BMW Recalls Another 569,000 Vehicles?

http://www.forbes.com/sites/petercoh...9000-vehicles/

Has anyone got a notice from your dealership or from BMWNA yet??

Nope.

Wonder if they will reimburse those that have already had this?
Since I have already seen this problem reported a bunch of times
and seen people who take it in get charged 2k plus?

So the writer of the article is being sarcastic about BMW recalls. I guess its ok the Toyota has a new recall almost every other month!

its cool. Its good news for most of us. Several people on the board and e90post have had this phantom problem happen to them. Its pretty cool that its being fixed for free

The recall will begin in March.

If you go to http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/subscriptions/index.cfm you can sign up for recall alerts, including tires, child restraints, and specific car models. I did this shortly after taking redelivery on our car in July 2011. I got the e-mail regarding this recall yesterday afternoon, around the time it started being reported online.

If you got to http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/owners/SearchVehicles you can search for your specific year and model. Unfortunately, this page is not directly linkable. I've attached the two documents related to this recall.

If you read the 4-page BMW NA document regarding their investigation which led to the recall, they refer to "fretting". Not being an EE, I did some research and the best explanation was on page 122 in a publication titled "Degradation of Metals in the Atmosphere", ASTM special publication #965. Here's the link: http://books.google.com/books?id=cmk...etting&f=false

Basically, "fretting" is caused by corrosion and vibration between two dissimilar contacting metals, in this case caused by the tin connectors used on both sides of the main power cable connecting the positive side of the battery and the fuse box behind the glove box. It leads to a degradation of the electrical contact, causing loss of electrical power. BMW's solution was to replace the tin connectors with silver connectors, starting in July 2011.

Tom - Thanks for posting the link, very helpful. My car is not in the recall, phew.

Originally Posted by SD Z4MR

The recall will begin in March.

If you go to http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/subscriptions/index.cfm you can sign up for recall alerts, including tires, child restraints, and specific car models. I did this shortly after taking redelivery on our car in July 2011. I got the e-mail regarding this recall yesterday afternoon, around the time it started being reported online.

If you got to http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/owners/SearchVehicles you can search for your specific year and model. Unfortunately, this page is not directly linkable. I've attached the two documents related to this recall.

If you read the 4-page BMW NA document regarding their investigation which led to the recall, they refer to "fretting". Not being an EE, I did some research and the best explanation was on page 122 in a publication titled "Degradation of Metals in the Atmosphere", ASTM special publication #965. Here's the link: http://books.google.com/books?id=cmk...etting&f=false

Basically, "fretting" is caused by corrosion and vibration between two dissimilar contacting metals, in this case caused by the tin connectors used on both sides of the main power cable connecting the positive side of the battery and the fuse box behind the glove box. It leads to a degradation of the electrical contact, causing loss of electrical power. BMW's solution was to replace the tin connectors with silver connectors, starting in July 2011.

Hi Tom,

Thank you for your extraordinarily informative and helpful post. My vehicle is on the list, so I went ahead and read through all the applicable documents. Going to give my dealer a call first thing tomorrow and see if they've heard about this - then schedule the removal & replacement for the defective components. Really glad they're fixing this for free.

Cheers.

Originally Posted by 3284me

So the writer of the article is being sarcastic about BMW recalls. I guess its ok the Toyota has a new recall almost every other month!

I guess if one wanted to be free from recalls, they could not own or drive a car?

I have had a couple of recalls on my d. It is really no big thang - you make an appointment, bring the car in, get a loaner car, drive off. When your car is ready, you return the loaner car with the same gas level as when you drove off and exchange the loaner for your car and drive off. BMW covers the expense of the recall.

Wrong forum. This recall is for 5 and 6 series.

Originally Posted by furby076

Wrong forum. This recall is for 5 and 6 series.

Read the article again in the OP again.

The article I read said the recalls would start being sent out in March.

Originally Posted by Nanehi

The article I read said the recalls would start being sent out in March.

You are indeed correct.

