NHTSA Owner Complaint Log
This page lists owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2019 BMW 5 Series. Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA and do not by themselves prove a defect or defect rate.
Start blowing black smoke-while idling, over heated, stalled.
oil filter housing is plastic and is bound to give I hadn’t reach 150k miles its an expensive job not normal maintenance problem bmw is expensive but recall this part to protect consumers
I own a 2019 BMW 540 with B58 engine and I have begun noticing abnormal rattling noise from the engine area, which may indicate early stage failure of the oil pump assembly. There are widespread reports from other owners of failure of the oil pump rotor housing/adjusting ring due to heat-related degradation of plastic components. Failure of this component can lead to sudden loss of oil pressure, drivetrain malfunction warnings, and ultimately engine seizure while driving. Sudden engine failure at speed presents a significant safety hazard due to loss of propulsion and potential inability to maneuver out of traffic. BMW has reportedly updated the oil pump design to an all-metal version around mid-2020, suggesting awareness of a design failure. I am submitting this report as a potential early indicator before catastrophic failure occurs.
I was driving my car for about 7 min (in 0 degree weather) and it overheated and just shut off on the road. I noticed it was over heating and headed to the repair shop. It stalled again. Even after apparently it was fixed the engine continues to act like it wants to stall. It’s says malfunction, but codes do not show up in the system. They keep telling me it’s fine and they fixed it, it keeps wanting to shut off.
The contact owned a 2019 BMW 530E. The contact stated that while driving at a moderate rate of speed, a warning message that stated" This car will not start again" appeared on the instrument panel. Upon exiting the vehicle, a grayish-whitish smoke began to emit from the driver's side door. The contact and her granddaughters immediately exited the vehicle, and the authorities were called to the scene. The contact attempted to use her home's water hose as flames began to emit from the undercarriage of the vehicle. Upon the authorities' arrival at the scene, the fire department took almost an hour to an hour and a half to extinguish the fire. No injuries were reported. A fire report was given. Due to the fire, the vehicle was towed to an independent tow yard, where an investigation was being performed to determine the cause of the fire. The contact stated that the capacity of water that was needed to extinguish the fire clogged a drain connected to the contact's home. Upon investigation, the contact discovered NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V652000 (Equipment), which was linked to the failure. The vehicle had yet to be deemed a total loss. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, and a claim was filed. The failure mileage was approximately 63,000.
On the night of 9/4/25, I parked my 2019 BMW 530i in my closed garage and believed I had turned off the vehicle. I removed the key fob. Hours later, our household carbon monoxide detector activated. The fire department responded and measured 480 ppm CO throughout the house and 1,500 ppm inside the vehicle. They stated we were seconds from death due to carbon monoxide exposure. The engine bay reached nearly 600°F, and oxygen in the garage dropped to 7%. The fire department incident report is not yet available, but I will provide it once obtained. The keyless ignition system did not shut off the engine when the fob was removed, even though the vehicle usually shuts off automatically during brief stops (via Auto Start/Stop). The engine continued running indefinitely, creating a life-threatening hazard. My family survived only because the CO detector activated in time.
Q) What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? A) Refrigerant gas(R-1234yf) leak in the evaporator core. If the inspection request is made after the repair, no. It is suspected that there is a inherent defect in the evaporator core. Possibly related to interaction between the R-1234yf refrigerant and the material of the evaporator core. Q) How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? A) The hole caused by this defect leaks refrigerant gas into the cabin, which in turn exposes drivers and passengers to a range of harmful health effects, including respiratory issues, skin irritation, nausea, neurological symptoms, and cardiovascular problems. The driver/passengers can even sense it after the recharge of the refrigerant gas(R-1234yf). Located behind the dashboard, manufacturer hinders users from being able to take appropriate and timely counter measures to protect them against such exposure. There is no warning system in placed either. Q) Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? A) BMW service center confirmed the leak in the evaporator core using a Nitrogen Gas test. Q) Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? A) No. Q) Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? A) No. If did, I could have maintained the system and avoid myself and passengers from being exposed to the safety risks, especially for a long-distance driving. The AC issue involving replacement of evaporator core in BMW 5 Series and etc, is not mere an issue of inconvenience but rather pose long term health safety issue. People drive cars for a long period of time, sometimes hours and hours. Even if not all of the leaked refrigerant gas come into the cabin, driver and passengers are still exposed to the leaked gas.
