2014 BMW 650i Problems & Complaints

The contact owns a 2014 BMW 650I. The contact stated that the front driver's side door failed to open as needed. The contact stated that the central locking system and key failed to unlock the doors. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact had to exit the vehicle through the front passenger’s side door. Additionally, both doors became inoperable. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the fuse was faulty. The number 14 and 15 fuses were blown. The fuses were replaced, and the vehicle repaired, but the failure recurred. The vehicle was taken back to the local dealer, who informed him that additional diagnostic testing was needed. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and referred to the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 99,465.

REGULARLY, PERHAPS EVERY 2 MONTHS, MY CAR'S AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING SYSTEM WILL ACTIVATE WITHOUT CAUSE. IT HAS ALWAYS HAPPENED ON A HIGHWAY AND IT SEEMS TO BE RELATED TO WHEN I PASS A LARGE TRUCK. THE SYSTEM WILL TRIGGER, CAUSING A BEEPING NOISE AND AN IMAGE OF A CAR TO SHOW UP IN THE HEADS-UP DISPLAY. ABOUT HALF THE TIME, THE BRAKES WILL BE APPLIED VERY HARD. THIS SITUATION ONLY LASTS FOR PERHAPS A SECOND OR TWO AND THEN DISAPPEARS. THERE IS NEVER A CAR IN FRONT OF ME SO THERE IS NO THREAT AND NO REASON FOR THE SYSTEM TO TRIGGER. AS I MENTIONED, IT SEEMS LIKE THIS FALSE (OR PHANTOM) TRIGGER COINCIDES WITH PASSING A LARGE TRUCK. PART OF MY FRUSTRATION WITH THIS IS THAT WHEN I SPEAK WITH BMW SERVICE, THEY SAY THEY ARE UNAWARE OF ANY SUCH ISSUES WITH THE SYSTEM BUT THAT I'M WELCOME TO HAVE THEM REVIEW IT FOR SEVERAL HUNDRED DOLLARS. SINCE I'M NOT CONFIDENT THAT THE MECHANICS AT MY LOCAL DEALER CAN OR WILL FIND ANY ISSUES WITH THE SYSTEM I DON'T WANT TO SIMPLY THROW AWAY THIS MONEY. I'M ENTHUSIASTIC ABOUT THESE NEW SAFETY SYSTEMS BUT THE MANUFACTURERS SHOULD SUPPORT THEM FOR PERHAPS 10 YEARS. THEY SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO INVESTIGATE FALSE TRIGGERS AND ALSO TO ANNUALLY CHECK THE SYSTEM IS WORKING RELIABLY. WITHOUT THIS, PEOPLE WILL BEGIN TO TURN THESE SYSTEMS OFF AS THEY BEGIN TO FEAR THEM AS I DO.

DURING ROUTINE SERVICE LAST MONTH, LOCAL BMW DEALER FOUND THE DRIVE SHAFT REAR GUIBO/FLEXIBLE DISC WAS CRACKING AND RECOMMENDED IMMEDIATE ACTION. IT'S THE SAME PROBLEM AS WAS RECALLED ON OTHER BMW MODELS (SEE RECALL CAMPAIGN 17V-067). I REPORTED IT TO BMW BUT BMW REFUSED TO TAKE ANY ACTION OR TO ASSIST. COST TO FIX IS ALMOST $1000. THE DEALER INFORMED ME THAT IF NOT FIXED, THE DRIVE SHAFT COULD SEPARATE FROM THE VEHICLE. YIKES! I BELIEVE BMW SHOULD FIX/RECALL THIS. THE ORIGINAL MSRP ON THIS CAR WAS OVER $103,000 - IN MY OPINION, THIS DEFECT SHOULD NOT HAPPEN ON SUCH A CAR, ESPECIALLY AT ONLY 57,000 MILES.

THE POWER DOOR LOCK ACTUATOR HORN. (2) CAMERAS IGNITION COILS FOR MISFIRES. FUEL INJECTORS. FUEL SYSTEM PARTS TURBO SYSTEM FAILURE.