Originally Posted by 3284me

So the writer of the article is being sarcastic about BMW recalls. I guess its ok the Toyota has a new recall almost every other month!

Good call, 3284me. This reporter obviously has quite the axe to grind, with respect to BMW. He comes off as a total horses a#$.

Good info bmwloverinsocal and SD Z4MR, thanks! If I did not get a letter before next service, I'll bring it up then.

I guess some bean counter right now at BMW or LEAR is rethinking that decision to go with tin plating instead of silver plating.

Originally Posted by furby076

Wrong forum. This recall is for 5 and 6 series.

"569,000 owners of 3-Series sedans, wagons, convertibles and coupes from the 2007 through 2011 model years, 1-Series coupes and convertibles from 2008 through 2012, or the Z4 sports car from 2009 through 2011..."

Originally Posted by 3284me

So the writer of the article is being sarcastic about BMW recalls. I guess its ok the Toyota has a new recall almost every other month!

But Toyota's are reliable of course! I'm so sick of Toyota going on and on about reliability this and that meanwhile you get into one of their cars and it's a bland and boring car with a cheap interior and no driving excitement...Oh right, I also seriously question their safety but haven't done enough research to really substantiate that statement.

Originally Posted by SD Z4MR

The recall will begin in March.

If you go to http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/subscriptions/index.cfm you can sign up for recall alerts, including tires, child restraints, and specific car models. I did this shortly after taking redelivery on our car in July 2011. I got the e-mail regarding this recall yesterday afternoon, around the time it started being reported online.

If you got to http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/owners/SearchVehicles you can search for your specific year and model. Unfortunately, this page is not directly linkable. I've attached the two documents related to this recall.

If you read the 4-page BMW NA document regarding their investigation which led to the recall, they refer to "fretting". Not being an EE, I did some research and the best explanation was on page 122 in a publication titled "Degradation of Metals in the Atmosphere", ASTM special publication #965. Here's the link: http://books.google.com/books?id=cmk...etting&f=false

Basically, "fretting" is caused by corrosion and vibration between two dissimilar contacting metals, in this case caused by the tin connectors used on both sides of the main power cable connecting the positive side of the battery and the fuse box behind the glove box. It leads to a degradation of the electrical contact, causing loss of electrical power. BMW's solution was to replace the tin connectors with silver connectors, starting in July 2011.

It looks like I may have lucked out from dealing with this recall. According to the VIN research I did, my 2011 was built Dec 5th 2011. I'm surprised they were still building 2011's that late. It was put in service May 2012 and was a BMW Corp lease with 7,000 miles on it. I thought I had read that they switch over model years in September.

I drive a Toyota 4 Runner, never had a recall but then mine is totally built in Japan, not that it matters, Build anything long enough and there will be issues, Not sure but the only thing most car makers make is the sheet metal work, the engine, transmission and maybe the differential and they paint the car, I think most everything else is speced out and is subbed out, maybe the wiring too?

they dont make wheels
they dont make glass
rubber
tires
wire
connectors
turbos
exhaust pipes
axles
etc.....

they do paint the cars but they dont make the paint

Hondo

My car is scheduled for Wednesday next week for the recall. I plan to call and make sure they have the parts before bringing it in.
Also I really wonder about the tin vs silver connector as silver is a better conductor but tin does a fine job and in my line of work I have seen much larger systems use tin connectors with no issues. I am speculating but I wonder if the crimp is the issue which is the physical connection between the connector and the wiring. Poor crimps will cause a resistance and heat build up since the majority of the power will manifest itself in a very small area.
Silver is certainly a better conductor so their choice is a good solution. I want to talk to the tech that does my car and see if I can look at the connector to see what it looks like. I expect a 4 gage or so harness with connector. Seems to be a multi connector positive harness and realoem does show this 2 piece harness isn't cheap. Can't tell if BMW is replacing the entire connector of just one of the 2 pieces.
I am sure that BMW will be working with their supplier and get some funds back for this.
Will post if this recall gets done next week...