[Ldb25]

Originally Posted by viper689

Agreed. At this point, my goal is replacement vehicle. I'd accept at a minimum reimbursement of monthly payments/extension of warranty, but there's gotta be some middle ground as well. I don't want to be in a comparable rental for 3 months with no resolution in sight.

You bring up a good point in the Lemon Law however. I did just to a little bit of light reading on California Lemon Law and it does state that if a vehicle is within Manufacturer Warranty and out of commission for 30 non-consecutive days, then it can be considered a lemon, but it seems to be a bit arbitrary on how much good faith the manufacturer is putting forth. If BMW foots the bill for monthly payments, then I may not have much of a case.

Thanks for the update. I've heard nothing and agree that the communication on this should be better.

[viper689]

UPDATE

Just got back from the BMW dealership/Enterprise Rent A Car. Had to return our 2021 5 series loaner since BMW needed to put us into a long term rental through Enterprise, so went to drop that off today. In speaking with the SA, he mentioned that he's had another X3 PHEV in since early November that they're holding onto, and there's still no fix in sight.

He had mentioned that the owner of that vehicle was discussing with BMW whether they can be placed into a new model, something that I was curious about as well. Either way, we're still waiting to speak with corporate regarding this situation, but we'll be asking for some combination of the following:

1. Be placed into a new, unaffected model
2. Reimbursement of monthly payments
3. Nicer rental vehicle (Enterprise only had a Ford Explorer available)
4. Extension of BMW warranty
5. Reimbursement of gas expenses since we intended to drive electric
6. Further cash compensation

We were told that the dealer manager responsible for our case will be available tomorrow, so let's see what happens.

[fndrplayer13]

Originally Posted by viper689

UPDATE

Just got back from the BMW dealership/Enterprise Rent A Car. Had to return our 2021 5 series loaner since BMW needed to put us into a long term rental through Enterprise, so went to drop that off today. In speaking with the SA, he mentioned that he's had another X3 PHEV in since early November that they're holding onto, and there's still no fix in sight.

He had mentioned that the owner of that vehicle was discussing with BMW whether they can be placed into a new model, something that I was curious about as well. Either way, we're still waiting to speak with corporate regarding this situation, but we'll be asking for some combination of the following:

1. Be placed into a new, unaffected model
2. Reimbursement of monthly payments
3. Nicer rental vehicle (Enterprise only had a Ford Explorer available)
4. Extension of BMW warranty
5. Reimbursement of gas expenses since we intended to drive electric
6. Further cash compensation

We were told that the dealer manager responsible for our case will be available tomorrow, so let's see what happens.

Thanks for the update viper689 -- I reached out to BMW corporate via email today myself. The dealer manager that you're referencing -- does that person work for BMW corporate or your local dealership? I wonder if that's an avenue I should explore as well.

[viper689]

Originally Posted by fndrplayer13

Thanks for the update viper689 -- I reached out to BMW corporate via email today myself. The dealer manager that you're referencing -- does that person work for BMW corporate or your local dealership? I wonder if that's an avenue I should explore as well.

The way my SA made it sound, it almost sounded like a liaison from BMW corporate who works at the dealer.

[Sam320]

Thanks for the update. I'm going to call corporate tomorrow and see if there are any options. My SA said "No Remedy yet!" Probably sometime in 2021!! I'm getting 16.1 mpg and half the enjoyment, this isn't okay. I'll keep you all updated.

[Ldb25]

Originally Posted by fndrplayer13

Thanks for the update viper689 -- I reached out to BMW corporate via email today myself. The dealer manager that you're referencing -- does that person work for BMW corporate or your local dealership? I wonder if that's an avenue I should explore as well.

Appreciate the update. I plan to call my dealer (Silver Spring, MD) and call the corporate phone number listed on the apology letter I received from BMW NA last week. I'm still driving my car to work everyday and have heard nothing about bringing it in or not driving the car - just the "don't charge the car and don't use Sport mode" from corporate in October.

[Sam320]

I just talked to BMW customer service and they put a request in for someone from Corporate to contact me within 2 business days to discuss updates/options.

The BMW rep stated they still do not have a remedy, it will most likely take 1-3 months. The parts (new batteries) need to be distributed to the dealers and they are trying to figure that out.

We are authorized a long term rental if you would like one. BMW N/A will pay for it and your local dealer (service center) will arrange it for you.

The customer service rep put a request in for additional compensation without me asking. I asked him what that was and he said Corporate approves and decides.

I'll update again once Corporate calls me back, hopefully soon.

[viper689]

Originally Posted by Sam320

I just talked to BMW customer service and they put a request in for someone from Corporate to contact me within 2 business days to discuss updates/options.

The BMW rep stated they still do not have a remedy, it will most likely take 1-3 months. The parts (new batteries) need to be distributed to the dealers and they are trying to figure that out.

We are authorized a long term rental if you would like one. BMW N/A will pay for it and your local dealer (service center) will arrange it for you.

The customer service rep put a request in for additional compensation without me asking. I asked him what that was and he said Corporate approves and decides.

I'll update again once Corporate calls me back, hopefully soon.