* The component that failed is the front axle of my 2019 530e xDrive, and it's a common issue for the xDrive, even under NORMAL use. I was told by my service advisor at my local BMW dealership that it should be repaired as soon as possible. * A damaged axle can lead to a wheel locking up, causing the vehicle to skid or veer off course, especially during turns or at higher speeds. This can result in loss of control, making it difficult to steer and brake safely. A failed xDrive front axle is a known common issue for the xDrive. While BMW isn't doing anything while knowing it would lead to serious safety issues. * Yes, it has been inspected by the service department, and more concerning is the quality of BMW OEM's part supplier, I bought the car used at around 26k miles, when at around 35k miles that the axle are beginning to make clunking noise. More surprising is that after having the vehicle checked out, they've found out that the front right axle was already replaced by the previous owner, replaced with GKN brand axle, which is the original supplier that manufactures BMW's axle. After calculation, the two axles didn't even last over 36,000 miles, with an average lifespan of 18,000 miles. Additionally, each axle costs $ 1,778.95. For replacing both, the cost is around $ 3,557.90, plus labor, which is well over $ 4,000. leaving customers huge financial impact and safety concerns. * No warming lamps, messages. First start with clunking noise while turning at low speed, and sometimes even when braking/decelerating.
daytime running light module fails from improper cooling and melts the light tube (light tube is not sold as replaceable item) and is only sold as an assembly which is roughly $4000-6000 to replace per side and is a failure of the north carolina state inspection
Dear NTSB Team, I am writing to formally report a serious safety incident involving my 2019 BMW 530E, which occurred last night on [XXX] in Danville, CA. My vehicle was parked in my friend’s private driveway, with the parking brake engaged and the gear selector set to Park. I was chatting with my friend who was in the passenger seat . My feet were on the floorboard, my seat belt was on and the engine was idling to provide heat as it was a cold night. Suddenly, about 10 minutes into our conversation, my car accelerated forward with speed, hit my friend’s garage door and then reversed with the same speed and stopped in the middle of the street. This happened within the span of a few seconds at most. I think that I applied the brakes while the car was reversing with speed and I remember the car not slowing down but then it coming to an abrupt stop in the middle of the street. There were deep skid marks on the driveway, my friend’s garage door was damaged, my friend’s Tesla X was damaged with impact to the rear bumper, this parked Tesla had moved forward and crashed in the wall of the garage and a garage cabinet door dislodged and fell on the hood of this Tesla. My friends parked Toyota Prius also had bumper damage. The garage drywall sustained cracks as well. The force from these unexpected accelerations and impact has left me and my friend with aches and pains in the back, shoulder, knees, hands, head and neck; thankfully, we did not suffer more severe injuries. I am gravely concerned about the potential for this defect to cause a catastrophic accident. Had there been pedestrians, pets or another vehicle in the path of my rapidly reversing vehicle, it could have led to serious injuries or even fatalities. I called my car insurance company, local police and I will notify the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) and BMW of North America. I am hoping for a comprehensive investigation into what appears to be a dangerous electronic or software malfunction. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
The contact owns a 2019 BMW 540i Sedan. The contact stated while driving at 45 MPH, the peripheral rear-view mirror detached and collided with the passenger's window. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 23,000.
