NHTSA Complaint #10362449 — 2007 BMW 328I

I OWN A 2007 BMW 328I WITH 21,000 MILES ON IT. IN JULY 2009 I WAS BACKING OUT OF MY DRIVEWAY WHEN THE CAR LOST ALL STEERING POWER, THE ACCELERATOR NO LONGER FUNCTIONED, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, & THE KEY WAS UNABLE TO BE EJECTED. A BMW DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE ISSUE, SO THEY SAID THERE WAS NOT A PROBLEM WITH THE CAR. IN AUG 2009, AFTER TURNING THE CAR ON, THE CAR BEGAN TO SHAKE AND IT POWERED DOWN. AGAIN, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, AND THE KEY WAS NOT ABLE TO BE EJECTED. THE SAME BMW DEALERSHIP WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM, BUT THEY SAID THEY INSTALLED SOFTWARE UPDATES. IN SEPT 2010 I WAS DRIVING THE CAR AND AT A LOW SPEED WHEN THE CAR LOST ALL STEERING CONTROL, THE ACCELERATOR DID NOTHING WHEN I PUSHED DOWN ON IT. I HAD TO PUSH THE CAR OUT OF THE ROAD. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS STILL ON, AND THE KEY WOULD NOT EJECT ITSELF. MINUTES LATER, I WAS ABLE TO GET THE KEY OUT, AND AFTER I RESTARTED THE CAR, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WENT OFF. (I HAVE PHOTOS OF IT ON). THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DIFFERENT BMW DEALERSHIP--BUT ONCE AGAIN, THEY WERE UNABLE TO RESOLVE THE ISSUE. THEY TESTED THE FUEL--THE FUEL WAS FINE. THEY TOLD ME THEY HAD INCENTIVE TO FIND A PROBLEM WITH THE CAR SO THAT THEY COULD BE PAID. I HAVE CONTACTED BMW N. AMERICA SEVERAL TIMES, BUT TO NO AVAIL. AT ONE POINT, I ASKED WHAT IT WOULD TAKE FOR THEM TO FIX THE CAR-- PERSONAL INJURY? PROPERTY DAMAGE? THE BMW REP SAID NO--BUT AGREED THAT I'D JUST HAVE TO WAIT IT OUT AND SEE WHAT HAPPENS. AFTER SENDING A LETTER TO BMW N. AMERICA THE CUSTOMER SERVICE REP SAID I WOULD NEED A LOCAL DEALER TO CONSENT TO HAVING AN ENGINEER LOOK AT MY CAR. HE SAID HE WOULD CONTACT THE DEALER TO SEE IF THEY WOULD GRANT ME CONSENT. HE NEVER CALLED. I HAD TO CALL ON MY OWN AND BEG THEM TO HAVE AN ENGINEER LOOK AT MY CAR. THE ENGINEER WAS UNABLE TO EXPLAIN WHY MY CAR KEEPS POWERING DOWN. HE DID HOWEVER INSTALL A SOFTWARE UPDATE. BMW WON'T HELP ME, SO MY ONLY RECOURSE IS TO SELL IT. *TR