NHTSA Complaint #10045490 — 1999 BMW 323I

I HAVE HAD A RECURRING PROBLEM WITH MY 1999 323I SINCE 4/30/2003 THAT THE BMW SERVICE TECHNICIANS CANNOT RESOLVE AT TWO SEPARATE BMW DEALERS IN MARYLAND, TISCHER BMW (WHERE I BOUGHT THE CAR), AND TOWSON BMW. THE PROBLEM IS THAT THE CHECK ENGINE, EML AND DSC (TRACTION) LIGHTS ALL COME ON AT THE SAME TIME, AND THE CAR LOSES POWER NOT ABLE TO GO ABOVE 40 MPH (APPARENTLY GOES INTO A FAIL SAFE MODE). THE LIGHTS THEN GO OUT ONE BY ONE AFTER TURNING THE CAR ON AND OFF ABOUT FOUR TIMES, AND POWER IS RESTORED TO THE CAR. ALL IS WELL SEEMINGLY UNTIL IT STARTS ALL OVER AGAIN! NOTE: I HAVE NOTICED THAT IT OCCURS WHEN GOING DOWN A STEEP DECLINE SECTION OF ROAD, COASTING AT ABOUT 40 MPH.I CAN REPRODUCE THE PROBLEM AT WILL, AND USUALLY WHEN YOU CAN REPRODUCE A PROBLEM, IT IS FIXABLE. THEY CHARGED ME OVER $500.00 AND DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM (THEY PUT A NEW IDLE SENSOR ON). THEY HAVE SINCE REIMBURSED ME FOR THIS TWO MONTHS LATER THE SAME EXACT PROBLEM HAPPENED AGAIN. THIS TIME I TOOK IT TO BMW OF KENILWORTH TOWSON, THEY HAVE HAD IT ON FIVE SEPARATE OCCASIONS. THE FIRST TIME THEY RESET SOME DEFAULT SETTINGS AND CHARGED ME $90.00, NOT CERTAIN IF THIS WOULD FIX IT OR NOT. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT IT MAY BE A SOFTWARE PROGRAMMING ISSUE, AND A RECALL MAY BE IN THE WORKS. TWO DAYS LATER THE SAME EXACT PROBLEM HAPPENED AGAIN. THEY PUT A NEW MASS AIR FLOW SENSOR ON AND CHARGED ME ANOTHER $400.00 (THEY SAID THAT THEY WERE 99% CERTAIN THAT THIS WOULD FIX IT) IT DID NOT! THE VERY NEXT MORNING WHILE RIDING TO WORK, THE SAME EXACT PROBLEM HAPPENED AGAIN! TOWSON BMW ALSO SUPPOSEDLY SENT THE DME MODULE UP TO HOME OFFICE TO HAVE IT REPROGRAMMED.THIS DID NOT HELP EITHER. TOWSON BMW FINALLY REIMBURSED ME AS WELL FOR THE PART THAT THEY PUT ON WHICH DID NOT REPAIR IT. MANAGER AT TOWSON BMW, HAVE TOLD ME THAT THEY ARE BAFFLED AND CANNOT FIX MY CAR! *LA