[AndroidRobot]

G05 X5 50i My story of bugs, Gremlins and some rather off events:

For those of you who don't know about the rather long list of troubling Gremlins my poor X5 has experienced let me give some background:

My X5 has encountered the usual software bugs ranging from the instrument cluster RHS display not changing to nothing loading in the weather or news apps. I had an issue where I needed something buffed out on my trunk so I figured why not have everything else checked out.

Here's the short, yet incomplete list of issues I've encountered, only 2 of which have been fixed.

Issues
1 Trunk motor faulty, passenger side
2 trunk rattles
3 Passenger door speaker rattles
4 Center speaker grill 'creaks' during normal driving
5 SOS button/overhead lights 'creak' during normal driving
6 Mic not picking up audio sometimes
7 Mic has a huge amount of distortion
8 Rear battery faulty
9 Antenna backup battery faulty
10 Door top leather defective
11 Dash leather has stretch marks from improper installation
12 Rear drivers side seat back has a bad spot in the leather which looks like a crack
13 Key not detected but the car still starts sometimes
14 Digital key randomly gets removed from the car entirely, had to call the dealer to get a new one added to my account because it wouldn't work with the initial one again
15 Leather defect in the center console
16 Windshield delaminating
17 Passenger mirror camera misaligned
18 Lug nut wrench was never in the vehicle for the spare tire
19 Cornering lights did not work from the factory



What troubles me is how the list is not getting shorter and dealers are by me are at a loss or perhaps (my speculation which you'll understand after reading this\) there more at play.

When I went into Alderson BMW (Lubbock, TX) they all seemed to be very nice people who wanted to address my long list of issues. My biggest concern was the Emergency Call System Malfunction which was causing mayhem on my daily usage as noted from the post I made about it before (see below)

Emergency Call Issue OP

I asked them if they've ever seen such a crazy list of Gremlins to which I was given the usual vague response. Well, they agreed to order parts and take care of things but recommended I can BMW NA to be safe. I asked if they could do it on my behalf and was told no. Anyway, I called on Monday to get an ETA on the parts so I'd have an idea and was told: “we can't talk to you over BMW NA". I was shocked, to put it bluntly, so I called my contact on the customer relations side. She had no idea where the dealer heard that even after investigating said no one there said such a statement. So I tried to call the dealership back over the next few days. Every time my call was transferred no one would pick up. I ended up calling on a whim using my Google Voice number since they wouldn’t know who it was and it worked. I spoke with one of the other service advisors and asked if the one I was dealing with was busy. I was told she was on the phone and gave her my name, the proceeding change of tone was sharp. She immediately said we cannot speak with you, call BMW NA. I politely asked what this was about and she hung up before I could even finish.

Some context:

When I first got my X5 it had a battery issue on day one right after leaving the dealership. It was late and they were physically closing as I left, therefore, I just went back to my hotel (the car was picked up at a dealer out of town) and called it a night. When I got back home, I arranged for my local dealer to look at the battery and see if the could order replacement door cards since the leather on mine had a defect which I mentioned at delivery. My local dealership, who is awful from previous experiences (next closest one which I mentioned above is 2hrs away) replaced the battery under warranty after trying to first blame me somehow. Then, they told me when I had my windows tinted (the day after delivery alongside my PPF and ceramic coating to protect my car) the water damaged that leather. I respectfully said no, I noted this at delivery but requested to have you (the local dealer) not the one 5hrs away from where I picked up my car order them so I wouldn't need to make that trip again. They said the regional rep claims its water damage and it’s not their problem. I know for fact it was there at delivery so I politely said I’ll take it to a dealer who has more experience with these things due to higher volumes of cars (larger dealership).

During the interim, I had my garage door close on the back of my car and very lightly scratch the trunk (I always back in, then drive out and close it). I wanted to ensure it was buffed out correctly so I made a visit to BMW of Grapevine in the DFW area. While I was there I dealt with Stacy, their service manager, and Laura the Assistant Manager. The reason for this was my issue with people improperly getting in/out of the driver's seat causing damage to its side bolsters in the form of creasing/wrinkles. They were very kind and took care of my vehicle professionally as I would expect any dealership of their size and reputation. While going over the ever-growing list of issues with the service manager, I showed him the defective door top leather. Without hesitation, he agreed this was something they’ve seen before on new cars and it would be replaced under warranty. This was in stark contrast to the regional rep in my area who blatantly tried blaming me for an actual defect which is a testament to why smaller dealerships aren’t ideal for odd issues.

