Bad dealership experience

nacaruh · 02-04-2016, 07:31 PM

So, I own a 09' 135i w/ 42k miles that was originally from Germany, and it got shipped overseas to the States (Military). I registered my vehicle with BMWNA + filled out the warranty validation form.

I called up BMW Alexandria asking if I can get the battery cable recall done to the vehicle. So the advisor looked up my VIN, and told me that there is an open campaign in regards to that. He said I come in whenever. 30 minutes later I go to the dealership, they use my key to pull up information, and then told me that there is no open campaigns for my vehicle. I argued with him back and forth, telling him that I've experienced electrical losses to the vehicle as I was driving (luckily the car didn't shut off on me). He told me that wasn't the reason of the recall, and kept telling me that the recall must have been done in Germany.

TL;DR : Dealership denied doing my battery cable recall because there was no recalls for it, when on the phone they told me there was.

What do I do from here? Do I print out this info (http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/acms/cs...3V044-6848.PDF), and show this to them?

champignon · 02-04-2016, 08:45 PM

BMW, or at least BMW USA, does a piss poor job with car transfers from another location. I have experienced this with my 1M, which was originally a Canadian car. Even after multiple calls and assurances that my car was now registered to me in the USA, when it came time to get my car jumped due to a dead battery while still under warranty, BMW USA was unable to get me roadside service and in the end they had to call Canadian BMW to get this done. And this was MONTHS after the car was imported and MONTHS after several contacts with BMW USA, all assuring me that my car was registered to me in the USA, and even after they generated a letter of compliance to US standards, which was actually entirely useless and not required for anything.

The BMW dealer in Canada who had serviced the vehicle told me that all recalls had been done EXCEPT the battery cable recall. BMW USA said that one had been done also. When I took the car into the dealer they said there was no need to replace the cable as it was what was supposed to be in there. I did read at least one post on this forum, somewhere, that the 1M wasn't actually susceptible to the battery cable problem in any event, which doesn't help the OP since he has a 135i.

I have no idea. Now that my car is out of warranty it probably doesn't matter, but it is amazing how clueless these people are, especially when the warranty (not the maintenance plan) is valid and transferable in the USA on a Canadian vehicle.

02-04-2016, 07:31 PM	#1
nacaruh FOUO 415 Rep 873 Posts Drives: E82 Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: LA iTrader: (5)	Bad dealership experience So, I own a 09' 135i w/ 42k miles that was originally from Germany, and it got shipped overseas to the States (Military). I registered my vehicle with BMWNA + filled out the warranty validation form. I called up BMW Alexandria asking if I can get the battery cable recall done to the vehicle. So the advisor looked up my VIN, and told me that there is an open campaign in regards to that. He said I come in whenever. 30 minutes later I go to the dealership, they use my key to pull up information, and then told me that there is no open campaigns for my vehicle. I argued with him back and forth, telling him that I've experienced electrical losses to the vehicle as I was driving (luckily the car didn't shut off on me). He told me that wasn't the reason of the recall, and kept telling me that the recall must have been done in Germany. TL;DR : Dealership denied doing my battery cable recall because there was no recalls for it, when on the phone they told me there was. What do I do from here? Do I print out this info (http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/acms/cs...3V044-6848.PDF), and show this to them?
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02-04-2016, 08:45 PM	#2
champignon Disrupter 1566 Rep 2,484 Posts Drives: 1M;Z3M Cp;135is Vert, 996TT Join Date: Jun 2015 Location: Idaho iTrader: (0)	BMW, or at least BMW USA, does a piss poor job with car transfers from another location. I have experienced this with my 1M, which was originally a Canadian car. Even after multiple calls and assurances that my car was now registered to me in the USA, when it came time to get my car jumped due to a dead battery while still under warranty, BMW USA was unable to get me roadside service and in the end they had to call Canadian BMW to get this done. And this was MONTHS after the car was imported and MONTHS after several contacts with BMW USA, all assuring me that my car was registered to me in the USA, and even after they generated a letter of compliance to US standards, which was actually entirely useless and not required for anything. The BMW dealer in Canada who had serviced the vehicle told me that all recalls had been done EXCEPT the battery cable recall. BMW USA said that one had been done also. When I took the car into the dealer they said there was no need to replace the cable as it was what was supposed to be in there. I did read at least one post on this forum, somewhere, that the 1M wasn't actually susceptible to the battery cable problem in any event, which doesn't help the OP since he has a 135i. I have no idea. Now that my car is out of warranty it probably doesn't matter, but it is amazing how clueless these people are, especially when the warranty (not the maintenance plan) is valid and transferable in the USA on a Canadian vehicle.
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