NHTSA Complaint #10284870 — 2004 BMW 525I

I OWN A 2004 BMW 525I WITH 92,000 MILES ON THE ENGINE. I EXPERIENCED MY CAR CUTTING BACK AND THOUGHT I NEEDED A TUNE UP. I CALLED MY MECHANIC WHO STATED I DIDN'T NEED A TUNE UP. HE REQUESTED THAT I BRING THE CAR IN TO THE SHOP. THE NEXT WEEK I WAS DRIVING ALONG AND THE CAR SLOWED DOWN LOSING ACCELERATION. THE MESSAGE ON THE DIAGNOSTIC SCREEN STATED "TRANSMISSION FAULT". CAR WILL LOSE ACCELERATION AND YOU MAY NOT BE ABLE TO GO INTO "REVERSE". FAILSAFE STATUS..DRIVE MODERATELY. I TOOK MY CAR TO MY MECHANIC. HE PUT THE CAR ON THE DIAGNOSTIC MACHINE AND STATED NO CODE WAS INDICATED. IT DID NOT SHOW ANY PROBLEMS WITH THE TRANSMISSION. I FOLLOWED UP BY MAKING A CALL TO A LOCAL BMW DEALER. I TOOK THE CAR IN TO HAVE THE PROBLEM CHECKED. I WAS INFORMED THAT I NEEDED A NEW TRANSMISSION. I WAS DEVASTATED. I CALLED BMW NA AFTER I READ THAT NUMEROUS BMW OWNERS HAVE AND ARE STILL EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEM. BMW NA WAS NOT WILLING TO OFFER ME ANY ASSISTANCE TO REPLACE MY TRANSMISSION. I WAS TOLD THE WARRANTY HAS EXPIRED AND THE ENGINE'S AT BMW DID NOT AGREE THAT THE "NO REVERSE" TRANSMISSION PROBLEM WAS A RECALL ISSUE. I RECEIVED A FOLLOW UP CALL ON 9/22/09 FROM BMW NA RESTATING THE FACT THAT THEY COULD NOT OFFER ME ANY ASSISTANCE. I FEEL THEIR IS A PROBLEM WITH THE ENGINEERING OF ALL BMW TRANSMISSIONS. *TR