NHTSA Complaint #10049526 — 2000 BMW 740IL

I HAD BEEN EXPERIENCING SLIGHT VIBRATIONS IN THE STEERING WHEEL WHILE ON I-95. A WHILE LATER, I BEGAN TO SENSE A VERY SLIGHT CONTROL ISSUE WITH THE CAR AS IT SEEMED TO WOBBLE JUST A BIT AND DECIDED IT WAS BEST TO PULL OFF AT THE APPROACHING EXIT. AT THE TOP OF THE EXIT I BEGAN TO MERGE WITH THE OTHER ROAD WHEN I HEARD AND FELT A "THUMP-THUMP" SOUND. I THEN FELT THE REAR OF MY VEHICLE DROP TO THE PAVEMENT WITH A LOUD SCRAPING SOUND AND AN INSTANT LATER I SAW ONE OF MY WHEELS WHIZZING PASS THE DRIVER'S WINDOW AND ACROSS THE ROAD INTO THE WOODS ABOUT 150 FEET FROM MY VEHICLE. THE TIRE WAS RETRIEVED AND IT SEEMED TO BE PROPERLY INFLATED AND MOUNTED ON THE WHEEL. INSPECTION OF THE REAR DRIVER'S SIDE HUB SHOWED THAT ALL FIVE LUG NUTS HAD BEEN SHEARED WITH THE ENDS STILL FIRMLY IN PLACE. I RETRIEVED THREE OF THE OTHER ENDS OF THE LUG NUTS THAT HAD BROKEN OFF AND THE THREADED PORTIONS DID NOT SHOW ANY SIGNS OF UNUSUAL WEAR. THEY SIMPLY ALL SHEARED OFF. A PASSER-BY TOOK DIGITAL PICTURES OF THE HUB, TIRE, AND WHEEL ALONG WITH THE LUG NUTS THAT I NOW HAVE. I AM EXTREMELY CONCERNED ABOUT THE PUBLIC SAFETY ISSUES RAISED BY THIS INCIDENT SINCE IT SEEMS TO BE A CASE OF EITHER (1) MATERIAL FAILURE, OR, (2) PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH THE INSTALLATION OF THE WHEELS BY THE DEALER. SUBSEQUENT DISCUSSIONS WITH THE DEALER AND BMW MADE IT CLEAR THAT THEY HAD ABSOLUTELY NO INTEREST IN DETERMINING THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THEY WERE SIMPLY INTENT ON HAVING IT CLASSIFIED AS AN "ACCIDENT" THAT WOULD HAVE FINANCIAL CONSEQUENCES FOR ME AND MY INSURANCE COMPANY AND NONE FOR THEM. I'M LEFT WONDERING WHETHER MY EXPERIENCE WITH THIS VEHICLE IS AN ISOLATED CASE OR ANOTHER UNSUSPECTING DRIVER WILL EXPERIENCE THE SAME PROBLEM UNDER MUCH LESS ADVANTAGEOUS CIRCUMSTANCES THAT COULD EASILY RESULT IN THE LOSS OF LIFE. CONSEQUENTLY, I'M HOPEFUL THAT SOMEONE AT NHTSA WILL BE ABLE TO GET SOME SOLID ANSWERS ABOUT THE CAUSE AND NOT LEAVE IT TO CONJECTURE BY BMW. *LA