2018 BMW 4 Series Complaints

SEAT BELTS — Filed 01/02/2025

Seatbelt alert pops up and noise sounds even when seatbelt is already buckled

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM — Filed 10/18/2024

The contact owns a 2018 BMW 430I. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, the contact discovered that there was an unknown liquid leaking underneath the vehicle. The coolant warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer, where it was diagnosed that there was a leak in the water pump and that the water pump needed to be replaced. The contact researched and became aware of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V608000 (Engine and Engine Cooling; Electrical System); however, the VIN was not included. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 74,000.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING — Filed 01/17/2024

The contact owns a 2018 BMW 430I. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle lost motive power. The vehicle was restarted; however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was driven to a local parking lot and then to the residence. The vehicle was later towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed with coolant pump failure. The contact was informed that the coolant pump needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. In addition, the contact stated that the coolant pump was previously replaced and covered under an unknown recall repair a year prior to the failure. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but provided no assistance. The contact was advised to contact the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,SERVICE BRAKES,ENGINE — Filed 12/06/2024

I pulled out onto Southside Blvd. My brakes failed, my driver’s front of the car hit a Waste Management garbage truck right back tire and cut the sidewall of the tire. The engine was racing, the truck pulled off the road, and I had sudden unintended acceleration. I immediately turned into a strip center and my car was racing through the strip center, the brakes were not working, the car controls were not working, and I turned the ignition switch off and the car stopped. The car had to be towed. Presently my insurance company has issued an estimate to repair the cosmetic issues, but not the mechanical issues.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING — Filed 12/05/2024

The contact owns a 2018 BMW 430I. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the engine started overheating with the low coolant warning light illuminated. The contact parked and left the vehicle at a local dealer. The dealer was contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and confirmed that the VIN was not included in SIB: 17 01 21 (Service Action: Replace the Coolant Vent Line on the Cylinder Head) and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The approximate failure mileage was 80,769.

SEATS,ENGINE,LANE DEPARTURE — Filed 11/18/2020

Front driver seat , keep sliding when u hit on breaks on the left legs where seat controls are located the balance between right thigh and left thigh is not well measured so becomes increasingly uncomfortable when thicker person driving the car, could cause an accident and risky, Engine problem - so many coolant leak which has cost me over 6000 dollars to repair and yet Still leaking, when I switch to spot mode this coolant overheat and thrn Another leaking, switch to sports plus more coolant leak Second the seat belt holder, a system is design to hand over the seat belt when doors close the that holder keep missing the seat belt or couldn’t drag it to you I’ve seen this in many of the bmw Another incident I notice when you reverse there’s crack or skip between the tires u could feel it like car is shaking reversing especially when wheel turn all the to the end

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING — Filed 04/22/2024

The contact owns a 2018 BMW 430I. The contact stated that while the dealer was servicing the vehicle, the dealer informed the contact there were several coolant leaks found. The dealer advised the contact to regularly add coolant to the vehicle. Additionally, the contact stated while driving 40-50 MPH, the vehicle experienced reduced power. Several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The messages "Vehicle Engine Heating - Drive Moderately" and "Drivetrain Malfunction" were displayed. The contact noticed a significant amount of smoke coming from underneath the hood and there was smoke inside the cabin of the vehicle. The contact pulled over to the side of the road, turned off and exited the vehicle. The vehicle failed to restart and was towed to the residence. The vehicle was then towed to a Collision Center, where it was inspected. The Collision Center informed the contact that the engine combusted and several parts under the hood had melted. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 75,000.