Keep us posted! At this rate, you'll probably hear from Corporate before I do

[Ldb25]

Originally Posted by viper689

Keep us posted! At this rate, you'll probably hear from Corporate before I do

So I called the corporate number on the latest recall "we're sorry" letter and was told that as of last Friday the parts have shipped to the US and are being sent to various warehouses and that I should expect a letter advising me to bring the car in for repair in a few weeks. I asked about bringing the car in now for a rental and was told I'm fine to continue driving it. I also asked if the local dealers were able to replace battery cells and was told "yes, that's the plan and the repair has been developed." No discussion of additional compensation and he seemed dismissive of the idea of putting me in a rental. While I'm ok with driving my car like this for a month or two, I'm not impressed with the widely divergent info and compensation we seem to be getting from BMW. Haven't called my dealer yet but will try tomorrow if I have time.

[Sam320]

I just received a voicemail from Ross at Corporate and he was VERY vague about the timing. He said he was returning my call due to my inquiry to customer service.
He stated "We do have a remedy and the timeline should be early 2021."

I called my dealer in Fairfax and they told me they had no additional information on the recall fix and that once I received a letter to bring it in I can make an appt.

The customer service rep told me he requested additional compensation and that it was up to Corporate to approve but Ross said nothing about it in his voicemail. I left him a vm back and will see what he has to say when I actually talk to him.

More to come....

[viper689]

Yeah unfortunately the whole situation seems to be pretty messy, and extremely inconsistent. You would hope that even if there's a remote concern that driving it like normal can cause issues, BMW would inform all dealers to bring the cars in. The fact that this isn't a consistent message is very concerning.

[viper689]

We had a quick chat with corporate BMW last night, and we're even more confused now. We were told that they were confused why our dealer told us that we can't drive our X3, as the official position has always been that it is safe to drive outside of Sport mode, with no charging allowed, which aligns with what most folks on here have been told as well.

We requested to have a 3 way call with the dealer to get this sorted out, because the dealer even told us that they've had another X3 plug-in for over a month now. We're at 2 weeks now. Corporate said this could take a couple days to put together, and still haven't heard from the Service Manager (this was the "dealer manager" referenced above).

The saga continues.

[viper689]

Now we're getting frustrated.

We still hadn't heard anything since last Thursday from corporate or the dealer, so we called our SA today to try and get an update and were told that the Service Manager already talked to us and gave us an update - this never happened.

We were then told by the SA that the Service Manager was in meetings all day but will reach out to us by the end of the day. A couple hours later, we got a call from supposedly another Service Manager, and he told us that the original Service Manager had been out on vacation for the past week...

But anyway, we informed the dealer that corporate told us the official stance was that the vehicle was safe to drive and to see if we can get our vehicle back, and were told that corporate is not aware of the "tiers" of battery issues, and that we were a "tier 3" case. When we pushed back stating that if that's the case, then shouldn't corporate know?

After some back and forth requesting that the dealer and corporate get their stories straight, we called corporate again and this time the recall rep informed us that sometimes it's up to the dealer to decide if a vehicle is safe or unsafe to drive, and can keep the vehicle if needed and set us up with a long term rental. We emphasized that that's fine if it needs to be kept, but it's not very reassuring when the dealer and corporate are not on the same page and we're still making monthly payments on a vehicle that we don't have in our garage. For what it's worth, the rep did ask what our monthly payment was and was going to request his managers to see what they can do, but at this point, I'll only believe something if I see it.

We requested the rep run our case up the food chain and he informed us that his managers will review our case and get back with us by the end of the week, while the Service Manager claimed he will make some calls as well, but we have very little confidence in what the dealer is saying at this point. Hopefully we'll hear something consistent by the end of the week, and as always, I'll keep you posted on what happens.

In the meantime, we're still driving a Ford Explorer so depending on what happens this week, we'll be requesting from Enterprise a new vehicle. This thing is a tank.

[Ldb25]

Originally Posted by viper689

Now we're getting frustrated.

We still hadn't heard anything since last Thursday from corporate or the dealer, so we called our SA today to try and get an update and were told that the Service Manager already talked to us and gave us an update - this never happened.

We were then told by the SA that the Service Manager was in meetings all day but will reach out to us by the end of the day. A couple hours later, we got a call from supposedly another Service Manager, and he told us that the original Service Manager had been out on vacation for the past week...

But anyway, we informed the dealer that corporate told us the official stance was that the vehicle was safe to drive and to see if we can get our vehicle back, and were told that corporate is not aware of the "tiers" of battery issues, and that we were a "tier 3" case. When we pushed back stating that if that's the case, then shouldn't corporate know?

After some back and forth requesting that the dealer and corporate get their stories straight, we called corporate again and this time the recall rep informed us that sometimes it's up to the dealer to decide if a vehicle is safe or unsafe to drive, and can keep the vehicle if needed and set us up with a long term rental. We emphasized that that's fine if it needs to be kept, but it's not very reassuring when the dealer and corporate are not on the same page and we're still making monthly payments on a vehicle that we don't have in our garage. For what it's worth, the rep did ask what our monthly payment was and was going to request his managers to see what they can do, but at this point, I'll only believe something if I see it.

