Sedan, X5 xDrive 35i, and X6 xDrive 35i, 2011 335i xDrive Sedan, 335i Coupe, 335i Convertible, 528i Sedan, 535i Sedan, 535i xDrive Sedan, X3 xDrive 28i, and X3 xDrive 35i, 2010 X3 xDrive 30i, and X5 xDrive 30i, 2012 640i Coupe, and 640i Convertible and 2010-2012 535i Gran Turismo vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the bolts that secure the housing for the variable camshaft timing adjustment (VANOS) unit can loosen over time and may possibly break.

Consequence: If the bolts loosen or break the engine may have reduced power or stall. An engine stall increases the risk of a crash.

Remedy: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the four VANOS housing bolts for both VANOS units (intake and exhaust), free of charge. In addition, owners of approximately 170,172 model year 2010-2012 BMW vehicles equipped with inline 6 cylinder engines not covered by this recall, will receive an extended warranty to address this condition. The recall began on September 24, 2014. Owners may contact BMW at 1-800-525-7417.