2006 BMW 5 Series Electrical System

The contact owns a 2006 BMW 525xi. The contact stated while driving 50 MPH, the contact smelled the odor of burning coming from the vehicle, and the contact noticed smoke coming from the trunk of the vehicle. The contact pulled over and notice that smoking was coming from the battery. The contact was able to stop the smoke. The vehicle would not restart, and the vehicle was towed to the contact's home. The vehicle was not diagnosed. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 154,000.

The contact owns a 2006 BMW 530i. The contact stated that the battery drained quickly, which caused the contact to frequently replace the battery. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic however, the mechanic could not duplicate the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000.

CAR SHUT OFF MIDDLE OF HIGHWAY VERY DANGEROUS AND DEADLY ALL BECAUSE KEY LOST CODE...HOW IF IT'S IN THE IGNITION AND I'VE BEEN DRIVING OVER SEVERAL MILES

BECAUSE OF POOR QUALITY OF FIBER OPTICS WIRING USED ON THE HEADLIGHT THEY TEND DRY ROT RESULTING IN A BURNT OUT HEADLIGHT. WHICH CAN BECOME A SAFETY HAZARD.

MY BMW WAS PARKED OUTSIDE A RESTAURANT IN OVERLAND PARK, KS, AT LUNCH TIME ON MARCH 7, 2017. AUTO WAS LOCKED AND ALL WINDOWS AND SKYLIGHT WERE CLOSED. WHEN I RETURNED TO MY CAR AFTER LUNCH, THE CAR WAS UNLOCKED AND ALL WINDOWS AND SKYLIGHT WERE OPEN. THE KEY WAS IN MY PURSE AND WAS UNTOUCHED. POSSIBLE THEFT ATTEMPT?

SPEEDOMETER, OTHER ELECTRONIC AND SOUND INDICATORS, AND RADIO RANDOMLY TURN OFF AND ON WHILE DRIVING. AFTER TAKING IT TO SEVERAL AUTO REPAIR SHOPS, A CORRODED COMPUTER COMPONENT UNDER THE SPARE TIRE WAS FOUND TO BE CORRODED DUE TO WATER INTRUSION. REPLACING THE PART MADE THE PROBLEM MOSTLY GO AWAY, BUT OCCASIONALLY GET ENGINE AND COOLANT PROBLEM INDICATORS.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 BMW 525XI. WHILE DRIVING, THE CONTACT NOTICED AN ODOR OF BURNING RUBBER AND THE ALTERNATOR WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. ALSO, THE POWER FAILED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE WAS NOT ABLE TO START WITHOUT RECEIVING A JUMP. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A CERTIFIED MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE WIRES CONNECTED TO THE BATTERY WERE BURNED. THE CONTACT STATED THEY WOULD TAKE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER TO RECEIVE AN OFFICIAL DIAGNOSTIC TEST. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 140,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 BMW 530XI. THE CONTACT STATED THAT SMOKE EMITTED INTO THE VEHICLE FROM THE REAR WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO PULL THE VEHICLE OVER AND NOTICED FLAMES COMING FROM THE TRUNK OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO EXTINGUISH THE FLAMES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 12V126000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS NOT AVAILABLE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.

MCM BURNED UP GOT WET AND STANK UP WHOLE TRUNK BECAUSE OF DESIGN FLAW BY BMW WE WERE DRIVING AS IT BURNED UP TILL WE HAD TO PULL OVER BECAUSE OF THE AWFUL SMELL

DEFECTIVE ELV STEERING LOCK PREVENTS THE CAR FROM STARTING. THE LOCK CAN'T BE DISABLED. THIS SHOULD BE A RECALL. THE LOCK IS UNNNECSSARY FOR SAFE OPERATION OF THE VEHICLE. THE LOCK CAN'T BE DISABLED. AT THE VERY LEAST, THE OWNER SHOULD BE ABLE TO DISABLE IT.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 BMW 525I. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE MICRO POWER MODULE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. IN ADDITION, THE TECHNICIAN DISCOVERED THAT THE MICRO POWER MODULE WIRES WERE MELTED AND BURNED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 139,000.