Back to the current issue:
Now, when I emailed a list of the issues (service docs from BMW of Grapevine) to Alderson BMW in Lubbock including the leather door tops they got rather weird. I was told the door tops issue was my fault (obviously it was not), even with the documentation they had an odd tone. I asked them to speak with Stacy at BMW of Grapevine and he will gladly (he agreed before if I had an issue getting this done at another dealership to call him), otherwise, it’s no big deal I’ll have it done elsewhere.


We proceeded to talk about cars and have a nice conversation before I left and they agreed to let me know how long it would be for parts. I did not see the list of items they noted, but it was handwritten on a service ticket and rather long. They did briefly tell me a few things, although I never got a copy of it. I also sent them an email from my local dealership who agreed to fix/replace the bolster they messed up on my seat (not relevant to this story).

What strikes me as odd, which is pure speculation is how they claim BMW NA told them to not speak with me which I believe is coming from their regional rep. I stated I did not entirely trust him based on his opinion of my leather issue as mentioned before which might be why. I feel as if there’s more going on behind closed doors that I am not privy to considering the ‘secret’ list of issues. I even called BMW of Grapevine and asked if they could see any of the issues the dealer in Lubbock found, they couldn’t see anything past what was done at their dealership. This stuff is tied to your vehicle profile and VIN so something shady is going on.

Things got even more bizarre when I was checking my LinkedIn and saw a view from “Lawyer at BMW of North America”. I’m not sure what’s going on, I never said anything about legal action, only that I’ve gone through a lemon law case in the past with another manufacturer. I don’t know what someone is thinking I said/there’s a bigger underlying problem at play but it’s the strangest situation I’ve ever encountered with a vehicle. (see image below)

I’m really at a loss for what’s happening here because I am a big BMW fan and love my X5. I want to get things sorted out and know the true cause for this gigantic and completely unnecessary mess. I feel it’s very unrepresentative of the brand and BMW needs to come clean if something was done wrong so we can fix things and move on.


What do you guys think? I'm sending a version of this to the customer relations person I'm working with at BMW NA. I've said this before and I'll say it again, this is the strangest situation I've ever seen with a car or just in general.

MystroX5 Jason Any thoughts on this? I'm reaching out to you guys since I'm sure if anyone heard/seen something this odd it would be one of you.





Quick update [5/28]:

I spoke with the BMW NA Customer relations team again today. My case manager has no idea where the dealer is getting the 'we can't deal with you, call BMW NA' nonsense. I asked her to call the dealership, get a list of what they found it was handwritten) and see why they're being weird. BMW is flying their engineer out to meet me at that dealership June 11th so maybe they will figure stuff out then. I've had no working GPS, bad/inoperable microphone and the emergency call issue for almost 1.5 months now. I said this is crazy and unacceptable and she agreed without hesitation. I think there's still something we aren't being told (unless the case manager 'CM' I'll abbreviate it isn't telling me about an issue which I doubt at this time).

I've been in contact with some people high up on the customer relations team, higher than those I spoke with when my car kept getting production delays. Given how long these issues have been ongoing without parts getting ordered I think they should just do a trade assist through a dealer of my choosing. My CA at the dealer in Maryland (awesome guy) said if I lived there they would've initiated one without a problem at this point. I always keep him in the loop since he's basically a friend I've never actually met. He said this is the most bizarre thing he's seen and they're one of the top BMW dealers in the US so.

I'll keep this updated as I get more info since I feel my experience, while shitty to be blunt, will help other people.



Update [6/14]:
Please see the two links for updated info
this post for BMA NA's response to the issues after meeting with their engineer

Here is what BMA NA refuses to fix under warranty making the situation more complicated[/B]




Update 7/1:
See this post

[rmorin1249]

I suspect BMWNA is wary that you are building a buyback or lemon law case.
Based on what I read on this forum I am glad I leased my X5. This model is loaded with issues and I would be very nervous owning one out of warranty.
I wish you good luck on getting all of your issues resolved. Being honest, you are probably in for a long, hard slog.

[MystroX5]

I have had multiple issues be resolved with new vehicles and had to flex some muscle to get a regional Rep involved. At that point, I sat down with the rep and expressed my expectations and kept my attitude professional and positive. I always had my attorney in my back pocket but never let them know that. Good dialog and letting them know I was a educated car guy worked wonders.

