What 198 owners told NHTSA about the 2011 BMW 528i

DAY AFTER RAINING, PASSENGER SIDE FLOOR MAT GETTING WET. WE ALSO FOUND WATER LEAKING FROM OUT SIDE TO PASSENGER SIDE FLOOR. WE COMPLAINED TO DEALER AND MAKER FOR SEVERAL TIMES. THEY ARE NOT FIXING VEHICLE. WHEN THEY SAID FOUND PROBLEM AND FIXED, IT HAS SAME PROBLEM OVER AND OVER. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10691505

IN JULY OF 2013 WE BEGAN EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS WITH THE VEHICLES STEERING. IT WOULD PULL VERY HARD TO THE RIGHT, MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO STEER, CAUSING CONSTANT ADJUSTMENTS WITH THE STEERING WHEEL, TO KEEP IT FROM RUNNING OFF OF THE ROAD. WE TOOK IT TO OUR BMW DEALER FOR REPAIR. THE VEHICLE WAS STILL UNDER MANUFACTURERS WARRANTY. WE WERE CHARGED $1773.14 TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE. THE UPPER CONTROL ARMS WERE BENT, ACCORDING TO THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT.THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT TOLD US THAT IT WAS NOT A MANUFACTURERS DEFECT AND THAT WE MUST HAVE HIT A "POTHOLE", WHICH WE HADN'T. WE LIVE IN AN URBAN AREA WITH WELL MAINTAINED ROADS. I WAS ALSO NOT CLEAR ON HOW HITTING A POTHOLE, PRESUMABLY WITH ONE WHEEL, COULD BEND BOTH CONTROL ARMS. I SPOKE WITH AN INSURANCE ADJUSTER, TO SEE IF THE "DAMAGE" MIGHT BE AN INSURANCE CLAIM. I WAS TOLD "NO". THE ADJUSTER ALSO TOLD ME THAT HE HAD OWNED SEVERAL BMW'S HIMSELF, AND THEY WERE KNOWN TO HAVE PROBLEMS WITH THE UPPER CONTROL ARMS. HE STATED THAT MY VEHICLE'S UPPER CONTROL ARMS, HAVE 3 DIFFERENT PART NUMBERS, AS THIS IS AN ONGOING PROBLEM THEY CAN'T SEEM TO FIX. BY MARCH OF 2014 THE VEHICLE AGAIN STARTED TO PULL TO THE RIGHT. I TOOK IT BACK TO BMW TO HAVE IT RE-ALIGNED AND THEY ADVISED THAT MY TIRES, WERE TO WORN TO DO THE ADJUSTMENT. ON APRIL 19 2014 WE TRADED THE VEHICLE, AS WE WERE CONCERNED ABOUT FUTURE PROBLEMS. I REQUESTED AND SAVED THE UPPER CONTROL ARMS, AND VISUAL INSPECTION SHOWS NO DEFINITIVE BENT PARTS TO THE NAKED EYE. I BELIEVE THAT BMW HAS A SAFETY CONCERN WITH THOSE UPPER CONTROL ARMS, THAT SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED. I CHECKED A FEW BMW BLOGS ONLINE, AND IT SEEMS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM. I WILL GIVE MY CONTROL ARMS TO YOUR AGENCY FOR INVESTIGATIVE PURPOSES IF YOU DESIRE. I DO FEEL THAT THIS PROBLEM MAY RESULT IN FUTURE ACCIDENTS INVOLVING THESE VEHICLES AND DO REQUEST YOU INVESTIGATE. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10594998

AFTER PURCHASING MY 2011 528I I NOTICED THE CAR WOULD NOT ACCELERATE SMOOTHLY FROM A STOP OR AFTER SLOWING DOWN TO MAKE A TURN, IT ACTUALLY FELT LIKE IT WAS APPLYING THE BREAKS UNTIL YOU APPLIED CLOSE TO HALF THROTTLE THEN IT WOULD LURCH FORWARD. THE CAR WAS TAKEN TO DEALER AND RECEIVED A PATCH AND PROGRAMMING WHICH MADE NO CHANGE. TO TOP ALL OF THIS OFF IT PICKS AND CHOOSES WHEN ITS GOING TO DRIVE "NORMAL" SO YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT TO EXPECT....THIS IS UNSAFE...... ON THE FREEWAY IT WONT DOWNSHIFT TO PASS UNLESS PRESSED TO THE FLOOR, THE MOTOR JUST LUGS AND WONT GIVE YOU THE EXPECTED RESPONSE CAUSING CARS AND TRUCKS ALIKE TO BE CUT OFF BECAUSE YOU DIDN'T ACCELERATE AS EXPECTED.... I CANT BELIEVE BMW IS ALLOWING ITS FLAGSHIP MODEL THE 5 SERIES TO HAVE THESE ISSUES AND NOT ADDRESS THEM.... THE CAR PULLED TO THE RIGHT AS DESCRIBED BY MANY, I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND LEFT AT THE END OF THE DAY WITH A $300.00 ALIGNMENT????? I'M CONCERNED WITH GETTING STUCK WITH A LEMON $50,000 CAR THAT I WONT BE ABLE TO SELL, ATLEAST OFFER A BUY BACK PROGRAM??? HELP!!!!! *TR

