2004 Bmw X3 Steering Problems

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 BMW 330I. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL VIBRATES, THE VEHICLE SHAKES DURING ACCELERATION AND BRAKING, ALL FOUR TIRES WERE DRY ROTTED, THE ABS LIGHT ILLUMINATES ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL, AND A KNOCKING NOISE IS HEARD DURING ACCELERATION. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH, THE CONTACT DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL, BUT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO STOP. THE CONTACT HAD TO DEPRESS THE BRAKE PEDAL ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR FOR THE BRAKES TO ACTIVATE APPROXIMATELY TEN SECONDS LATER. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN TAKEN TO A DEALER 8 TIMES REGARDING THESE SAFETY ISSUES AND SEVERAL PARTS HAVE BEEN REPLACED; HOWEVER, THE FAILURES STILL OCCUR. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 50,400 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 25,000. UPDATED 04-02-08 *BF

STEERING IS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT DURING VERY HOT WEATHER. IT IS VERY DIFFICULT TO MAKE ANY KIND OF STEERING ADJUSTMENT. *JB

ON JULY 25TH, 2005 AT 12:30 PM MY DAUGHTER LOST STEERING CONTROL OF OUR 2004 MINI COOPER (18,000 TOTAL MILES OF TRAVEL), APPROXIMATELY 1.5 BLOCKS FROM OUR HOUSE AND SLIGHTLY SIDE SWIPED A PARKED CAR GOING AT VERY LOW SPEED BECAUSE OF A CONSTRUCTION ZONE. UPON INSPECTION, IT WAS APPARENT THAT THE TIE ROD OF THE RIGHT FRONT WHEEL WAS COMPLETELY SEVERED. THE DAMAGE WAS FAR BELOW THE THRESHOLD THAT WOULD BE EXPECTED TO BREAK A TIE ROD. WHEN PROMPTED, MY DAUGHTER RECALLED BUMPING THE CURB WHEN SHE PARKED THE CAR AND HOUR OR SO BEFORE THE ACCIDENT. THE IMPACT TO THE CURB WAS AT 1-4 MPH AND CONSISTED OF A SLIGHT BUMP AND A SCRAPE AND WAS NOT CONSIDERED SIGNIFICANT BY MY DAUGHTER. THE TIE ROD HAS NOW BEEN REPLACED AND IS IN OUR POSSESSION. THE DAMAGE TIE ROD IS COMPLETED SEVERED AND APPARENTLY SNAPPED WHERE A THREADED AREA OF THE ROD IS INSERTED IN A BOLT. ALL OF THE BREAKAGE AND DAMAGE TO THE ROD IS LIMITED TO A 3/4 CM THREADED AREA OF THIS ROD WHERE THE BREAKAGE OCCURRED, THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO BENDING OR WORN AREAS OUTSIDE OF THIS PORTION OF THE ROD. BECAUSE THIS BREAKAGE OCCURRED AT THE WEAKEST POSITION OF THE TIE ROD AND RESULTED FROM A TYPICAL PARKING MANEUVER, I AM VERY CONCERN THAT THIS BREAKAGE RESULTED FROM EITHER A DEFECTIVE TIE ROD OR IS RELATED TO A SYSTEMATIC STRUCTURAL-DESIGN DEFECT. OF COURSE AN ALTERNATIVE IS THAT BUMPING A CURB DURING CARELESS LOW SPEED PARKING CREATES A SUFFICIENT FORCE TO BREAK A TIE ROD AND MAKE THIS VEHICLE UNSAFE TO DRIVE THEREAFTER. THIS LATE EXPLANATION WAS PROPOSED BY THE MANUFACTURER. ALTHOUGH MY DAUGHTER WAS NOT INJURED AND THE COST OF REPAIR WAS LESS THAN $500 DOLLARS, I AM SUBMITTING THIS COMPLAINT BECAUSE OF THE UNUSUAL NATURE AND THE POTENTIAL TO RESULT IN A MORTAL ACCIDENT. *JB

BMW X3 IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE ON CERTAIN ROAD CONDITIONS. IT WILL SWERVE AND COME CLOSE TO PULLING INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC. IT IS SUDDEN AND AT TIMES I HAVE JUST AVOIDED AN ACCIDENT. BMW SAID THAT THEY WILL NOT CORRECT THIS AND CLAIMS IT IS HOW THE CAR IS MEANT TO DRIVE. I FEEL THAT IT IS TOO DANGEROUS AND WANT THIS CORRECTED OR RECALLED. *JB