SINCE 2011, I HAVE NEEDED TO HAVE MY, 2006 BMW 530XI, VEHICLE SERVICED. SERVICED FOR TRUNK LEAKAGE, BATTERY CABLE REPLACEMENT, SUNROOF/MOONROOF NON-DRAINAGE ISSUES AND PASSENGER AIRBAG SENSOR ISSUES. I HAVE PAID PERHAPS THREE - TO FIVE THOUSAND DOLLARS FOR ALLEGED REPAIRS. NONE OF THOSE REPAIRS WERE PERMANENT AND THE ISSUES CONTINUED ON/OFF UNTIL 5/10/14. ON THAT DAY/DATE I DROVE THE CAR SEVERAL HOURS SHOPPING AND PREPARING FOR MOTHER'S DAY. WHEN I STOPPED THE ENGINE IN MY DRIVEWAY THE CAR SHUT OFF BUT I COULD NOT REMOVE THE KEY FOB FROM THE IGNITION. THERE WAS NO POWER THROUGHOUT THE VEHICLE, E.G. NO DASH LIGHTING, NO INTERNAL LIGHTING, NO ALARM LIGHT FLASHING AND NO ABILITY TO LOCK DOORS OR OPEN THE TRUNK. NEITHER BMW-N.A. NOR DEALERSHIP ACCEPT ANY RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE WATER LEAKAGE OR OTHER REPAIR ISSUES, EVEN THOUGH SOME MANUFACTURER RECALLS WERE ANNOUNCED TO THE PUBLIC FOR THESE ISSUES, THOSE WERE SAID TO ME TO BE ONLY FOR SPECIFIED VIN NUMBERED VEHICLES AND NOT MINE. I WOULD LIKE TO PARTICIPATE IN A CLASS ACTION AGAINST BMW FOR THESE ISSUES AND I HAVE SAVED ALL MY REPAIR RECEIPTS TO VALIDATE MY VEHICLE PROBLEMS. *TR

WHEN I STARTED MY CAR THE IDRIVE DISPLAYED THE "INCREASED BATTERY DISCHARGE" MESSAGE. I THEN SMELLED A STRONG ODOR OF SMOKE AND MELTED PLASTIC, AND THE IDRIVE STOPPED WORKING ALTOGETHER. I COULDN'T FIGURE OUT THE PROBLEM UNTIL I SEARCHED THIS WEBSITE AND SEVERAL BMW DEVOTED MESSAGE BOARDS TO DISCOVER THAT THE PROBLEM COULD BE TRACED TO A DEFECTIVE DESIGN RELATED TO THE MICRO PROCESSOR MODULE THAT CONTROLS THE IDRIVE. APPARENTLY, BMW THOUGHT IT WAS A GOOD IDEA TO INSTALL THE MPM, AN IMPORTANT AND SENSITIVE ELECTRICAL COMPONENT, IN THE SPARE TIRE WHEEL-WELL WHERE LIQUID CAN GATHER EASILY. A SMALL AMOUNT OF WATER SPILLED IN MY TRUNK, AND THE MPM BURNED AND MELTED ALONG WITH THE ATTACHED WIRING HARNESS. OBVIOUSLY, THIS IS A SERIOUS AND DANGEROUS DESIGN DEFECT. AND MINE IS NOT THE FIRST INSTANCE OF THIS HAPPENING - WHY HASN'T A RECALL BEEN REQUIRED? IT ALSO SEEMS THAT BMW ISSUED AT LEAST ONE SERVICE BULLETIN REGARDING THIS ISSUE, AND DIRECTED ITS DEALERS TO RELOCATE THE MPM TO A SAFER LOCATION. MY VEHICLE HAS BEEN TO THE DEALER SEVERAL TIMES SINCE THE BULLETIN WAS ISSUED - AT LEAST TWICE FOR PROBLEMS WITH THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM - BUT THE DEALER NEVER MENTIONED THE BULLETIN OR SUGGESTED THAT THEY SHOULD RELOCATE IT. *TR

IN THE EARLIER PART OF THE YEAR, I NOTICED THE BATTERY CABLE (LOCATED IN THE TRUNK OF MY CAR) WAS VERY HOT TO THE TOUCH AND BEGAN CHARRING. I CALLED THE LOCAL BMW SERVICE CENTER BECAUSE I READ OF OTHER CONSUMERS HAVING THE SAME ISSUE (ARTICLE IN CONSUMER REPORTS, THE NEW YORK TIMES AND MSNBC.COM. EACH ARTICLE STATED BMW WOULD BE ISSUING A RECALL. I CALLED THE LOCAL BMW DEALER SERVICE CENTER AND MY CONSULTANT TOLD ME THERE WAS NOT A RECALL CAMPAIGN FOR THAT ISSUE WITH MY CAR. ON, 9/14/14 THE CAR STARTED GIVING ELECTRONIC ERRORS AND ACTING LIKE IT WAS GOING TO STALL OUT ON THE INTERSTATE AND WE WERE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 70MPH. I HAD THE CAR TOWED INTO BMW OF NASHVILLE'S SERVICE CENTER ON 9/14/14 AND WAS INFORMED THAT I WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR PAYING FOR THE CHARGES TO REPLACE THE CABLES AND THEY KNOW IT IS A KNOWN DEFECT THAT EFFECTED MILLIONS OF CARS. PLEASE INVESTIGATE THIS ISSUE. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 BMW 530XI. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS WHERE THE POWER SUPPLY AND BATTERY WERE REPLACED. AFTER THE REPAIR WAS PERFORMED, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE INSTRUMENT PANEL AND OTHER GAUGES BECAME INOPERATIVE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED FOR THE MOST RECENT FAILURES. THE MANUFACTURER ISSUED A RECALL FOR THE 2007-2011 MODEL YEAR VEHICLES UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 13V044000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) BUT NOT FOR THE 2006 MODEL. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 BMW 5 SERIES. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BATTERY FAILED TWICE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO REPLACED THE BATTERY UNDER WARRANTY. THE FAILURE RECURRED WITHIN ONE MONTH. THE CONTACT REPLACED THE BATTERY AND DID NOT NOTIFY THE DEALER OR THE MANUFACTURER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 40,000 AND THE CURRENT 40,936.