On October 22 while driving home from work my vehicle warning notified me to refill coolant. This was the first time I received the notification so I immediately took the vehicle to BMW. The service advisors checked the coolant level which was indeed low. The service advisor was also able to point out the smell of coolant and evidence of dried up coolant leaking unto the engine. I scheduled an appointment immediately to have the problem thoroughly inspected. The water pump was leaking at the seals which could cause overheating and a potential engine fire. After the official inspection I was informed that my water pump/carrier assembly was leaking at seals and would need to be completely replaced. My water pump needing to be changed was alarming considering my vehicle is well maintained and only 42000 miles. I am also aware of the recent recall with BMW water pumps issues.
Excessive oil consumption
I purchased a used BMW from Apolo Auto in New Jersey around July 2021 the car was in perfect condition and it did not appear to have any mechanical or electrical defects. However, the prior owner had many aftermarket things done to the car and that was a big selling point as it was upgraded with low miles. After purchasing the vehicle some strange things started happening but I didn't pay close attention, and then my son was kidnapped from my home May 2022. It was at the beginning of June 2022 that I noticed we were being tracked, and private conversations inside the vehicle were publicly being communicated. I found evidence of infrared and bluetooth technology as well as GPS tracking technology and specific infrared technology is in the ceiling of the vehicle. The devices are close together & many. The vehicle was vandalized several times, broken into and the seatbelts in the back were pushed inwards so that I couldn't place my child into a proper seatbelt. I reported this to the insurance company and BMW in PA failed to repair the vandalism and they also failed to remove the tracking devices which I recently found. The highway violence consists of many vehicle swerving into my lane many times one after another, and I've almost crashed my car several times. Many instances have happened where motorcycles have pulled up next to the car at a stop light to rev up their engines to the point where my son beings to cry and it happens often. The consistently and level of aggressive behaviors have put my life in danger as well as my child's since he's special needs and can't be safely secured into his seatbelt due to vandalism, there are strange vehicles attempting to run us off the road on a regular basis, my vehicle has had significant mechanical vandalism which has yet to be repaired and it is known that the car is vulnerable therefore it is exploited. I fear the vandalism, tracking and consistent assaults on the road will cause our car to crash, injuring others.
I went to start my vehicle one morning and the cars DSC light and Steering lights were on. The steering wheel had loss of power as the electronic steering went out. A got a group of warning messages. Warnings include: Cont. driving possible: Chassis stabilization, Increased Steering effort: Drive carefully to the closet service station, Driving Assistance support reduced, Pedestrian Warning was disabled, Frontal Collision warning disabled, Cruise Control disabled, Heads up display disabled. I also bought a 2017 BMW 540i car from a dealer and within the 2nd day the vehicle had the same problem while trying to park the car had the same problems. I took it to a BMW service center and the estimate was $7400. I was able to return the car because it was within the 5 day window for returns.
sunroof exploded Myself and two friends were in the car when we heard a loud bang, it sounded like a gunshot that went off and glass was falling down all over us. We thought a bullet or rock came thru the sunroof. After arriving back at home we did some research and see this is a known problem with exploding sunroofs. It was very scary. BMW claims there are no recalls for this on our model. What can we do?
o Rear view camera o When in reverse, camera image on infotainment display goes black hindering rearward visibility. This only happens occasionally. o Vehicle has been into Sewell BMW of Grapevine, TX multiple times for this issue. They have done a software update and replaced the camera. Problem continues to persist. They will no longer look at the issue without me paying a $265 diagnostic fee since the car is now out of warranty. o The problem has been present since I purchased the vehicle new in Nov 2019.
