This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.
So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.
Can't get the car into neutral. Tow truck driver was not able to get car into neutral as well. Could not get access on side of road to get car into neutral. The procedure in the manual did not work. This should be illegal, there should be a manual release from within the inside of the car
While drive on a city street around 30 mph a warning suddenly appeared indicating a power train malfunction which immediately reduced power. Fortunately I was coming upon a red light. Proceeded to pull over and turn the car off and wait a few minutes before starting it again. After I started the car, the warning did not reappear. Drove the car for a few more blocks, but the warning has not returned. Will continue to monitor.
I was driving at 55 miles per hour, at 5:30 pm in a very busy highway, and the car come to a full stop. This was very nerve wrecking. I am so thankful that the person behind me did not crash. The car is still doing funny holdings of speed at times.
In light of recent hearings into GM failure to correct vehicle issues resulting in deaths, and BMW past history of not reporting malfunctions I submit the following: On 2 occasions while driving on a high speed highway the engine malfunction indicator came on, the vehicle lost power and started to vibrate violently. I was able to get off the highway and the vehicle was returned to BMW for repair. I was told that in both incidents it was computer error. I don't believe them especially when they will not return my phone calls and E-mails, and I want to be on record as reporting both incidents.
The car has displayed "drivetrain malfunction, drive moderately" twice now in less than one year of ownership. When this display has occurred, the car goes into "limp mode" and can only be driven at low speeds or with very sluggish acceleration. This is a safety hazard, as it becomes easy to be rear-ended by another driver when it slows substantially.
- Arlington, TX, USA
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I had a powertrain malfunction light come up the first weekend after I leased the car, with barely 250 miles on the odometer! repairs were done at a BMW authorized service center, the car now has 6000 miles, and the issue is back! this is the 2nd time within the last 6 months this car has had powertrain warnings pop up. Its christmas day, and I have a brand new car (barely 6months old that is), yet I cannot drive it. There should be no reason for a brand new luxury car to breakdown twice for the same reasons within 6 months. I got lucky the car did not shutdown on me and I was close to home so I could limp back home and have it towed. I have heard of others having the same issue and their car shutting down in the middle of the freeway. BMW is selling a sub standard, untested product, that is potentially unsafe. This needs to be investigated.
Transmission problem resulting in violent shuddering of the vehicle body and abrupt engine stops resulting in dangerous driving conditions. Fluctuations in the tachometer when the car attempted to stop and the car would automatically change gears to neutral or park.
I started the car and reversed out of my driveway, then proceeded to a very busy intersection without stop light. I accelerated to merge withf traffic and all of the sudden my power was cut dramatically and the car displayed a drive train malfunction error. This prevented me from accelerating at the correct speed and almost created an issue with the vehicles behind me. I then had to pick my child up school and the car continues to behave poorly.
Heard noise and the car starting shaking and then car died on me and service on middle of nowhere and I starts the car back but it got stalled many times and it was shifting the gear to neutral it was a bad experience I could had an accident brand new BMW.
The subject vehicle accelerated unexpectedly when the car was slowly turning into a parking space in a parking lot. The driver had to suddenly press very hard on the brake in order to stop the car.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
- Colorado Springs, CO, USA