As far as I can tell, most of your issues are minor and some are compounded by other issues. There isn’t any catastrophic engine or transmission issues which tends to be a easier case for a buy back. It’s just now multiple issues have soured the new car experience but it’s not too far gone yet and nothing that can’t be remedied.
I think what is happening is the vehicle is so new that no dealer really grasps how to attack all the issues. I believe a regional rep needs to step in and cut the red tape for expediting parts. Another issue is one service center needs to do all the work. Getting multiple dealers involved only muddies up and slows down the repairs. It’s easier for the regional BMW rep to keep tabs on the work being done. This way no service center can blame the other for work being done. The BMW rep signs off on all parts and work so the defective leather door tops get replaced and there isn’t any dealer static. I have seen new Porsche 911 Turbo transmission explode 2 miles from leaving the dealership. Engine fires and New Jeep GC engines be replaced all with happy endings.

AndroidRobot situation isn't super common but it isn’t rare with purchasing a high end sophisticated vehicle. It’s all a crap shoot and similar reports are coming in with the new Cayenne and Q8 on their forums. I keep tabs just to be educated where the new X5 fits in with the new crop of techno SUV’s. Everyone is going through their own unique issues. I am sure the new complicated GLE suspension will be a nightmare as well as the other typical issues.

There is some bizarre courses of actions from BMW but nothing a good sit down and a direct course of action to expedite a aggressive strategy for one dealer to address all these issues with the oversight of the regional rep. A good regional rep will personally oversee it. They want you to be happy and not have to go down the long and expensive road of a buy back. The dealer sounds pissed you didn’t buy from them but being rude needs to be reported to BMW NA. That won’t be tolerated once customer service intervenes. In these situations it’s good to visit the dealership owner and discuss these matters. You would be surprised how staff attitudes change if they know you have the owners ear.

[Marty in NY]

Interesting story AndroidRobot. Not unlike others I've read in the past and one of my own. When I bought my first luxo car, BMW, I thought luxo dealers would be different, in a positive way, a few steps above the domestic brand dealers. Even after a few disappointing experiences, I still kept telling myself the BMW's, Merc's Audi, etc dealerships were different. However, I have learned that they are not.

Sure, some are, you have to search them out, but they are out there. However, that goes for our domestic non luxo brands too. I drive three hours to go to the BMW dealer of my choice even though I have one 20 minutes from my house and a couple within an hours and a half.

I read your story and felt myself becoming angry with what was happening to you. All I can say is persistence and detailed documentation with names, phone numbers, dates and service invoices will be beneficial. For my case, I had all the documentation there was to be had but what did the trick in the end was my persistence and the ability to keep calm and factual when interfacing with the various dealers. Sorry to say or stereotype but dealers have a bad reputation that they continue to earn.

They are independently owned and operated, if you can find one who will sympathize your case, even if its a distance away, go with them because in the end, all you want in your car fixed. However, I would think BMW NA would not expect you to go out of your way in search of a sympathetic dealer, I mean taking it back to the one who sold you the car or one in your area should suffice. If they can't or won't fix it, then you have no choice than to escalate to NA and that is where all the documentation will come in handy.

To get a lawyer involved, you would need proof that BMW is refusing to fix your car or take it back.

[TurtleBoy]

Hopefully they resolve everything one way or another very quickly. My guess is that it will end up being a buy back and with a little luck they are working on the details behind the scene. Good luck and keep us informed.

[rmorin1249]

A good service manager is a real asset. If you can find one that will work with you, odds are you will get a satisfactory result. We are all pulling for you.

[MystroX5]

Fun fact not directed to anyone but a inside view of high end auto ownership.

I wanted to also add that exotic car ownership has a silent code of tolerance with seasoned owners. Most will never tell anyone their beloved vehicle has been in the shop 5 times over the last year.

On the flip side, one of the biggest assumptions you hear on the public forums are “I paid X amount of dollars and I shouldn’t be having these issues”. The funniest thing is if you gave a new Ferrari to a Camry owner, he would loose his mind with issues he believes he shouldn’t be having.
The more money you pay, the more you are to be expected to understand high performance vehicles are temperamental and when you stuff the latest tech in them, you are compounding the problem. There is a price to pay being on the tip of the knife of the latest technology and performance.

You wouldn’t believe what a Carrera GT owner goes through. (pic out the rear window on one of our local PCA rides.)

