An investigation into transmission control problems in some BMW 7-series luxury cars has been upgraded to an engineering analysis after U.S. safety regulators found seventeen crashes, five of which resulted in injuries. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) began their investigation last August after receiving almost fifty complaints related to the push button start and electronic transmission controls on these vehicles. The shifter is designed to automatically shift the vehicle to “park” under a variety of conditions, including after the driver has pressed the ignition button to turn off the engine. In several cases, owners thought their vehicles were in park when they were still in neutral, and their vehicles rolled away unexpectedly and crashed. The investigation covers nearly 122,000 BMWs from the 2002 through 2008 model years.
Category Archives: BMW
BMW Turbo Engine Fire Problem
BMW has announced a recall that will affect certain vehicles equipped with 8 or 12 cylinder turbocharged engines. According to the recall report filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the circuit board for the electric auxiliary water pump could overheat and smolder, and could eventually lead to a fire in the engine compartment. Owners wanting more information about the problem can contact BMW customer relations and services at 1-800-525-7417. The vehicles involved in this recall include:
Fire Warning For BMW Vehicles
BMW has announced a recall that will affect certain 2004-2010 model year vehicles. According to the recall report filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the insulated bulkhead connector for the positive battery cable may have not been installed properly to the trunk floor panel. If the connection loosens, the increased electrical resistance could cause the cable connection to overheat, and could cause a fire. BMW is advising owners to park their vehicles outside until the problem has been fixed, because overheating could occur even while the vehicle is not in use. The models involved in the recall include:
Owners can contact BMW Customer Relations and Services at 1-800-525-7417 for more information about the problem.
BMW Transmission Problems
BMW has issued a recall for certain 2012 X5 XDrive 35i sports activity vehicles manufactured between December 19-21, 2011. Because of a manufacturing error, the transmission parking lock may not engage even when park is being displayed. The vehicle could unexpectedly roll away increasing the risk of crash or injury. Owners wanting more information on the recall can contact BMW customer relations and services at 1-800-525-7417.
BMW Mini Cooper Fire Hazard
BMW has announced a recall for certain Mini Cooper vehicles manufactured between November 14, 2006 to January 18, 2011. According to reports filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), a circuit board on the auxiliary water pump that cools the turbocharger, could overheat and cause a fire. The vehicles involved in this recall includes:
- 2007-2011 Mini Cooper S
- 2008-2011 Mini Cooper S Clubman
- 2009-2011 Mini Cooper S Convertible
- 2009-2011 Mini Cooper JCW
- 2009 Mini Cooper JCW Clubman
- 2010-2011 Cooper JCW Convertible
- 2011 Cooper S Countryman
Owners wanting more information on the problem can contact BMW at 1-866-275-6464.
Toyota and BMW Share Technology
An agreement between BMW and Toyota, will have the two automobile makers collaborating on environmentally sustainable technology in the auto industry. BMW will supply Toyota with 1.6 and 2.0 liter engines for their struggling European line, and both companies will work together to develop car battery technology for electric and hybrid vehicles. The alliance will increase efficiency, reduce costs, and allow vehicles to be brought to market more quickly. Because BMW and Toyota operate in different segments of the market, it is unlikely they will encountering competitive conflicts.
BMW Water Pump Failure
BMW is recalling certain 2008-2011 vehicles equipped with 8 and 12 cylinder turbocharged engines because the circuit board for the electric auxiliary water pump could overheat. The failure could result in smoldering of the pump, the vehicle overheating, and a possible engine compartment fire. There have been over a hundred reports of pump failures, two of which resulted in engine fires. Owners wanting more information on the problem can contact BMW customer relations and services at 1-800-525-7417. The vehicles involved in the recall include:
- 2008-2011 5-Series
- 2008-2011 5-Series Gran Turismo
- 2008-2011 7-Series
- 2008-2011 X5 SAV
- 2008-2011 X6 SAV
Update
BMW has announced that the recall will also include their luxury brand model the 2010 Rolls Royce Ghost. Rolls-Royce decided to recall the Ghost because it uses engineering and components similar to those found in the recalled BMW models. Ghost owners wanting more information on the recall can contact Rolls-Royce at 877-877-3735.
BMW Mini Cooper Investigated For Engine Fires
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA) has launched an investigation into some 2007-2008 BMW Mini Cooper S vehicles after receiving twelve complaints of engine fires, including five which resulted in a total vehicle loss. Eight of the complaints alleged the the fires started while the vehicles were parked with the ignition off. Because the complaints have significantly increased in the last year, the Office of Defect Investigation (ODI) has decided to open a preliminary evaluation to assess the cause, scope and frequency of the alleged defect.