ON JULY 25TH, 2005 AT 12:30 PM MY DAUGHTER LOST STEERING CONTROL OF OUR 2004 MINI COOPER (18,000 TOTAL MILES OF TRAVEL), APPROXIMATELY 1.5 BLOCKS FROM OUR HOUSE AND SLIGHTLY SIDE SWIPED A PARKED CAR GOING AT VERY LOW SPEED BECAUSE OF A CONSTRUCTION ZONE. UPON INSPECTION, IT WAS APPARENT THAT THE TIE ROD OF THE RIGHT FRONT WHEEL WAS COMPLETELY SEVERED. THE DAMAGE WAS FAR BELOW THE THRESHOLD THAT WOULD BE EXPECTED TO BREAK A TIE ROD. WHEN PROMPTED, MY DAUGHTER RECALLED BUMPING THE CURB WHEN SHE PARKED THE CAR AND HOUR OR SO BEFORE THE ACCIDENT. THE IMPACT TO THE CURB WAS AT 1-4 MPH AND CONSISTED OF A SLIGHT BUMP AND A SCRAPE AND WAS NOT CONSIDERED SIGNIFICANT BY MY DAUGHTER. THE TIE ROD HAS NOW BEEN REPLACED AND IS IN OUR POSSESSION. THE DAMAGE TIE ROD IS COMPLETED SEVERED AND APPARENTLY SNAPPED WHERE A THREADED AREA OF THE ROD IS INSERTED IN A BOLT. ALL OF THE BREAKAGE AND DAMAGE TO THE ROD IS LIMITED TO A 3/4 CM THREADED AREA OF THIS ROD WHERE THE BREAKAGE OCCURRED, THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO BENDING OR WORN AREAS OUTSIDE OF THIS PORTION OF THE ROD. BECAUSE THIS BREAKAGE OCCURRED AT THE WEAKEST POSITION OF THE TIE ROD AND RESULTED FROM A TYPICAL PARKING MANEUVER, I AM VERY CONCERN THAT THIS BREAKAGE RESULTED FROM EITHER A DEFECTIVE TIE ROD OR IS RELATED TO A SYSTEMATIC STRUCTURAL-DESIGN DEFECT. OF COURSE AN ALTERNATIVE IS THAT BUMPING A CURB DURING CARELESS LOW SPEED PARKING CREATES A SUFFICIENT FORCE TO BREAK A TIE ROD AND MAKE THIS VEHICLE UNSAFE TO DRIVE THEREAFTER. THIS LATE EXPLANATION WAS PROPOSED BY THE MANUFACTURER. ALTHOUGH MY DAUGHTER WAS NOT INJURED AND THE COST OF REPAIR WAS LESS THAN $500 DOLLARS, I AM SUBMITTING THIS COMPLAINT BECAUSE OF THE UNUSUAL NATURE AND THE POTENTIAL TO RESULT IN A MORTAL ACCIDENT. *JB

JUNE 6, 2004, WE PURCHASED THE BMW 545I FROM IRVINE BMW. WHILE DRIVING IN JULY, IN THE MIDDLE OF A TURN, THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED, I SHUT OF THE ENGINE AND THE STEERING RESET ITSELF. THE CAR WAS AT THE DEALER FOR 3 WEEKS. UPON RECEIPT, THE STEERING FAILED AGAIN IN OCTOBER, THE CAR WAS IN SERVICE 4 WEEKS. UPON RECEIPT, THE CAR AGAIN FAILED IN NOVEMBER, THE CAR WAS IN SERVICE 4 WEEKS. UPON RECEIPT THE ACTIVE STEERING MALFUNCTIONED AGAIN IN JANUARY 2005. THE DEALER OFFERED US A REPLACEMENT OR A REFUND. THE ACTIVE STEERING MALFUNCTION CAUSES THE STEERING TO LOCK IN THE MIDDLE OF A TURN. TWO TIMES I WAS IN TRAFFIC AND NEARLY ESCAPED A COLLISION. THE SAFETY OF THIS CAR IS ABSENT. *NM