NHTSA Complaint #10247606 — 1999 BMW 540I

AT APPROXIMATELY 75K MILES THE BOSCH ABS/TRACTION CONTROL UNIT FAILED ON MY 1999 BMW 540I. A DIAGNOSIS FROM THE DEALER CONFIRMED THIS TO BE TRUE. A NEW UNIT WAS INSTALLED AT THE APPROX COST OF $600. WHAT IS TROUBLING IS THAT EVERY OWNER OF A BMW 5-SERIES FROM 1999-2000 SEEMS TO HAVE HAD THIS PART FAIL ON THEM. ACTUALLY, I HAVE YET TO MEET OWNER WHO STILL HAS THEIR ORIGINAL PART. BMW OF NORTH AMERICA WAS LESS THAN HELPFUL AND DENIED A WARRANTY CLAIM (CAR WAS OUT OF WARRANTY) AND DID NOT FEEL THAT THIS INTEGRAL CONTROL UNIT SHOULD BE RECALLED DESPITE STATISTICS THAT SHOW OTHERWISE. THIS APPEARS TO BE A SAFETY CONCERN SINCE THIS FAILURE LEAVES THE TRACTION CONTROL AND ABS SUDDENLY INOPERATIVE. *TR