ON FEB. 21, 2011 THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM SHOWED A MASSIVE MALFUNCTION WARNING ON MY 2006 BMW 530XI. THE CAR COMPUTER INSTRUCTED ME TO DISCONTINUE DRIVING IMMEDIATELY AND BRING MY CAR TO THE CLOSEST DEALER. I BROUGHT THE CAR TO THE DEALER. IT WAS DETERMINED THE SUNROOF CASSETTE WAS FAULTY AND WATER FROM RECENT RAINS LEAKED THROUGH THE SUNROOF (IN CLOSED POSITION) RAN DOWN DRAIN LINES INTO MY BATTERY COMPARTMENT. WATER CAUSED MAJOR DAMAGE OF ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, MODULES, BATTERY ETC. BMW TOLD ME THE REPAIRS, INCLUDING A NEEDED SUNROOF CASSETTE WOULD TOTAL $23000.00. BMW ADMITTED THE SUNROOF CASSETTE WAS FAULTY, BUT SAID I WAS OUT OF WARRANTY AND IT WOULD BE MY RESPONSIBILITY TO REPAIR. I DID RESEARCH AND FOUND 3 INTERNAL SERVICE BULLETINS FROM BMW, SI B 61 13 06, SI B 54 02 08 AND SI B54 04 09 WHICH ADDRESSED THIS ISSUE WHILE MY CAR WAS UNDER WARRANTY- THESE SERVICE BULLETINS WERE NOT PERFORMED ON MY CAR. I ALSO HAVE SEEN MANY, MANY OF THIS SAME ISSUE ON BMW MESSAGE BOARDS. THIS COULD HAVE BEEN A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION, AND I FEEL BMW SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS REPAIR. PLEASE HELP. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 BMW M5. WHILE DRIVING BETWEEN 35-40 MPH THE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE. THE VEHICLE HAD A HISTORY OF ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS SINCE THE DAY OF PURCHASE. DURING THE FIRE, THE VEHICLE LOST THE ABILITY TO BRAKE. HE HAD TO USE THE EMERGENCY BRAKE TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT EXTINGUISHED THE FLAMES. THE VEHICLE WAS COMPLETELY DESTROYED. HE SUFFERED MINOR BURNS ON HIS HANDS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 40,000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 BMW 525I. WHILE DRIVING BETWEEN 25-30 AND 60-65 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLS. THE ENTIRE I-DRIVE (COMPUTER SYSTEM) FREEZES AND THE VEHICLE HAS TO BE PULLED OVER AND RESTARTED. CURRENTLY, THE STALLING OCCURS WEEKLY, WHEREAS INITIALLY, IT OCCURRED EVERY FEW MONTHS. THE DEALER KEEPS THE VEHICLE FOR AT LEAST THREE DAYS EACH TIME THE FAILURE OCCURS. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN TO THE DEALER FIVE TIMES AND THEY HAVE INSTALLED NEW SOFTWARE. HOWEVER, AFTER A MONTH, THE FAILURE RECURS. THE PURCHASE DATE WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 51,574.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 BMW 525XI. WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, THE LIGHTS ON THE DASHBOARD ILLUMINATED AND THE VEHICLE DECELERATED TO 10 MPH. THE VEHICLE WAS UNABLE TO DRIVE OVER 10 MPH. THE DEALER STATED THAT THERE WAS WATER ON THE PASSENGER FLOOR OF THE VEHICLE, WHICH DAMAGED ALL OF THE WIRING AND SENSORS. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE WHERE THE WATER ORIGINATED, BUT SUGGESTED THAT IT MAY HAVE ENTERED THROUGH AN OPEN WINDOW WHILE IT WAS RAINING. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 13,859.