ENGINE — Filed 07/06/2024

In Oct 2022, I was driving normally and suddenly got a message on the dash saying something like "Coolant low, please top up when you have a chance". A minute or so later, I got the red warning "Engine Overheated, turn off engine when safe" and it went into limp mode, and I pulled over immediately and had to flatbed my car to a dealer. Then told me there was a coolant leak (which I was not aware and there was no error message regarding coolant prior to the incident.) And they told me there was a recall on my vehicle coolant vent line. Although I had check NHTSA website frequently and did not see anything being recalled. They replaced the coolant vent line for free. Fast forward 21 months and less than 5000 miles later, I brought the car in for oil change. Upon inspection of my vehicle, the technician noticed some fluid seeping through the turbo coolant feed line and there were buildups. Please see video here. [XXX] . They suggested replacing the turbo coolant feed line and turbo return light for $2,500! I mentioned the incident two years ago due to a coolant leak that was being recalled, if this is related. They told me the recall was only the coolant vent line. The issue now is the turbo coolant feed line and return light. And over time, the coolant just "starts to leak on those lines due to its material". This is a 6 year old mildly driven vehicle with 35K miles. How can the coolant line material so bad that it would start to leak after 5+ years? Found some threads online and there were other people having the same issue. The manufacture should have put in some quality coolant lines. There were other recall in other models (18V755) for regarding a coolant leak that may result in an engine fire, which increases the risk of a crash and injury. If the line material of my coolant feed and return line by nature will start to leak after five years, wouldn't it be the manufacture's responsibility to remedy it before it cause safety issue? INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

ENGINE — Filed 03/19/2024

My BMW 430i 2018showed no warning and suddenly the car started to shake, I stopped immediately and after the car cooled, there was no coolant, the oil temperature gage was always on normal. The car overheated and caused catastrophic engine failure, and need replacement. Upon inspection by several mechanics, its obvious the coolant leak from a hose that connects with engine block

POWER TRAIN,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,ENGINE — Filed 03/01/2024

When I cold started the car it rattled and shook, this stopped and the car was fine to drive. When I was on the road the cars check engine light came on and the car suddenly slowed down. An error popped up saying that there is a “powertrain malfunction”. BMW dealership said that it is a failure in VANOS system. There was a recall on other BMW models expect mine, 2018 BMW 4 series.

ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM — Filed 02/07/2024

CAR WAS ON THE HIGHWAY GOING 80 MILES COOLANT LIGHT CAME ON CAR DROPPED SPEED TO 30 MILES PER HOUR ON ITS OWN

SEAT BELTS — Filed 10/10/2022

The contact owns a 2018 BMW 430I. The contact stated that while driving with the front driver's side seat belt buckled, the seat belt failed to restrain as needed. Additionally, the contact stated that the front driver's side seat belt failed to retract when unbuckled. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and the contact was provided an estimate to repair the front driver's side seat belt. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact there would be no assistance because the VIN was not included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 17V507000 (Seat Belts). The failure mileage was approximately 77,000.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING — Filed 11/15/2023

The contact owns a 2018 BMW 430I. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the low coolant level warning light illuminated on the instrument panel, prompting the contact to refill the coolant reservoir. However, within two weeks, the failure reoccurred. After a visual inspection of the engine compartment, the contact observed an abnormally low coolant level. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who determined that the coolant was leaking from the reservoir hose. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to Service Action: 17-01-21. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 57,000.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM — Filed 09/17/2023

- My car started having intermittent electrical issues. The first warning something was wrong was always the cars instrument cluster would start flashing, and the audio system would also drop in and out. Then later other malfunctions would start to show up on the center Nav Screen, some of the warnings are listed here : ○ Audio/speakers would cut out randomly while listening to music ○ Air Conditioning instrument cluster display lights would flash going in and out ○ “Parking assistance malfunction” warnings ○ "Increased Steering effort required" warnings (one time the steering locked while driving ~30mph for half a second) ○ Transmission malfunction warning (I have the transmission ‘jerk’ suddenly 1 time when I was slowly backing up in a 3 point turn), ○ Drivetrain malfunction warning. - My safety was put at risk because the power steering locked once, sometimes the steering would become difficult, and the engine jerked while driving - I brought it into a mechanic: they originally thought it was something wrong with my alternator (Invoice 1), but they couldn't really figure out the problem since it was intermittent. The alternator ended up not fixing the problem. I brought it back to them after the alternator was replaced and the same issues were present. They ended up checking the battery and saw that the positive battery cable had come loose (Invoice 2). Once they replaced the positive battery cable the issues went away. - I did research on the NHTSA Safety database and it looks like this has been a problem for ~400,000 BMW vehicles over the last ~15 years. See references: SIB 61 06 17, SIB 61 09 18, SIB 61 11 19, SIB 61 14 12 - The vehicle has not been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives. It was brought into an independent service center - There were warning lamps and other symptoms that showed up after the instrument cluster started flickering while driving (that was always the first sign). I attached screenshots of those warnings.

