NHTSA Complaint #10292411 — 2007 BMW 328XI

EARLIER THIS YEAR I WENT ON A WEEKEND TRIP WITH MY FAMILY: MY WIFE ON THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT, ON THE REAR SEAT MY SISTER AND MY TWO AND A HALF YEAR OLD NIECE ON HER CAR SEAT. WHEN WE ARRIVED TO OUR DESTINATION NONE OF THE PASSENGER DOORS WOULD OPEN; THEY WERE COMPLETELY SHUT AND THEY WOULD NOT OPEN WITH THE INTERNAL CONTROLS, THE REMOTE OR IN ANY OTHER WAY. ONLY THE DRIVERS' DOOR, WHICH IS ALSO THE ONLY DOOR THAT HAS A KEY HOLE, WOULD OPEN. ALL OTHER DOORS ARE KEY-LESS AND REMAINED LOCKED. MY FAMILY HAD TO CLIMB THROUGH THE WINDOWS TO GET OUT OF THE CAR. THIS WAS ESPECIALLY DIFFICULT WITH MY LITTLE NIECE IN THE BACK SEAT. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY FOUND THE PROBLEM'S CAUSE WAS A BLOWN FUSE. FORTUNATELY WE DID NOT HAVE AN EMERGENCY THAT REQUIRE A QUICK EXIT OF OR ENTRY INTO THE CAR. BUT MY FAMILY AND I ARE VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THE SAFETY HAZARD THIS DESIGN REPRESENT. IN THE EVENT WE WOULD HAVE BEEN REQUIRED TO LEAVE THE VEHICLE IN A RUSH WE COULD NOT HAVE DONE IT. MY WIFE IS NOW PREGNANT I AM REALLY CONCERNED ABOUT HOW SAFE THIS VEHICLE REALLY IS. THE DEALERSHIP AND THE MANUFACTURER ARGUE THAT THIS IS A SIMPLE MALFUNCTION AND THEY CANNOT GUARANTEE IT WON'T HAPPEN AGAIN. THEY ARE OBVIOUSLY DISMISSING THE CASE; I BELIEVE THE SYSTEM SHOULD BE DESIGNED TO ALLOW FOR MANUAL LOCK/UNLOCK OF THE DOORS EVEN IF THE FUSE BLOWS - AT LEAST FROM THE INSIDE. GOOD SAFETY ENGINEERING POLICIES SHOULD STATE THAT IN THE EVENT OF A FUSE BLOW NO SYSTEM SHOULD GET PASSENGERS LOCKED INSIDE THEIR CARS; THIS SHOULD NOT HAPPEN UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCE. FAILURE TO FIX THIS REPRESENTS A PASSENGER'S CASUALTY WAITING TO HAPPEN. I HOPE YOU SEE IT THIS WAY TOO. *TR