NHTSA Complaint #10070413 — 2003 BMW 325CI

JUNE 9, 2003 DEAR BMW, I BOUGHT A BRAND NEW 2003 BMW 325CI ON NOVEMBER 8, 2002 FROM ASSAEL BMW DEALER IN MONROVIA, CALIFORNIA. AFTER A MONTH OF OWNING IT, THE CAR STARTED EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS. WHEN I WAS AT A STOPLIGHT OR STOP SIGN AND HAD MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE CAR/ENGINE WOULD SPUTTER, AND IT?S AN AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION! THIS REALLY FRIGHTENED ME BECAUSE I HAD NO IDEA WHAT WAS CAUSING THIS ERRATIC BEHAVIOR. A NEW CAR IS NOT SUPPOSED TO HAVE PROBLEMS LIKE THAT. THE SAME PROBLEM OCCURRED WHEN I WAS DRIVING WITH PASSENGERS, AND THIS TIME NOT ONLY DID THE SAME SPUTTERING PROBLEM OCCUR WHEN I BRAKED AT A STOP, BUT THE ENGINE COMPLETELY SHUT DOWN AND I HAD TO TURN OFF THE ENGINE AND RESTART THE IGNITION. THE SAME INCIDENT HAS OCCURRED A TOTAL OF 4 TIMES, WITH THE ENGINE SHUTTING OFF BY ITSELF. THE SPUTTERING INCIDENT WITHOUT THE ENGINE SHUTTING OFF BY ITSELF HAS HAPPENED AT LEAST 10 TIMES FROM DECEMBER UNTIL THE DAY I BROUGHT IT TO THE DEALER FOR SERVICE, WHICH WAS MAY 14, 2003. I DIDN?T TAKE THE CAR TO THE DEALER FOR SERVICING IMMEDIATELY BECAUSE IT DIDN?T SEEM LIKE A VERY SERIOUS PROBLEM. BUT THE PROBLEM GOT CONSISTENTLY WORSE, AND AFTER RECEIVING THE BMW RECALL CAMPAIGN LETTER NO. 03V-124: 3-SERIES DME IDLE CONTROL LETTER IN APRIL, 2003 (SEE ATTACHED), I DECIDED TO TAKE MY CAR TO THE ASSAEL BMW DEALER FOR SERVICING. THE RECALL LETTER STATES THAT THE REPAIR RELATED TO THE RECALL WILL CONSIST OF A ?REPROGRAMMING OF THE DIGITAL ENGINE MANAGEMENT CONTROL UNIT AND WILL REQUIRE APPROXIMATELY 20 MINUTES. I TOOK MY CAR IN ON MAY 14, 2003. ON JUNE 13, ONE MONTH WILL HAVE PASSED SINCE MY CAR HAS BEEN IN SERVICE, AND AS OF NOW MY CAR IS STILL NOT FIXED! I AM VERY UPSET AND DISSATISFIED WITH ASSAEL BMW SERVICE. EVERY TIME I ASK THE THEM WHY MY CAR IS NOT FIXED YET, THEY TELL ME THAT THEY HAD TO ORDER A NEW DIGITAL ENGINE MANAGEMENT CONTROL UNIT, AND THAT IT COMES FROM GERMANY, THUS THE LONG WAIT TIME. I DON?T KNOW IF THE DEALER IS TELLING ME THE TRUTH OR NOT.