2gpp

I have not yet posted any entires on this, however have gleaned a lot of information from here - thanks! I have owned a 530d auto E60 for 9 months, it was purchased a 3 months old from a main UK dealer - an ex demo car.
Since then the ownership of this car has not been a fun one! The following is a summary of the problems I have ad and still have...many will be familier to you!
Just thought I would share these with you and vent my frustration and unhappiness with the car...and BMW!
Any comments/suggestions welcomed.

1. Squealing brakes. Sill not fixed.

2.Window seals are squeaking when the windows are up, this is noticeable at low speeds. Replaced seals and fixed problem.

3. Bluetooth phone system did not work properly. A whole new system and mic had to be fitted.

4. The gear box has an intermittent fault: At times it feels like it is in DS rather than D (also the fault occurs when it has been in DS then shifted back to D) although the display shows D and the gear lever is in D. The engine/gearbox also takes on an unusual ?groaning? noise when this occurs. The fuel consumption is also affected because of this. Fixed with software upgrade.

5.The gearbox is also at times very slow to ?pickup/engage?, i.e. when stationary in D at a roundabout, then go to move off, accelerate and the car revs but does not move, then suddenly engages with a ?thump? and goes. Again an intermittent fault. This fault I consider makes the car unsafe! - Apparantly BMW recognise this as a known "trait" on other E60's but do not view it as a "fault" as it works to their specifications! still a fault as far as I'm concerned.

6. There was a "thump" on making tight turns AND uneven fron tyre wear (the shoulders wore out) A new steering rack had to be fitted.

7.Window anti trap function has gone faulty on 3 occassions

8. Two replacement windscreens fitted due to cracks appearing. these were not due to any stonechips either!

9. The best... drivers heated front seat base overheated burning my leg and the leather seat - apparantly an onknown fault to BMW -as I never seeked any medical attention for this BMW treat this as just another fault - nothing of the fact it happend at high speed on a busy UK motorway - having a leather seat and your leg burn can be a little disconcerting! - Oh and the car seat was inspected by BMW UK (no response on the fault/issue given to me) the leather base and heating element replaced (after a 4 week wait for the parts) but the dealer still managed to fit the seat base components incorectly - it is going back again tommorow to be fixed - hopfeully!...as are the squealing brakes.

znod

Hi Drew:

Welcome, and darn! You have had way more than your share of significant problems. What can I say? Only that I am sorry, and try to make Lemonade.

needforspeed

Sorry to hear about your bad experiences.

I've also got an ex demo 530d and have had some problems, which initially left me very concerned about the quality of the e60 generally.

I recognise the 'delayed response' you describe, but now just recognise it as a symptom of the way in which the gearbox behaves.

When pulling onto a roundabout say I have found that a gentle start is actually faster than putting my foot down, because of the 1/2 second delay and screaming wheelspin that results.

The window antitrap facility seems to be a general fault - my drivers window intermittently stops halfway closed and retracts for no reason.

The heated seat issue sounds major to me and if I were in you shoes I would be being VERY difficult about it. OK - you didn't get medical advice, but clearly if the leather has been damaged then the temp was excessively high. Just because you weren't badly injured doesn't mean that they shouldn't take it VERY SERIOUSLY INDEED.

:thumbsdown:

After getting quite down about it and worried enough to consider getting a different car - I'm more resolved now. I have 1 year of warranty left, during which I am going to be a pain in the A**e to my dealer and get EVERYTHING checked and fixed. Beyond that, I'll just see how I get on and enjoy the way it drives.

If I have more problems I'll sell it then. I'll still have enjoyed the drive and I can get something a bit different.

pedrollo

Hi, problems do spoil a car I agree.

4) sounds like it could be the particle filter regeneration, or a fault in that process. Probably the latter if software has fixed it.

5) I have been quite concerned about this gearbox trait while I waited for my car to be delivered, and have read everything I can find on the subject. I have only done a few hundred miles so far, but after an e39 530d auto, it is immediately clear that this ZF box is alot slower to engage than the old type. This fact alone IMO explains all of the 'slam' issues and I don't expect that there is any solution other than understanding it and making allowance.

For everything else, seat especially, annoy the sh*t out of the dealer until it is right.
Are you sure you didn't hurt yourself? Manufacturer is liable for 10 years in this type of occurence, never mind warranty. If you really want to cause trouble, see a solicitor.

Fenix1

5. The reason I went for a manual instead of an auto. This was very obvious on my test drive - a lot of roundabouts on the test drive showed the deficiencies of the auto box. No complaints at all from the manual transmission. Very fast and smooth takeoff from start.

w8pmc

I know exactly what you mean. I'm more than a little pi$$ed at BMW right now & i am myself questioning the quality of the E60, however my dealer has one last chance & if i do get my car back today & all is well, i'm sure i'll be calming down but if any further problems appear, i'll be all over BMW & the dealer like a rash.

I've learnt that no cars/marques are excluded from problems & faults, however it's when manufacturers deny knowledge & then dealers take far too much time to resolve problems that really ticks me off.

Good luck

pedrollo

Know what you mean.

We say at work that if you get someone out of the (smelly stuff), they usually forget who put them in it in the first place. Denying a problem exists when it clearly does just winds everyone up.

Hope it is solved soon for both of you.

P.S. Going to have another go at getting the voice module on order today.

2gpp

Thanks guys for the comments - appreciate it!
Great news got my car back today from the dealer who were putting right the seat base and seat belt fixing they failed to put right when they fitted the new seat base (after it burnt) - part of this fix was to put the seat belt back properly. They had removed it from the floor anchor point when fixing the seat, however they managed to put in back twisted!
Anway the car was returned to me today, only to find the seat base is still not fixed properly!! It is going back in tommorow.

Somthing I spotted whilst this work is being carried out: The drivers seat belt housing at the seat base is different to the passenger side!? I would have thought both passenger side and drivers side would be the same...they are not or so BMW tell me. Is this the same on all your E60's??

Passenger side seat belt is located inside the seat base housing. On the driver side it extends out to an additional harness point with a rubber boot to cover the floor anchor point. It looks terrible and I can not understand why they are not the same?

Any feedback much appreciated - I have not had a chance to check this against another E60 but the dealer assures me they are all like this.

Thanks

pedrollo

Trip to the driveway (nothing is too much trouble for you!) reveals that (on this occasion) dealer speak um truth.

2gpp

Thank you for making that trip out to the driveway and the feedback!
Must say when I drove home last night even with the problems and aggravation and that "nasty taste in the mouth" from dealing with BMW the 530d is a nice car with loads of fun torque!!
Hopefully it will be put right once and for all today.