NHTSA Complaint #10180857 — 1994 BMW E46

I WAS TRAPPED INSIDE MY BMW BECAUSE OF A FAULTY DOUBLE-LOCKING ANTI-THEFT SYSTEM. IT WAS QUITE TRAUMATIC. BMW USA REFUSES TO BE OF ANY HELP....OR TO REPLACE THE DOUBLE LOCKING SYSTEM SOFTWARE BECAUSE OF THE VEHICLE'S AGE, DESPITE THE CANADIAN AND USA RECALL OF SIMILAR SOFTWARE SYSTEMS. THE CAR WAS IMMOBILIZED AND THE WINDOWS UNABLE TO OPEN. (THE OWNER'S MANUAL NOTES THIS SYSTEM IS NOT TO BE ENGAGED WHILE PASSENGERS ARE IN THE VEHICLE. THERE IS "POSITIVELY" NO WAY OUT, IT SAYS, AND THE ONLY WAY TO DISABLE THE SYSTEM IS TO USE THE MASTER KEY ON THE OUTSIDE DRIVER'S DOOR LOCK). AFTER ONE HOUR, THE ONLY WAY OUT WAS FOR SOMEONE TO BREAK THE GLASS WINDOW FROM THE OUTSIDE FOR ME TO EXIT. THIS SYSTEM HAS NOT BEEN RECALLED, HOWEVER, MY RESEARCH SHOWS THAT THE BMW 525IS DOUBLE LOCKING SYSTEM WAS RECALLED IN 1994 (FOR THE SAME DOUBLE LOCKING SYSTEM-SEE BELOW) THERE IS A CANADIAN RECALL, I LEARNED IN MY RESEARCH ALSO (SEE BELOW) UNITED STATES RECALL FOR THE 525 SERIES (NOT THE 530 WHICH IS OURS) NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 94V219000 COMPONENT: 1994 BMW 5-SERIES LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH 1994 BMW 525ITA LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH THE DOUBLE-LOCK FEATURE CAN ENGAGE WITH OCCUPANTS AND THE DOOR/IGNITION KEY INSIDE THE VEHICLE. CONSEQUENCE: THE OCCUPANTS OF THE VEHICLE WOULD BE UNABLE TO EXIT EITHER FROM THE DOORS OR FROM THE WINDOWS OF THE VEHICLE. DRIVE-AWAY PROTECTION WOULD PREVENT THE ENGINE FROM STARTING. REMEDY: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE GENERAL CONTROL MODULE WITH ONE CONTAINING THE REVISED SOFTWARE TO PERMIT WINDOW OPENING WITH THE DOUBLE-LOCK ENGAGED AND KEY IN THE IGNITION. CANADIAN RECALL FOR THE 530 SERIES WHICH IS OURS MAKE: BMW MODEL: 530ITA THE CENTRAL LOCKING SYSTEM DOUBLE LOCK FEATURE COULD UNINTENTIONALLY BE ENGAGED WITH OCCUPANTS AND THE DOOR/IGNITION KEY INSIDE THE CAR. THIS COULD OCCUR IF ANY SYSTEM COMPONENTS MALFUNCTIONED. *NM