My vehicle was vandalized and the vandalism targeted the electrical, mechanical and the seat belts in the back. I reported cyber violence and stalking in 2023 to BMW, and my finance company Ally and at the beginning of 2024 my car overnight started leaving puddles oil and the entire electrical system would shut down (and it still does) as I'm driving with my seven year old child with autism. The seat belts are severely destroyed and my seven year old is not strong enough to push them down to the point where a safety belt cannot be latched. I contacted Gieco and they told me to take it to Caliber Collision on Cottman Ave as the vandalism did impact some body work but not much and the collision center took the vehicle to BMW of the Mainline in PA. First - Caliber Collision did not communicate the information I provided to them to BMW of the Mainline. Second- I contacted BMW of the mainline as I did not receive pictures and photos of the work they completed and did not complete Thirst - BMW of mainline stated that all the electrical and. mechanical issues were all attributed to wear and tear and that is blatant deception I have tried to work with Geico, Caliber and Geico to get this resolved but my car is dangerous to drive, and the people that were paid to do the work paid for by Geico failed and gave me back a vandalized car that is dangerous for me and my seven. year old to be in let alone drive on highways or anywhere we go. I reported BMW of the Mainline to BBB and I don't know what to do or where to take it because Geico closed the claim, refused to pay for additional days of rental and BMW of the Mainline refused to provide a loaner leaving me with a child and no car. There is anti-freeze that burning and another dealership said they can smell it, my son cannot be safely and securely belted in the backseat, I'm loosing a great deal of gas all the time and I have no idea how, and the car right after I got it back from BMW of Mainline began to shutter.
The contact owned a 2019 BMW 530E. The contact stated that while stopped due to traffic, the vehicle was rear-ended causing the contact to crash into the vehicle in front. During the impacts, the contact hit his head, and was unconscious. The contact does not remember if it was the steering wheel or the windshield where he hit his head. The only air bags deployed were the side air bags but no frontal. The rear-end damage to the vehicle was severe as the entire trunk was destroyed. No warning lights were illuminated. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to an impound lot. The contact was transferred to the hospital via ambulance. The daughter who was seated in the front passenger side sustained back and leg injuries that required pain medicine and an x-ray for medical attention. The contact sustained a bruise on his nose, ribs, neck, and lower back, and had a headache. The vehicle had not been diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and advised that a callback was scheduled. The failure mileage was approximately 15,000.
The passenger restraint system is malfunctioning and dealer not covering the cost. It’s a defect in the component and a clear safety issue.
Radiator Grill does not open when running. It remains in the close position. It started with the engine symbol that appeared on the dash.
The contact owns a 2019 BMW 530E. The contact stated that while her uncle was driving approximately 65 MPH, the instrument panel display became inoperable. During the failure, the speedometer was inoperable. The contact stated that the failure occurred on several occasions. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer however, the mechanic found no failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 30,000.
Date of accident: 8/10/2022 Location of accident: 2436 Krueger Dr, Concord, CA 94520 Accident Summary: My wife own’s the above mentioned home and was in the process of getting a new tenant. She reached the Krueger home at around 12:15 pm. She drove onto the driveway as she normally does, put the car in park and turned on the hand/parking brake. It is to be noted that driveway is on an upgrade. The prospective tenant did not show up. There was another potential tenant that was going to come around 2 pm. She decided to wait in the car and made herself comfortable by turning her body towards right, feet tucked closer to the seat, back was facing towards the driver side door, and rested her head against the back of the seat and made several phone calls. Around 12:40 pm, our daughter called my wife. She was talking to her for about 40-45 mins. While she was still on the phone talking, she heard a tripped kind of sound and the car experienced sudden acceleration and lurched forward with high speed. It felt like a bullet came out of a pistol. While she was in complete shock of what happened, she turned herself immediately in reaction to brake but before she could react to stop the car, she found her car hitting the closed garage door, and went inside and hit the front wall. All the air bags deployed and windshield was completely shattered. She felt a sharp pain on her right foot near her ankle and felt tightness due to swelling. Our daughter called 911 and she was taken to the ER. She was in a complete state of shock and tried to reason. The only possibility that comes to mind is that the car experienced a malfunction that cause sudden unintended acceleration.
Serious crash from sudden unintended acceleration occurred yesterday where throttle seemed to be stuck in all gears and brakes didn’t work
The contact owns a 2019 BMW 540I. The contact stated while driving 60 MPH, the contact pressed the button on the gear shifter and the vehicle inadvertently shifted into NEUTRAL. The contact then shifted back into DRIVE. The contact continued driving with no further issues. However, the contact concern was that there should be no reason for the gear shifter to change gear with little to no pressure on the gear shifter from an inadvertent touch of the button on the gear shifter. The contact took the vehicle to the local dealer to be inspected however, the mechanic was unable to duplicate the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 43,500.