[solstice]

Originally Posted by MystroX5

Fun fact not directed to anyone but a inside view of high end auto ownership.

I wanted to also add that exotic car ownership has a silent code of tolerance with seasoned owners. Most will never tell anyone their beloved vehicle has been in the shop 5 times over the last year.

On the flip side, one of the biggest assumptions you hear on the public forums are “I paid X amount of dollars and I shouldn’t be having these issues”. The funniest thing is if you gave a new Ferrari to a Camry owner, he would loose his mind with issues he believes he shouldn’t be having.
The more money you pay, the more you are to be expected to understand high performance vehicles are temperamental and when you stuff the latest tech in them, you are compounding the problem. There is a price to pay being on the tip of the knife of the latest technology and performance.

Three of my many BMWs were very early production cars (E60 535i, F10 535i, F80 M3). They each had one issue. E60:HPFP quickly fixed with HPFP replacement, F10:ARS failure buy back, F80:lean fuel mix fixed quickly by software upgrade. My other new BMWs had not a single warranty issue. The G05 seems a bit worse than the BMW norm.

[MystroX5]

Originally Posted by solstice

Three of my many BMWs were very early production cars (E60 535i, F10 535i, F80 M3). They each had one issue. E60:HPFP quickly fixed with HPFP replacement, F10:ARS failure buy back, F80:lean fuel mix fixed quickly by software upgrade. My other new BMWs had not a single warranty issue. The G05 seems a bit worse than the BMW norm.

It’s a crap shoot. The more tech we get with every evolution, the more unique issues are cropping up. I am scared to say how good my ownership experience has been on my 50i M-Sport for fear of the tech gods will lay waist with a failures to my ride. I can assure you the upcoming X5M will be worse as any ultra high performance engine is really walking a fine line. It’s unavoidable. I think of these risks when choosing a vehicle my family will ride in for long distance road trips. Is 650hp worth the reliability, possible aggravations and messing up a $15k family vacation??? Fun around the house but not the right tool for the job.

[solstice]

Originally Posted by MystroX5

It’s a crap shoot. The more tech we get with every evolution, the more unique issues are cropping up. I am scared to say how good my ownership experience has been on my 50i M-Sport for fear of the tech gods will lay waist with a failures to my ride. I can assure you the upcoming X5M will be worse as any ultra high performance engine is really walking a fine line. It’s unavoidable.

Or maybe I’m just not sensitive to minor issues

[MystroX5]

Originally Posted by solstice

Or maybe I’m just not sensitive to minor issues

I have owned a RR for the longest 7 months of my life. Nothing will ever be that bad from Germany. When I hear the M850i is the poor mans Aston Martin, I reply “No, the M850i is the smart mans Aston Martin”.

[solstice]

Originally Posted by MystroX5

I have owned a RR for the longest 7 months of my life. Nothing will ever be that bad from Germany. When I hear the M850i is the poor mans Aston Martin, I reply “No, the M850i is the smart mans Aston Martin”.

I know what you mean, I had an Alfa 75 for a summer between two E30s back in the 80s and it was the most conflicting an intense love hate relationship I ever had and taken some of the human I have had that isn’t an easy list to top

[mnx5er]

What was your build date Android?

I’ve had a couple of rough BMWs out of a bunch and when it happens it really sucks. I’m lucky that my dealership will support me and I do not have to contact BMW NA. Some dealerships prefer to take care of things and use the regional rep as needed.

If you’ve owned a bunch of BMWs you may be able to build a buyback/trade case - much preferred to a lemon law mess.

As far as the attorney viewing your LinkedIn, don’t sweat it. Nothing they can do. Good luck.

[AndroidRobot]

guys I've been a little busy taking care of some issues (my wife's out of town because her dad is in the hospital) so I'll reply to everyone in little bit.

[mrjoed2]

I am still a firm believer in not buying the 1st year of any new car model. I think that is even more important with the current tech being installed. No offense, but think buyers of the first year of a modern vehicle are beta testers. Between the tech, supplier issues, Manufacturing learning curve, new to service dept, ect, it is a real roll of the dice. 2nd or 3rd year much safer bet.

[qocerhuang]

Pick up X5 last Tuesday 05/22/2019. Replace battery sign come up. 🤦🏻*♂️

[ZuerstBMW]

Originally Posted by AndroidRobot

guys I've been a little busy taking care of some issues (my wife's out of town because her dad is in the hospital) so I'll reply to everyone in little bit.