BOUGHT THIS CAR NEW ON 6/10/14 IN ILLINOIS. AT THE TIME OF PURCHASE THE DEALER TRIED TO SELL ME 10K WORTH OF ADDITIONAL WARRANTIES. I ASKED WHICH ONE(S) I REALLY NEEDED AND THEY SAID YOU NEED THE TIRE WARRANTY. THE CAR HAS 12K MILES ON IT. HAVE HAD THREE SEPARATE INCIDENTS OF BROKEN TIRES. TWO IN SUMMER OF 2014 AND ONE IN APRIL OF 2015. ALL THREE TOOK PLACE ON INTERSTATE HIGHWAYS CAUSED BY IMPACTING HOLES IN THE PAVEMENT. I HAVE CONTACTED BMW NATIONAL AND THEY CLAIM IT IS DUE TO BAD GOODYEAR TIRES. ODDLY ENOUGH THEY INSIST ON REPLACING THEM WITH THE SAME TIRE. THEY ARE CHARGING ABOUT $450/TIRE AND I DON'T BELIEVE THAT A TIRE OF THAT QUALITY CAN BE THAT DEFECTIVE. BETWEEN THE DEALER TELLING ME THAT YOU REALLY NEED THE TIRE WARRANTY, ANOTHER DEALER AND TOW TRUCK DRIVER TELLING ME THAT THESE CARS ARE BEING BROUGHT IN CONSTANTLY FOR BLOWN TIRES I DON'T THINK IT IS THE TIRES. I THINK IT IS DEFECTIVE DESIGN ON THE PART OF BMW. THE 19" WHEELS ARE SO BIG THAT THEY REQUIRE A 40 SERIES TIRE WHICH MEAN THERE IS JUST TOO LITTLE SIDEWALL TO TAKE EVERYDAY INTERSTATE STRESS. KEEP IN MIND ALL HAPPENED DURING FAIR WEATHER DRIVING, NOT WINTER. BMW THOUGHT IT WOULD BE REALLY COOL TO PUT OEM 19" WHEELS ON THE CAR WITHOUT CONSIDERING WHETHER THESE WHEELS, REQUIRING EXTREMELY LOW PROFILE 40 SERIES TIRES, ON A HIGH PERFORMANCE CAR CAN HANDLE COMMON INTERSTATE ROAD ISSUES WITHOUT CAUSING PLY SEPARATIONS OR COMPLETELY BLOWING OUT. THESE BLOWOUTS ARE REALLY DANGEROUS AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. I BELIEVE BMW SHOULD RECALL THESE VEHICLES AND REPLACE THE TIRES AND WHEELS WITH ONES THAT CAN HANDLE COMMON INTERSTATE ROAD CONDITIONS. CURRENTLY THEY TAKE NO RESPONSIBILITY FOR WHAT IS OBVIOUSLY THEIR DESIGN PROBLEM. BY BLAMING THE TIRE MANUFACTURER THEY GET COMPLETELY OFF THE HOOK AND THE NHTSA (SAFERCAR) NEEDS TO DO AN INVESTIGATION AND REQUIRE A RECALL TO FIX THE PROBLEM.

GOODYEAR EAGLE LS 2 RUN ON FLAT TIRES (245/40R19) DEVELOPED SIDEWALL BUBBLES ON 3 TIRES OVER 9KMILES. NO RIM DAMAGE, NOT EVEN A SCRATCH. I DID NOT HIT ANY MAJOR POTHOLES. THE ONLINE CUSTOMER REVIEWS ALSO CITE TERRIBLE EXPERIENCE WITH SIDE WALL BUBBLES.(SEE TIRERACK REVIEWS OF THIS TIRE). THE NHTSA COMPLAINT FORM ONLY ALLOWS FOR 1 COMPLAINT BUT THREE OF MY TIRES FAILED AT SEPARATE TIMES IN THE SAME MANNER. THE 1ST TIRE FAILED AT 6K, SECOND AT 9K AND THE LAST ONE AT 12K. *TR