NHTSA ODI 10504064

WHEN ACCELERATING FROM A COMPLETE STOP OR DRIVING AT HIGHER SPEEDS (50-80MPH), THE VEHICLE CONSISTENTLY PULLS TO THE RIGHT. I'VE HAD ALIGNMENTS PERFORMED, BUT THE PROBLEM PERSISTS. THE DEALER SAID IT'S WITHIN SPECIFICATION, AND THEY COULDN'T DO ANYTHING ELSE ABOUT IT. AFTER MORE PERSISTENCE, MY SERVICE ADVISER CAME BACK WITH: THE STOCK CAMBER SETTINGS ON BMW'S ARE PRETTY AGGRESSIVE, AND THEY CAN'T ADJUST THE CAMBER ANYMORE ON MY CAR TO RESOLVE THE PULLING TO THE RIGHT ISSUE. HE SAID THERE IS ANOTHER BMW SUSPENSION PART (CONTROL ARM) THEY CAN USE THAT WILL ALLOW THEM TO ADJUST THE CAMBER MORE, WHICH WILL RESOLVE THE PULL ISSUE. THE ONLY PROBLEM IS THAT BMW WON'T COVER THE COST TO HAVE THE PART REPLACED, WHICH IS JUST UNDER $1100.00, AND I'LL HAVE TO PAY FOR IT OUT OF POCKET. I ADVISED MY ADVISER THAT WAS NOT ACCEPTABLE, WHICH PROMPTED HIM TO CONTACT THE SERVICE MANAGER. THE SERVICE MANAGER SAID THEY WOULD COVER THE COST OF THE ALIGNMENT (~$185), BUT I WOULD HAVE TO PAY THE REMAINING AMOUNT (~$900). AFTER QUESTIONING THE DEALER FURTHER, THEY CONTACTED THE REGIONAL MANAGER ON MY BEHALF. THE REGIONAL MANAGER SAID BECAUSE THE MILEAGE ON MY CAR WAS SO HIGH (~40K), HE WOULD ONLY COVER THE COST OF THE PART, NOT LABOR. WHILE I APPRECIATE THE DEALER'S EFFORTS, I DON'T FEEL I SHOULD HAVE TO PAY ANYTHING OUT OF POCKET TO FIX MY CAR SO IT WILL DRIVE IN A STRAIGHT LINE WITHOUT PULLING, ESPECIALLY WHEN MY CAR IS STILL WITHIN MANUFACTURER'S WARRANTY. BOTTOM LINE IS THAT BMW NOW HAS A FIX FOR A KNOWN ISSUE WHICH PRESENTS A SAFETY HAZARD. BMW SHOULD FIX THE PROBLEM AT NO EXPENSE TO THE CUSTOMER, SINCE THIS HAS BEEN A DOCUMENTED ISSUE FOR SEVERAL CUSTOMERS STARTING AT 10 MILES, AFTER PURCHASING NEW. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10499723

THE VEHICLE MAKES A GRINDING NOISE AT LOW SPEEDS ON RIGHT TURNS. THIS HAPPENS BOTH IN COLD AND WARM WEATHER AND IS HEARD ABOUT 80-90% OF THE TIME. I TOOK THE CAR BACK TO THE DEALER TO ASSESS THE ISSUE, HOWEVER THEY WERE UNABLE TO REPRODUCE THE NOISE OR IDENTIFY ANY PROBLEMS. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10375296

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 BMW 550I. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD A RATTLING NOISE COMING FROM THE PASSENGER SIDE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE. THE STEERING WHEEL BEGAN TO VIBRATE. THE FAILURE OCCURRED WHENEVER ENCOUNTERING A SLIGHT IMPERFECTION IN THE ROAD. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING WHERE THEY WERE UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE FRONT END SUSPENSION FAILURE. THE TECHNICIAN TEST DROVE A SIMILAR MODEL YEAR VEHICLE WHICH EXHIBITED THE IDENTICAL FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS AT THE DEALER FOR A MONTH AND REMAINED THERE FOR FURTHER INVESTIGATION. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 1,100.

NHTSA ODI 10372194