ENGINE — Filed 02/13/2022

I was driving along the road and my car without warning overheated. I was able to drive to a safe place and park and contacted BMW of Southpoint Durham, NC. I was told that there was a recall on the hose which caused the car to overheat. I was told that they are waiting for BMW to issue the corrected/replacement hose for the car and in the meantime they would put a temporary hose on the car. I was told to pay out of pocket and then be reimbursed when the correct hose is issued by BMW. Many others had this same issue. BMW of Southpoint received the correct hose 2023 and put it on my car but now BMW is saying there was no recall. My safety and others were at risk because the engine could have caught fire, it could've caused me to lose control and crash. I had to sit on the side of the road for hours and could've been hit by another vehicle. Vehicle was inspected by BMW of Southpoint. There were no warning signs. lamps or messages prior to the car overheating. This happened February/March of 2022. Since then I was told letters had been sent out for a service update.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING — Filed 09/19/2022

The contact owns a 2018 BMW 430I. The contact stated that while driving approximately 45 MPH, the warning message "Pull Over Vehicle Will Shut Off" was suddenly displayed and the vehicle stalled. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer who diagnosed that the coolant hose was faulty and caused damage to the water pump. The coolant hose and water pump were replaced and the failure was remedied. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but no assistance was offered. The failure mileage was 49,000.

SEATS — Filed 05/09/2022

Lumbar support automatically inflates without driver pushing button. This causes the driver to become distracted, uncomfortable and losing focus trying to deflate lumbar support while driving. Has not been inspected but I did ask dealer about this being an issue. No warning of any kind alerts driver of inflation of lumbar.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING — Filed 01/01/2022

The contact owns a 2018 BMW 430i. The contact stated while attempting to start the vehicle, the low coolant/add coolant warning light illuminated. The contact stated she saw a coolant leak underneath the engine. The vehicle was not drivable. The contact towed the vehicle to an independent mechanic and was informed that the water pump needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired but experienced the failure a second time. The vehicle was not drivable. The contact towed the vehicle back to the independent mechanic and was informed that the water pump needed to be replaced a second time. The vehicle was being repaired at the time of the call. A dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 54,348. The contact stated that the part was replaced by a private mechanic.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER — Filed 06/29/2022

My vehicle erupted in a fire on 06/29/22. My vehicle had all of its services. It was shooting out random messages. Then ultimately completely lost power. My car filled with smoke and I seen flames coming from underneath the hood. It was fully engulfed in just minutes.

AIR BAGS — Filed 04/10/2022

The contact owned a 2018 BMW 440i. The contact stated that while driving at 65 MPH, the vehicle crashed into a donkey. There were no airbags deployed upon impact. The windshield glass shattered and hit the contact's face. Her boyfriend's knees hit and cracked the passenger's side dashboard, and her daughter sustained bruises on her right side from hitting the passenger's side rear door; however, no medical attention was received. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to a tow yard and deemed totaled by the insurance company. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and provided the contact with a credit towards the purchase of another vehicle. The failure mileage was approximately 36,900.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,STRUCTURE,UNKNOWN OR OTHER — Filed 04/10/2022

My husband bought a BMW through the military sales program, had it delivered to the United States, and we took it with us to Germany where we currently live. The car is made to U.S. specifications and I had been driving the car weekly in Germany to keep the battery running while he is away on a deployment. On April 11, 2022, as soon as I pressed the ignition button, the dashboard flashed a strange indicator light which I didn't have time to examine because my attention was immediately diverted when a metal bar next to the right rear headrest deployed from inside the seat and punched through the windshield. It sounded like someone threw a brick into the car. The check engine indicator also lit up but deactivated after a few minutes. According to the owner's manual, the metal bar is one of a set of two rollover protection rods which are designed to deploy in the event of a sufficiently serious accident or if the car's longitudinal axis is tilted excessively (i.e. if the car flips over). But there was no accident... All I did was turn the car on. The car remained in park the entire time. We can't find any evidence of this type of misfire occurring with this model car. The car is currently in the shop for repairs after being towed to a local BMW dealership. They investigated the incident, wrote me an email saying they did not notice any technical defects, and refuse to pay for repairs or take responsibility for this incident. Something like this is dangerous and should not happen at all. I think it meets recall criteria, and I definitely think BMW should pay to fix it.