We requested the rep run our case up the food chain and he informed us that his managers will review our case and get back with us by the end of the week, while the Service Manager claimed he will make some calls as well, but we have very little confidence in what the dealer is saying at this point. Hopefully we'll hear something consistent by the end of the week, and as always, I'll keep you posted on what happens.

In the meantime, we're still driving a Ford Explorer so depending on what happens this week, we'll be requesting from Enterprise a new vehicle. This thing is a tank.

Thanks for the update, seriously not impressed with the communication and the different stories you're being told. Pretty sad for a major corporation selling luxury cars. I left a message with service at my dealer asking for a call back days ago. Haven't got a call yet.

[viper689]

So I think we've finally got some headway. We were able to speak to a manager at Corporate, and he informed us that it is up to the dealer to hold the car, as long as they provide us with a covered rental (which they did). BMW Corporate will also be sending us another $1000 (in addition to the first check) for the inconvenience and miscommunications.

The Service Manager at our dealer also called us back on his own and informed us that if we want, we can have the vehicle back, but we'd have to sign a waiver that if something battery related happens, they wouldn't be responsible and that our vehicle remains high risk (Tier 3). So that's a no for us since we're at least getting consistent responses and compensation.

Luckily we were able to easily swap the tank rental for a sedan (2021 Chevy Malibu), so while it's not ideal, at least we're getting straight stories now. Corporate informed us that parts have started shipping to dealers and repairs are being scheduled and their priorities are vehicles that have actually caught fire, but their expecting mass fixes to start by the end of January. We told them that if it bleeds into February, we're going to expect another check.

So for now, we're just waiting for the call from the dealership to schedule the repair, hopefully in a month or so, otherwise Corporate is going to get another ear full.

[Ldb25]

Originally Posted by viper689

So I think we've finally got some headway. We were able to speak to a manager at Corporate, and he informed us that it is up to the dealer to hold the car, as long as they provide us with a covered rental (which they did). BMW Corporate will also be sending us another $1000 (in addition to the first check) for the inconvenience and miscommunications.

The Service Manager at our dealer also called us back on his own and informed us that if we want, we can have the vehicle back, but we'd have to sign a waiver that if something battery related happens, they wouldn't be responsible and that our vehicle remains high risk (Tier 3). So that's a no for us since we're at least getting consistent responses and compensation.

Luckily we were able to easily swap the tank rental for a sedan (2021 Chevy Malibu), so while it's not ideal, at least we're getting straight stories now. Corporate informed us that parts have started shipping to dealers and repairs are being scheduled and their priorities are vehicles that have actually caught fire, but their expecting mass fixes to start by the end of January. We told them that if it bleeds into February, we're going to expect another check.

So for now, we're just waiting for the call from the dealership to schedule the repair, hopefully in a month or so, otherwise Corporate is going to get another ear full.

Sounds encouraging, thanks and good luck. My Level 2 charger arrives tomorrow and I'm getting tired of filling up the gas tank every week or so.

[fndrplayer13]

Quick update for me -- my car is now at the dealer for analysis and maybe repair. It sounds like they have to perform some testing to determine whether or not the battery actually needs replacing. BMW corporate also gave me a year of their ultimate service plan.

[veloso77]

Apparently BMW has developed a software that stress-test charges the battery by doing 5 cycles (charge and discharge). If your car doesn't explode after this procedure you are good to go. If it explodes they will give you a new one.

This is no joke.

[freshxdough]

What exact recall is this for? There are a few different recalls out. One has you check the cell modules to see if they are affected. Test plan will conclude with if you need to replace modules and how many. I am awaiting 6 cell modules on a X3 30e that has not yet been delivered to a customer. I don't know when the cel modules will arrive yet.

[Ldb25]

Originally Posted by fndrplayer13

Quick update for me -- my car is now at the dealer for analysis and maybe repair. It sounds like they have to perform some testing to determine whether or not the battery actually needs replacing. BMW corporate also gave me a year of their ultimate service plan.

Good to hear your car is actually being looked at. Still nothing heard from my DC area dealer. I called service and left a message 3 weeks ago but never got a call back. I'll try again next week and hopefully they have some visibility on starting the inspections.

My solar panels went up a month ago and I finally got a 240V outlet and level 2 charger setup in my garage so I'd like to use them.

Happy New Year everyone, let's hope for a better year ahead!

[kbulo]

Thanks for the update.

Nothing here either, unfortunately. And noticed all MY20 have been removed from dealer's inventory. They still showed up, mixed in with the 21s no too long ago.

[Sam320]

Happy New Year! I went to the dealer last week and asked my service advisor about the recall, she said she has all the paperwork and they have meeting updates about it but there has really been no update or remedy date discussed so far.

She said hopefully they get an update next month (Jan) and they'll have a better idea of parts and remedy. Otherwise there is no actual update.

I talked to corporate and he said 1-3 months and because they are confident it will happen in 1-3 months there is no additional compensation?

Seems like the dealer and corporate still don't have any details other than...just sit and wait.

Im going to call Corporate in the next 5-7 days and see if they are still vague and have no update.

I'll keep keep you all updated!