This vehicle malfunctioned 6x; 2 drivers; by where the car would lunge forward on it's own after coming to a complete stop. 1 incident almost resulted in an accident. This was reported to BMW NA after 5-6 weeks in Stevenscreek BMW for service and issues apparently could not be duplicated after Regional and National Technicians were called in to further investigate. BMW refused to buy-back the vehicle and ultimately I was encouraged to take it to the purchasing dealership (BMW of Monterey) for trade-in consideration. BMW of Monterey indicated they were planning to auction this vehicle but 5 day's post return, they did a normal service (oil change, inspection) and re-sold the vehicle. However, they expunged the 5.5 wks of service records from the CarFax report for which I have reported against this VIN as missing information. I'm very concerned that an unsuspecting new buyer could be at risk thus why I'm reporting this to you after rendering the vehicle. I owned and drove this vehicle for 2 yrs without incident before the 6x malfunction which in my opinion is clearly a safety risk. BMW North America has closed the file on my complaints as of recent.
VEHICLE WAS TRAVELLING AT 50 MPH, CLEAR DRY WEATHER, NO TRAFFIC IN FRONT OR IN REAR AND COLLISION AVOIDANCE BRAKING SYSTEM ACTIVATED WITHOUT CAUSE
The contact owns a 2019 BMW 540i. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the vehicle stalled without warning while depressing the accelerator pedal. The contact stated that while attempting to park the vehicle, the failure recurred. The contact continuously depressed the accelerator pedal and the vehicle lunged forward and collided with a barrier and crashed into his neighbor's vehicle. The air bags failed to deploy upon impact. The contact was not treated for any injuries. A police report was not filed. The contact had taken the vehicle to an independent mechanic who discovered that the lower section of the accelerator pedal was fractured. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and agreed to pay for a portion of the repair. The contact received a letter that stated that the manufacturer agreed to pay for the accelerator pedal replacement however, by accepting the payment, the manufacturer would absolve themselves of any responsibility for any damages caused by the defective accelerator pedal. The contact had not agreed to the terms of the agreement of the letter. The vehicle was repaired out of pocket. The failure mileage was 18,000.
ON FRIDAY, 11/20/20, DRIVING ON INTERSTATE AT ABOUT 60-65 MILES SPEED, SUDDENLY WITHIN FEW SECONDS, THE SPEED DROPPED DOWN TO 35-40 MILES WITHOUT ANY BRAKING ACTION BY ME. IT SCARED THE HACK OUT OF ME. I BARELY MANAGED TO GET OFF THE DRIVING LANE. WHILE IN MY CAR, BWW SOS ON-CALL ( DON'T KNOW EXACT NAME) CALLED, AND ASKED ME IF I WAS OK. THEN, THE OPERATOR GOT ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE OR THEIR MECHANIC ONLINE; HE TRIED TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM. HE SAID IT WOULD NEED TO BE TOWED IN TO THE DEALERSHIP. THE OPERATOR ARRANGED FOR THE TOWING TRUCK; THE CAR WAS TOWED IN TO 'GLOBAL IMPORTS BMW' DEALERSHIP. THE SERVICE MAN TESTED THE CAR THE NEXT DAY, AND MENTIONED THAT HIS TEST DID NOT REVEAL ANYTHING BUT THOUGHT THAT THIS WAS AN UNIQUE SITUATION THAT REQUIRED BMW'S ENGINEER'S ASSESSMENT. THEN THE DEALERSHIP WANTED/ KEPT THE CAR OVERNIGHT, DROVE, AND TESTED IT THE NEXT DAY. THAT'S WHEN THEY FOUND THAT THE THROTTLE BODY ACTUATOR WAS FAULTY. THEY REPLACED. I HAD A SIMILAR PROBLEM, ON A SMALLER SCALE, EARLY THIS YEAR. I HAD TAKEN THE CAR TO THE SAME DEALERSHIP BACK THEN. THEY DIDN'T FIND ANYTHING UNUSUAL AT THAT TIME. THE SERVICE ADVISOR MENTIONED THAT VERY LIKELY THAT PROBLEM IN EARLY 2020 MAY ALSO BE DUE TO FAULTY THROTTLE BODY ACTUATOR.
