NHTSA Complaint #10371074 — 2003 BMW 745LI

AFTER STOPPING MY 2003 745LI BMW ON TUESDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2010, (CAR WAS IN PARK), I PUT GEAR SELECTOR INTO DRIVE AND VEHICLE STARTED GOING INTO REVERSE CAUSING ME TO ALMOST HIT VEHICLE BEHIND ME IN THE SCHOOL ZONE. I TURNED OFF VEHICLE AND STARTED AGAIN THINKING IT WAS JUST A COMPUTER GLITCH, THE CAR AGAIN PROCEEDED TO GO BACKWARDS WHILE IN PARK AND DRIVE. AFTER RESTARTING VEHICLE THE THIRD TIME, THE DRIVE FUNCTION FINALLY WORKED. THE FOLLOWING DAY I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE TO A BMW SERVICE CENTER. AT THE CENTER THE VEHICLE AGAIN STARTED TO ACT UP AND MULTIPLE TRANSMISSION WARNINGS AND MESSAGES DISPLAYED. THE VEHICLE ONLY HAS APPROXIMATELY 63,000 MILES. I FEEL THAT OWNERS OF THE 2002 AND 2003 745LI SHOULD BE INFORMED OF THIS SAFETY ISSUE AS I HAVE LOCATED SEVERAL INCIDENCES ON THE INTERNET OF THIS SAME ISSUE. MY WIFE AND I DON'T FEEL COMFORTABLE DRIVING THE FAMILY IN OUR CAR THAT CAN CAUSE AN ACCIDENT AND POSSIBLY EVEN KILL SOMEONE. THE DEALERSHIP TOLD ME THAT THEY HAVE SEEN THIS PROBLEM BEFORE AND THAT THERE IS AN INTERNAL SEAL IN THE TRANSMISSION WHICH IS PROBABLY LEAKING CAUSING THIS ISSUE. HOPEFULLY THIS REPAIR WILL TAKE CARE OF THE PROBLEM. *TR