Sorry to hear about your wifes Dad, hope he makes a full recovery.

[AndroidRobot]

Originally Posted by ZuerstBMW

Sorry to hear about your wifes Dad, hope he makes a full recovery.

thanks, he won't unfortunately. His Parkinson's is too advanced and after being in a coma late last year due to a Dr's mistake (they gave him the wrong dosage of medication) followed by catching pneumonia in the ICU he hasn't recovered. It's sad but there isn't much that can be done other than take care of him. He's far too weak now and won't ever regain what was lost while in a coma so it's sad.

That's just a little backstory but I appreciate the kind words. My wife isn't handling things well needless to say.

[solstice]

Originally Posted by AndroidRobot

thanks, he won't unfortunately. His Parkinson's is too advanced and after being in a coma late last year due to a Dr's mistake (they gave him the wrong dosage of medication) followed by catching pneumonia in the ICU he hasn't recovered. It's sad but there isn't much that can be done other than take care of him. He's far too weak now and won't ever regain what was lost while in a coma so it's sad.

That's just a little backstory but I appreciate the kind words. My wife isn't handling things well needless to say.

Very sorry to hear that, my wife lost both her parents suddenly 5 years ago. My advice from that is that your wife take all the time and professional help she need to process now. My wife tried to power through it by keeping extremely busy with our kids and her career, that backfired a year or so later and she is just now coming out of the depression.

[MystroX5]

So sorry. I went through a similar situation with my Mom a few years back. The forums gave me a release for a few moments with Hospice. It also prioritized what is a real problem and what is momentary white noise. Issues with a luxury car is certainly first world problems in the grand scheme of life.

[AndroidRobot]

Originally Posted by mnx5er

What was your build date Android?

I’ve had a couple of rough BMWs out of a bunch and when it happens it really sucks. I’m lucky that my dealership will support me and I do not have to contact BMW NA. Some dealerships prefer to take care of things and use the regional rep as needed.

If you’ve owned a bunch of BMWs you may be able to build a buyback/trade case - much preferred to a lemon law mess.

As far as the attorney viewing your LinkedIn, don’t sweat it. Nothing they can do. Good luck.

Jan 23rd I think.



Quick update: Spoke with the BMW NA Customer relations team again today. My case manager has no idea where the dealer is getting the 'we can't deal with you, call BMW NA' nonsense. I asked her to call the dealership, get a list of what they found it was handwritten) and see why they're being weird. BMW is flying their engineer out to meet me at that dealership June 11th so maybe they will figure stuff out then. I've had no working GPS, bad/inoperable microphone and the emergency call issue for almost 1.5 months now. I said this is crazy and unacceptable and she agreed without hesitation. I think there's still something we aren't being told (unless the case manager 'CM' I'll abbreviate it isn't telling me about an issue which I doubt at this time).

I've been in contact with some people high up on the customer relations team, higher than those I spoke with when my car kept getting production delays. Given how long these issues have been ongoing without parts getting ordered I think they should just do a trade assist through a dealer of my choosing. My CA at the dealer in Maryland (awesome guy) said if I lived there they would've initiated one without a problem at this point. I always keep him in the loop since he's basically a friend I've never actually met. He said this is the most bizarre thing he's seen and they're one of the top BMW dealers in the US so.

I'll keep this updated as I get more info since I feel my experience, while shitty to be blunt, will help other people.

[Marty in NY]

AndroidRobot,
I think the BMW Genius I spoke with said it all, each dealership is independently owned. You might get a good one, you might not. It would appear you didn't. Hence that long post I did about a check list.

In my career, when having factory issues, we would never tell a new customer we were having issues. We would delay shipment or push out customer acceptance dates but normally said it was due to part shortages or some other reason.

We did not want to put fear in the customers heart, thinking they're on the verge of getting a lemon or that we have internal issues we're dealing with or we're pushing out a machine before its time just to capture market share. Its a small world and customers talk with each other. AND, that was before social media and sites like this one We made sure we addressed the issue while it was still at the factory...however, we were not a mass production factory.

My point is that no matter who you talk with at a company, if its a negative situation, I highly doubt you will get full transparency or even the complete truth.

Now, your dealer, well, that's another whole story. As unhappy as they may be now, just wait till that engineer shows up and you meet them there

You're on the right track, keep focused and calm and let BMW do their thing. Could it be one electronic module causing the whole mess? Who knows.

Fingers crossed for you!