NHTSA Complaint #10262155 — 2007 BMW X5 SAV

I PURCHASED A NEW 2007 BMW X5 IN DECEMBER 2006. DURING THE TIME I HAVE OWNED THE CAR I HAVE HAD IT IN FOR SERVICE PROBLEMS 18 TIMES. SIX OF THOSE TIMES IS FOR "HIGH BATTERY DRAIN". THE CONSEQUENCE IS A CAR THAT MIGHT NOT ALWAYS START. AFTER THREE UNSUCCESSFUL ATTEMPTS TO FIX THE BATTERY DRAIN PROBLEM THEY REPLACED THE BATTERY ON THE FOURTH ATTEMPT. SINCE THE BATTERY HAS BEEN REPLACED I HAVE HAD THE CAR IN TWO MORE TIMES WITH THE SAME BATTERY DRAIN PROBLEM. THE DEALERSHIP IS NOW TELLING ME I HAVE BATTERY PROBLEMS BECAUSE I DO NOT DRIVE THE CAR ENOUGH. BMW RECOMMENDS YOU DRIVE THE CAR AT LEAST 7,500 MILES PER YEAR FOR PROPER BATTERY OPERATION. I HAVE DRIVEN MY CAR 12,000 A YEAR, EXCEEDING WHAT THEY RECOMMEND. I HAVE ALSO HAD THIS VEHICLE IN FOUR TIMES TO FIX A DMTL PUMP PROBLEM. BMW NORTH AMERICA SUGGESTED THAT THE BATTERY DRAIN HAS ALSO CAUSED THE DMTL PUMP NOT TO OPERATE PROPERLY. THE DEALERSHIP SAID THE DMTL PUMP PROBLEM WAS A RESULT OF A LOOSE CONNECTION, THEN A GAS CAP LEAK, THEN THE VENT VALVE STICKING OPEN AND LASTLY SAID ON THE FOURTH ATTEMPT TO FIX IT THAT THE DMTL PUMP JUST DOES NOT WORK PROPERLY AND REPLACED IT. WHAT IS IT??? I DO NOT RECEIVE THE SAME ANSWERS FROM BMW NORTH AMERICA VERSUS THE DEALERSHIP. I ALSO INVESTIGATED A WEB FORUM PERTAINING TO THIS ISSUE AND FOUND DOZENS OF OTHER BMW OWNERS WITH THE SAME "HIGH BATTERY DRAIN" PROBLEM. THE BATTERY DRAIN PROBLEM IS NOT BECAUSE "YOU DO NOT PUT ENOUGH MILES ON YOUR CAR" AS BMW CLAIMS. IT IS A MANUFACTURERS DEFECT AND NEEDS TO BE INVESTIGATED. *TR