NHTSA Complaint #10124417 — 2001 BMW X5

AFTER EXPERIENCING PREVIOUS HESITATION WHEN ACCELERATING AND AFTER DEALER INSPECTION, NO FAULTS WERE FOUND AND NO CORRECTIVE ACTION WAS TAKEN BY THE BMW DEALER. WHILE DRIVING ON A HIGH SPEED EXPRESSWAY, THE X5 SUDDENLY AND WITHOUT WARNING SHUT DOWN ALL SYSTEMS AND ALL WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON. AFTER FINALLY GETTING OFF THE ROAD, THE CAR WAS TOWED TO MY HOME. THE NEXT DAY, THE CAR WAS ABLE TO START AND, ALTHOUGH THE CAR WAS NOT ABLE TO GO OVER 30 MPH, I DROVE TO MY BMW DEALER. THE SERVICE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM QUICKLY AND INFORMED ME THAT A SERVICE BULLETIN WAS ISSUED IN AUGUST, 2003 ON THIS PROBLEM. THE ENTIRE WIRING HARNESS AND THROTTLE HAD TO BE REPLACED AND BECAUSE THE CAR WAS OUT OF WARRANTY, BMW ASSUMED NONE OF THE COST WHICH WAS ABOUT $1,200.00. I BELIEVE THAT OWNERS SHOULD HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED OF THIS PROBLEM WHEN IT WAS RECOGNIZED BY BMW. THE SERVICE BULLETIN STATED THAT THE PROBLEM SHOULD ONLY BE CORRECTED "UPON A CUSTOMER'S COMPLAINT" WHICH I BELIEVE IS TOTALLY IRRESPONSIBLE AND JEOPARDIZES THE SAFETY OF OCCUPANTS.