NHTSA Complaint #10064047 — 2004 BMW 325XI

I PURCHASED A 2004 BMW 330XI AND HAD TWO PROBLEMS THAT SURFACED IMMEDIATELY. WHEN CALLING THE DEALERSHIP, THEY BRUSHED OFF THE COMPLAINT STATING THAT THE CAR WAS NEW AND IT WOULD "SETTLE" GIVEN TIME. HOWEVER, AFTER THE PROBLEMS CONTINUED, I BROUGHT THE CAR INTO A DEALERSHIP WHO, UPON INSPECTION, TOLD ME I SIMPLY NEEDED SOME NEW PARTS. ONE BEING A TRANSMISSION (WHICH I THINK IS MORE THAN JUST A PART). APPARENTLY, THERE IS A DIRECTIVE TO BMW DEALERSHIPS HIGHLIGHTING THE PROBLEM, BUT TO DEAL WITH IT ONLY UPON CUSTOMER COMPLAINT. I FIND THIS VERY TROUBLING GIVEN THE NATURE OF THE PROBLEM(S) AND THE POTENTIAL SAFETY ISSUE SHOULD THE TRANSMISSION COMPLETELY FAIL. THE ISSUES ARE AS FOLLOWS: 1. AFTER ONLY 2,000 MILES, I HAD PUT AN ADDITIONAL 7 QUARTS OF OIL IN THE VEHICLE. APPARENTLY, THE OIL VALVE IS DEFECTIVE AND NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. 2. WHEN FIRST OPERATING THE VEHICLE, THE VEHICLE OFTEN WOULD NOT BEGIN TO MOVE UNTIL THE RPM'S REACHED ANYWHERE FROM 3-5K RPM'S. IN BOTH INSTANCES, THE BMW DEALER STATED THIS WAS DUE TO A DEFECTIVE "PART". THE REPLACEMENT OF THE OIL FILTER MAKES SENSE AS IT IS A PART. THE COMPLETE REPLACEMENT OF A TRANSMISSION, HOWEVER, DOES NOT. ALTHOUGH I DID NOT HAVE AN ACCIDENT, I BELIEVE THAT THESE ISSUES CAN POTENTIALLY LEAD TO A MAJOR PROBLEM AND THEREFORE RESPECTFULLY REQUEST AN INVESTIGATION. *JB