NHTSA Complaint #10348650 — 2011 BMW 5 SERIES

I PURCHASED MY 2011 BMW 535I ON 06/23/10. THE CAR HAD LESS THAN 1 MILE ON THE ODOMETER. AS I PULLED OFF THE DEALER?S LOT, I NOTICED THAT THE CAR HAD A HARD PULL TO THE RIGHT. THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT TOOK IT IN THE NEXT DAY TO FIX IT. THEIR EQUIPMENT SHOWED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS WITHIN ALIGNMENT SPECIFICATIONS, BUT WENT AHEAD AND DID AN ALIGNMENT ANYWAY (ACTUALLY 4 OF THEM) IN AN EFFORT TO RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. THEY ATTEMPTED ANOTHER SOLUTIONS (TIRE SWAPS, ETC.), BUT THEY WERE UNABLE TO FIX THE PROBLEM. THE CONTACTED BMW NORTH AMERICA AND SPOKE WITH TECHNICAL REPRESENTATIVES THERE WHO CONFIRMED THAT THE PROBLEM WAS A KNOWN ISSUE WITH THE ELECTRIC STEERING THAT WAS NEW TO THIS MODEL BUT THAT THEY HAD "NO FIX AT THIS TIME". I MET WITH A REGIONAL BMW TECH REP AT MY DEALERSHIP ALMOST A MONTH LATER. HE TOLD ME BMW WAS WORKING FEVERISHLY TO GET THE PROBLEM RESOLVED - THAT THEY CONSIDERED IT A SAFETY ISSUE AND A NUMBER ONE PRIORITY. AT THE TIME, IT WAS BELIEVED THAT A SOFTWARE FIX WOULD BE READY IN 10-14 DAYS. IT'S ALMOST BEEN A MONTH NOW. I CAN TELL YOU, IT IS SCARY TO DRIVE THIS CAR. JUST FROM DOING SOME READING AND EXCHANGING INFORMATION IN BMW OWNER FORUMS, THERE ARE A MULTITUDE OF THESE CARS OUT THERE WITH THIS PROBLEM. BMW ISN'T TALKING DIRECT TO THE CONSUMERS ABOUT THIS OR PUTTING OUT ANY INFORMATION AT ALL. I JUST WANT IT FIXED AND SAFE - IT'S BEEN ALMOST 3 MONTHS SINCE THE CAR WAS DELIVERED TO ME AND RELEASED FOR SALE TO THE NORTH AMERICAN MARKET. *TR