AIR BAGS,SEAT BELTS — Filed 04/02/2021

I was rear ended. My airbag did not deploy. I do not think my seatbelt restrained me because I was not sore in that area, but do not remember. My head hit the stearing wheel. I spent 3 months in a neuro-recovery program and still deal with post-concussive syndrome. The car is available for whomever would like to see it. I incurred a closed head injury with significant effects. No one has tried to reproduce the issue, and I'm actually scared that if there is a problem and another accident it's like I don't have airbags. I went to the BMW dealership and they just said that my VIN was not under a recall and I would have to deal with BMW legal for any further information. The car has been repaired from the rear end collision. There were no warning lights or anything. Other than this, I love the car. I want to make sure that if anyone in my family is driving and is hit their head will be protected from the steering wheel. the doctors have told me that if I get another concussion it could be devasting. Please let me know how to proceed. Thank you.

ENGINE — Filed 09/02/2020

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 BMW 430I. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS AT STAND STILL, WHEN SHE WAS INFORMED THAT UNDER HER VEHICLE HAD CAUGHT FIRE. THE CONTACT STATED A COUPLE OF BY STANDERS ASSISTED HER TO TRY TO EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE BUT THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO CATCH ON FIRE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CALLED AND WAS ABLE TO EXTINGUISHED THE FLAMES. A FIRE REPORT WAS FILED. THE CONTACT STATED NO ONE WAS INJURED OR SEEKED MEDICATION ATTENTION. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DRIVABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO LOCAL DEALER BMW OF BAKERSFIELD LOCATED AT 5400 GASOLINE ALLEY DR, BAKERSFIELD, CA 93313, (661) 396-4040 AND WAS BEING DIAGNOSED AT THE MOMENT. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED AS OF YET. THE MANUFACTURER HAD BEEN INFORMED OF FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 13,200.

SEATS — Filed 12/16/2019

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 BMW 430I. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE REVERSING INTO A PARKING SPACE, THE CONTACTS FOOT SLIPPED OFF THE BRAKE AND ONTO THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED IN REVERSE AND CRASHED INTO A TELEPHONE POLE. THE FRONT DRIVERS SEAT COLLAPSED OUT OF PLACE AND FELL BACKWARDS. NO AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED NECK INJURIES AND THE PASSENGER SUSTAINED NONE. THE CONTACT WAS TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL WHERE SHE STAYED OVERNIGHT AND THEY CONFIRMED THE CONTACT SUSTAINED LIGAMENT DAMAGE AND REQUIRED NECK FUSION SURGERY. A POLICE REPORT WAS MADE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED BY THE POLICE TO A COLLISION CENTER. THE DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER WERE MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 24,000.*PM CONSUMER STATED UPON IMPACT DRIVER SEAT WENT BACK TO APPROX 45% ANGLE UPON IMPACT.*JB

UNKNOWN OR OTHER — Filed 04/15/2019

I PULLED IN MY DRIVEWAY AND TURNED OFF THE ENGINE. I USED THE INTERNAL BUTTON TO OPEN THE TRUNK THEN OPENED MY DOOR AND GOT OUT OF THE CAR. THE KEY WAS IN MY PURSE ON MY SHOULDER. I WAS REACHING INTO THE TRUNK TO GATHER MY BELONGINGS, AND THE CAR MADE A STEADY ALARM SOUND I HAD NEVER HEARD BEFORE AND THE TRUNK CLOSED ON MY ARM. I WAS ABLE TO PULL MY ARM OUT WHILE IT WAS PINNED IN THE TRUNK, BUT I HAVE TWO PAINFUL SUBDERMAL HEMATOMAS ON MY RIGHT ARM.