NHTSA Complaint #10233671 — 2008 BMW 550I

BMW 528I - IF YOU CARRY LIQUIDS WHICH SPILL IN YOUR TRUNK, THE LIQUID CAN SEEP THROUGH AND BURN THE WIRES, OR THE CAR WILL STOP RUNNING (PER SERVICE DEPARTMENT), WHICH CAN CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. ON 7-5 MY CAR HAD A LOW TIRE LIGHT GO ON. I WAS TOLD TO TAKE THE CAR IN AS THEY MIGHT NEED TO "RESET" SOMETHING. I TOOK THE CAR IN &WAS TOLD TO RETURN ON 7-7 AS THEY COULDN'T GET THE LIGHT TO GO OFF. ON 7-7 WE TOOK THE CAR IN.THE SERVICE REP. CALLED &ASKED ME IF I HAD SPILLED WATER IN THE TRUNK.I TOLD HIM ON 7-4 A WATER BOTTLE SPILLED.HE TOLD ME DUE TO THE WATER SPILL, THE REPAIR WOULD NOT BE COVERED UNDER WARRANTY.HE SAID THEY RAN TESTS AND WIRES WERE BURNT 3 TO 4'. HE SAID THERE IS A CHANCE WHEN YOU PUT WATER BOTTLES IN TRUNK & THEY ARE NOT SEALED TIGHTLY THE HEAT CAN CAUSE THEM TO EXPAND,& OPEN UP & SPILL. HE SAID HE WARNED HIS WIFE OF THIS. I WAS NOT WARNED THE WIRES ARE DOWN THERE & NOT TO CARRY LIQUID IN THE TRUNK. I ASKED IF I COULD DRIVE THE CAR AND HE SAID NO THERE IS A POSSIBILITY OF THE CAR SHUTTING DOWN WHEN THE WIRES ARE BURNED. I CAN'T USE THE TRUNK FOR GROCERY SHOPPING FOR FEAR THAT SOMETHING WILL 'LEAK' AND CAUSE THE WIRES TO 'BURN' AGAIN,CREATING A POSSIBLE FIRE HAZARD. IF THERE IS NO FIRE DUE TO THE BURNT WIRES, THERE IS THE POSSIBILITY OF THE CAR 'SHUTTING DOWN', CAUSING AN ACCIDENT WHICH COULD CAUSE INJURY TO MYSELF OR ANOTHER PARTY. THE GENERAL PUBLIC SHOULD BE WARNED THE BMW TRUNK CAN'T HANDLE TRANSPORTING LIQUID STORED IN CONTAINERS.THE WIRES SHOULD HAVE BEEN PROTECTED FROM WATER DAMAGE DUE TO THEIR LOCATION AND POSSIBLE DAMAGE BY LIQUID. THESE WIRES ARE SOMEWHERE UNDER THE SPARE TIRE IN THE TRUNK AREA, WHICH IS, IN MY OPINION, A FLAW IN THE DESIGN. I WOULD FEEL BAD IF ANYONE WAS INJURED BECAUSE THEY ARE NOT AWARE OF THE WIRES PLACED WHERE THEY ARE & THE FACT THAT THEY ARE NOT PROTECTED FROM LIQUID. *TR