Electronic gremlin and weird behaviour of authorised bmw service(dealer)

[530dE39]

Hi,

I wanted to ask you guys if any of you has had any major issues with his X5 F15.

I'm having big issues with mine (x5 25d xDrive 10.2017) since 09/2019 I have had already 11 "repairs" of the issue. BMW in my home country (Poland) has been involved in several of those "repairs" but all they do is code/program the car again and say the car is 100% ok.

Since 09/2019 I didn't drive my own car for more than 30 days. Every time I pick it up it breaks down ranging from within a few hours to a week.

What happens is this:

I'm lost for words. Communication is completely lacking. My car is for weeks at the dealership and I have no idea what is going on or if something is done at all. BMW replies are really very rude and far from customer friendly. (I did ask them after so many times breaking down to or replace the car for one that is free of this error or to come with some solution, but no proposal as the car is ok according them.)

I have been considering to contact a lawyer to go to court on this and I think I will to be honest.

However, the dealership shocked me a little with the following.

When I picked up the car they told me that, in case of any electrical errors, I should always tow the car to them. They repeated this at least several times. I told them that this was ok, if reasonably possible. I also drive internationally for my company and when I'm 1000km away, I'm not going to tow the car back to them, but just to the nearest dealer, right?!

Anyway, they me really feel weird and were far from friendly in their way of talking, communicating, etc.

When driving, the car started to do some weird stuff again. Not as bad as in the video, but quite similar. I called for road assist (I was in Germany) and the ADAC guy connected some scanner to the OBD, nothing.

He thought the fuse went out. So we checked what fuse and turned out they are on the BDC module. We looked at that, and to our big surprise we found that somebody secured a plug with wires (so that you cannot unlock it without breaking those seals) and we saw wires with tape on them sticking out.

The car got towed and at the dealership (nearest) they had a quick look. They said the OBD was dead and found this strange. They then had a look at that plug. Broke the seal and a whole bunch of wires with tape on them came out.

My dealer in Poland UNPLUGGED every single wire for CANBUS and Ethernet communication, basically totally crippling the diagnostic port of the car.

Of course the dealership in Germany made some issues out of the fact to even look at the car and I decided to leave and think what to do. The car drives and after disconnecting the battery most of the messages went away.

I called my dealership in my home town and they told me they only programmed and coded the car. They even called back after some time when the consultant talked with the mechanics working on my car. They hadn't disconnected the OBD port. They stated. But they DID program/code the car. As far as my understanding goes. This cannot be done without the OBD port.... so....

I don't want to be driving in a car that is not diagnosable or serviceable by any other service than this one dealer in my hometown were I was treated as a piece of sh*t. There are more BMW dealerships to choose from. Only issue is that I bought the car at that place and warranty things have to be handled at the place of purchase in Poland.

I have no idea how they could decide on this. Obviously they think the problem comes from me plugging something in the OBD. Only thing is though, that I have no idea what that should be. Why did nobody even talk with me about what their thoughts on it were and discuss to see if I'm connecting something? The only thing I connect to my car is my iPhone (by bluetooth) and I really cannot believe that that has something to do with it.

What do you guys think about this? I can hardly believe it is an ok way to deal with a problem they cannot diagnose for some reason.

[MK2018]

In my opinion warranty is warranty, should work at any dealer, to me looks like that dealer is doing some shady stuff and don't want any one to see it.
Out of curiosity what town is that and what dealer?

[530dE39]

Originally Posted by MK2018

In my opinion warranty is warranty, should work at any dealer, to me looks like that dealer is doing some shady stuff and don't want any one to see it.
Out of curiosity what town is that and what dealer?

Warsaw, Poland

[devlinsky]

Talk to the lawyer. I happen to know few people (lawyers) in Poland, so I can ask for recommendations should you need that. That story is really sketchy, so make sure you collect all the evidence you can, like dealers visits/calls, photos of that patched OBD port etc etc.

[530dE39]

Originally Posted by devlinsky

Talk to the lawyer. I happen to know few people (lawyers) in Poland, so I can ask for recommendations should you need that. That story is really sketchy, so make sure you collect all the evidence you can, like dealers visits/calls, photos of that patched OBD port etc etc.

Some recommendations would be good.thanks a lot. I do speak polish btw.

[turboawd]

Contact this guy for help
https://m.facebook.com/diagnoseDan/
He's on YouTube and he's good at diagnosis.
My guess is you have a canbus issue.

[P1]

Can you take your X5 to Germany for warranty repairs?

[530dE39]

Originally Posted by P1et

Can you take your X5 to Germany for warranty repairs?

Theoretically yes

[530dE39]

Originally Posted by turboawd

Contact this guy for help
https://m.facebook.com/diagnoseDan/
He's on YouTube and he's good at diagnosis.
My guess is you have a canbus issue.

My car is still on warranty. I don't think I can go to a non-bmw garage.

[devlinsky]

DM me your contact data eg mobile number - I will have a name for you and I can try to help with this case. No promises of course.

[turboawd]

Originally Posted by 530dE39

My car is still on warranty. I don't think I can go to a non-bmw garage.

It's your car. You can do what you want.

[530dE39]

Originally Posted by turboawd

It's your car. You can do what you want.

You'd say but in Poland they try everything to void warranty if you didn't go to a dealership.

