NHTSA Complaint #10246207 — 2005 BMW 325CI

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 BMW 325CI. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO HESITATE AND LOSE SPEED. THE CONTACT DEPRESSED THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL, BUT THE SPEED DID NOT INCREASE. SUDDENLY, A LARGE AMOUNT OF DARK SMOKE APPEARED FROM UNDERNEATH THE HOOD. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT THE VEHICLE NEEDED A NEW RADIATOR HOSE AND THEY REPLACED ALL THE FLUIDS IN THE VEHICLE. A MONTH AFTER THE REPAIRS, WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, THE HEATER IN THE VEHICLE FAILED. DARK SMOKE APPEARED ONCE AGAIN UNDERNEATH THE HOOD. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER AGAIN AND THEY KEPT IT FOR OVER A WEEK. THE DEALER STATED THAT EVERYTHING THAT WAS PREVIOUSLY REPAIRED FROM THE FIRST FAILURE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AGAIN. THEY REPLACED EVERYTHING AND TEST DROVE THE VEHICLE, IN WHICH EVERYTHING SEEMED TO BE OK. TWO WEEKS LATER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE CONTACT HEARD NOISES COMING FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AND THE SERVICE ENGINE INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. SHE PULLED THE VEHICLE OVER AND SMOKE APPEARED FROM THE FRONT END. THE CONTACT MANAGED TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE TO HER JOB WHERE IT IS CURRENTLY PARKED. SHE CALLED THE DEALER AND WAS INFORMED TO BRING THE VEHICLE BACK. THE CONTACT BELIEVES THAT THE VEHICLE IS COMPLETELY UNSAFE AND SHOULD BE RECALLED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 53,859 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 58,769.