The contact owns a 2019 BMW 530I. The contact stated that the vehicle's automatic breaking system would suddenly activate without warning or with a loud screeching alarm type noise before it occurs. The automatic breaking system would also fail to activate when coming close to items and or other vehicles where the automatic breaking system should have caused the vehicle to come to a stop. The failures occur intermittently. The contact contacted the dealer who had not repaired the vehicle. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue The approximate failure mileage was 31,000.
MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON FOR CHASSIS STABILIZATION AND DRIVETRAIN MALFUNCTION. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY TOLD ME THEY REPAIR WOULD NOT BE COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. DEALERSHIP ALLEGES A RODENT GNAWED ON A ENGINE WIRING HARNESS. FROM WHAT I GATHER FROM THE DEALERSHIP THIS OCCURS FREQUENTLY. THE MANUFACTURER IS AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM BUT HAS FAILED TO MAKE NECESSARY DESIGN CHANGES TO MAKE THESE WIRING HARNESSES INACCESSIBLE TO RODENTS. MY CASE IS NOT THE WORSE CASE SCENARIO BUT A FIRE COULD HAVE STARTED, MY VEHICLE COULD HAVE BECOME INOPERABLE AND CAUSE AN ACCIDENT WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE. I WOULD LIKE TO REQUEST FMVSS BE UPDATED TO ADDRESS THESE PRODUCT DESIGN DEFECTS. A WIRING HARNESS THAT CAN POTENTIAL DISABLE REGULAR FUNCTIONS OF THE VEHICLE COULD RESULT IN DEATH SHOULD NOT BE EASILY DISABLED BY A RODENT. *TR
I PURCHASED FOUR (4) MICHELIN PILOT ALPIN PA4 TIRES IN 245/35/20 FOR THE FRONT AND 275/30/20 FOR THE REAR. I SUBSEQUENTLY HIT A POTHOLE AND HAD THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE TIRE BLOW OUT. I THEN HAD THE TIRE REPLACED. A COUPLE MONTHS LATER, I HIT A POTHOLE ON THE HIGHWAY WITH THE FRONT DRIVERS SIDE TIRE, WHICH AGAIN CAUSED THE TIRE TO BLOW, BUT THIS TIME DAMAGED THE WHEEL BEYOND REPAIR. THE PASSENGER SIDE TIRE WAS ALSO FOUND TO HAVE TWO BUBBLES IN THE SIDEWALL EVEN WITHOUT HAVING BEEN STRUCK BY A POTHOLE. I HAVE HIT POTHOLES WITH THE SAME CAR WITH DIFFERENT TIRES AND HAVE NEVER HAD A BLOWOUT OR WHEEL DAMAGE. CONSIDERING THIS HAS HAPPENED TWICE, I BELIEVE THESE TIRES ARE DEFECTIVE AND UNSAFE. I HAVE ATTACHED PHOTOS OF THE SECOND BLOWOUT. I HAVE ALSO ATTACHED THE INVOICES FROM THE TWO INCIDENTS. THE TOTALS DO NOT INCLUDE THE TOTAL DAMAGE AS INDICATED IN THE ITEMIZED BREAKDOWN, AS I DID NOT YET REPLACE THE CRACKED CONTROL ARMS AT $1,005.76. *TR
I WAS ON A TOLL ROAD/FREEWAY OVERPASS CONNECTING TO THE 91 FREEWAY IN TRAFFIC GOING 60 MPH WHEN SUDDENLY MY CAR STARTED BREAKING ON ITS OWN (NO CAR DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF ME). I TRIED TO ACCELERATE BUT WAS UNABLE TO. MY CAR CONTINUED BREAKING AND SLOWING, THERE WAS NO WHERE TO PULL OVER, AND FINALLY I COASTED TO THE 91 FREEWAY WHERE I WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER. THIS WAS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS TO LOSE CONTROL OF ONE'S CAR IN SPEEDING FREEWAY TRAFFIC. THERE WAS NO WARNING SOUND OR WARNING LIGHT, EXCEPT FOR THE 3 RED PEOPLE HEADS THAT INDICATE YOUR BACK SEAT PASSENGERS NEED TO FASTEN THEIR SEATBELTS, BUT I DIDN'T HAVE ANY BACKSEAT PASSENGERS. I CALLED IRVINE BMW TO REPORT MY CONCERN AND THEIR RESPONSE WAS "I CHECKED WITH A BMW GENIUS WHO SAID YOUR CAR IS FINE SINCE THE LIGHT IS NO LONGER ON.