[turboawd]

Originally Posted by 530dE39

You'd say but in Poland they try everything to void warranty if you didn't go to a dealership.

Well the dealership can't fix it, so what are you supposed to do?

[RED_Y_]

I would take car to the different dealership as well as work with lawyer and contact corporate BMW to get this resolved properly, do not come back to the dealer who was unable to fix the car. Looks like one of the modules is fried (possibly by someone in the dealership) and they are trying to cover it up.

[530dE39]

Originally Posted by RED_Y_

I would take car to the different dealership as well as work with lawyer and contact corporate BMW to get this resolved properly, do not come back to the dealer who was unable to fix the car. Looks like one of the modules is fried (possibly by someone in the dealership) and they are trying to cover it up.

To be honest. I talked with a friend who works in BMW in the Netherlands. He told me they had a car from a client with very similar issues. They coded the car. All looked fine. Then client came back again with the same. They searched for 1,5 week and turned out to be a damaged cable of the canbus and a damaged flexray.

After the fixed that. The car was fine. Also talked with a guy from Belgium who's on a bmw group on FB where I'm also in and he told exactly the same.

I think there might be something with wires or so as every time it rained hard the car is freaking out the same or next day.

BMW Poland (Corporate) was involved many times. But I've never met more unfriendly people in corporations than them. Treat people as total pieces of shit and literally tell them they are the problem. They say. It never happens on our parkings. You have the car and it's bad after a few days.

Well... what can I say. I use the car? For Christ sake. I connect my iPhone to the car over Bluetooth as every other person would and drive. It's my main vehicle for my business. I need the trunk size.

Seriously. The way they talk to the customers that leave them good money for the vehicles is total absurd. You'd not even expect that level of communication in the lowest segments of cars. And even then. Showing a little respect to another human being is normal I'd say.

I talked today also with devlinsky on the phone. Very helpful!! Thanks!!! I'm seriously considering driving my x5 to the Netherlands to the dealer where my friend works. Have it fixed and start a case in court against all losses etc BMW Poland caused me. The vehicle is registered as company vehicle so they have a business issue here. 10 months it's dragging on. I really don't see a way they can get away with anything. Even if they claim the car is fine. Which they keep repeating. Why on earth did they keep it at their parking for so long. It's been sitting for 9 months at BMW dealerships and BMW Poland.

[RED_Y_]

How about talking to the BMW Germany HQ?

[530dE39]

Originally Posted by RED_Y_

How about talking to the BMW Germany HQ?

They never responded to any message in English. Only when I wrote something I received one response in German. Than also nothing anymore.

[turboawd]

You try social media to get help? Sometimes that gets more attention.

[MK2018]

Originally Posted by 530dE39

To be honest. I talked with a friend who works in BMW in the Netherlands. He told me they had a car from a client with very similar issues. They coded the car. All looked fine. Then client came back again with the same. They searched for 1,5 week and turned out to be a damaged cable of the canbus and a damaged flexray.

After the fixed that. The car was fine. Also talked with a guy from Belgium who's on a bmw group on FB where I'm also in and he told exactly the same.

I think there might be something with wires or so as every time it rained hard the car is freaking out the same or next day.

BMW Poland (Corporate) was involved many times. But I've never met more unfriendly people in corporations than them. Treat people as total pieces of shit and literally tell them they are the problem. They say. It never happens on our parkings. You have the car and it's bad after a few days.

Well... what can I say. I use the car? For Christ sake. I connect my iPhone to the car over Bluetooth as every other person would and drive. It's my main vehicle for my business. I need the trunk size.

Seriously. The way they talk to the customers that leave them good money for the vehicles is total absurd. You'd not even expect that level of communication in the lowest segments of cars. And even then. Showing a little respect to another human being is normal I'd say.

I talked today also with devlinsky on the phone. Very helpful!! Thanks!!! I'm seriously considering driving my x5 to the Netherlands to the dealer where my friend works. Have it fixed and start a case in court against all losses etc BMW Poland caused me. The vehicle is registered as company vehicle so they have a business issue here. 10 months it's dragging on. I really don't see a way they can get away with anything. Even if they claim the car is fine. Which they keep repeating. Why on earth did they keep it at their parking for so long. It's been sitting for 9 months at BMW dealerships and BMW Poland.

Get lawyer and go after them, that is the Polish mentality to always blame someone else and get away with responsibility

[530dE39]

Originally Posted by turboawd

You try social media to get help? Sometimes that gets more attention.

I've contacted BMW also on messenger and they did respond quickly, but couldn't help at all. I think it's just some company doing their social media.

Also created a post on facebook and tagged bmw ag, bmw poland and the dealer and it got some exposure, but nobody responded.

I'm afraid that there is indeed no other way than going to court. Well... that's what will happen then.

[530dE39]

ok. I've planned to take the car to a dealership in the Netherlands as soon as the Corona quarantaine rules lighten up or to a dealer in Germany if I get send for work there earlier than that.

I'll keep you guys posted!

And thanks a lot for all support up to now!

[devlinsky]

Originally Posted by turboawd

You try social media to get help? Sometimes that gets more attention.

In US, yes, definitely. I did that several times and the results were excellent. In Eastern Europe (eg Poland) - nobody gives even a slightest sign of the flying whatever.