THIS CAR IS CURRENTLY SUBJECT TO A NTSB ORDERED RECALL RELATED TO THE BACK UP CAMERA AND THE LIGHTING LEVEL (NIGHT VISION) OF THE REAR SAFETY CAMERA. AFTER MY BMW DEALER "FIXED" IT LAST WEEK, IT IS NOTICEABLY DARKER THAN WHEN THE CAR WAS NEW AND HENCE LESS SAFE UNDER NIGHTTIME DRIVING CONDITIONS. I HAVE TAKEN THE CAR BACK AND THE SERVICE MANAGER HAS INDICATED THIS IS THE DICTATED FIX; I DO NOT BELIEVE THIS IS (A) SAFE OR (B) SAGER THAN WHEN THE CAR WAS NEW IN OCTOBER 2018, BUT IS LESS SAFE. I SUGGEST A NTSB INVESTIGATION AND ADDITIONAL FIX. THIS OCCURS AT NIGHT, IN A DARK AREA AND WHILE THE CAR IS BOTH STATIONARY AND SLOWLY BACKING UP. THE DATE BELOW IS THE MOST RECENT DATE TAKEN TO THE BMW DEALER IN BALA CYNWYD, PA 19004 - BMW OF THE MAIN LINE.
I WAS AT A RED LIGHT. WHEN IT TURNED GREEN THE CARS BEGAN TO MOVE BUT THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME STOPPED AGAIN. I APPLIED THE BREAK IMMEDIATELY BUT HE CAR DID NOT STOP SO I HIT THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME.
CAR WAS PARKED/STATIONARY WITH THE EMERGENCY BRAKE ON AND ENGAGED, CAR WAS LOCKED AND NO-ONE WAS NEAR OR IN THE VEHICLE, THE CAR ROLLED INTO A CAR PARKED DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF IT. FURTHER, WHILE IN THE CAR AND AFTER ENGAGING THE CAR IN REVERSE TO PARK IN A PARKING SPOT, THEN SHIFTING INTO DRIVE (TO STRAIGHTEN OR PULL THE CAR FORWARD THE CAR CONTINUED TO AGGRESSIVELY ROLL BACKWARDS. THIS HAPPENED ON AT LEAST 3 SEPARATE OCCASIONS. FURTHER, THE CAR WAS PARKED/STATIONARY AND DOORS LOCKED WITH NO-ONE IN THE CAR AND THE WINDOWS ON THE PASSENGER SIDE BOTH FRONT AND REAR (ON 2 SEPARATE OCCASIONS) OPENED ALL THE WAY, ON THEIR OWN. FURTHER, THE BRAKES ON THE CAR SQUEAL LOUDLY UPON STEPPING ON THE BRAKES.
Data synced from NHTSA on May 4, 2026