NHTSA Complaint #10408438 — 2007 BMW 550I

2007 BMW 550I, AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION, ABOUT 48,000 MILES. AFTER A PERIOD OF HIGHWAY DRIVING, IF REVERSE IS SELECTED (E.G., IN A PARKING LOT, A U-TURN THAT REQUIRES BACKING UP), THE TRANSMISSION WILL GO INTO NEUTRAL FOR SEVERAL SECONDS RATHER THAN IMMEDIATELY ENGAGING. SCENARIO 1 (COMMON): PULLING INTO PARKING LOT AFTER 22 MINUTE HIGHWAY COMMUTE TO WORK. I START TO GO BY AN OPEN SPOT AND NEED TO ENGAGE REVERSE IN ORDER TO PULL IN. I PUT THE CAR IN REVERSE, BUT THE TRANSMISSION GOES INTO NEUTRAL. AFTER ABOUT 3-5 SECONDS, REVERSE FINALLY ENGAGES. THIS IS A RECENT PHENOMENON. PREVIOUSLY, ENGAGEMENT WAS IMMEDIATE. INCIDENT 1 (6 JUNE 2011): AFTER DRIVING FOR A PERIOD OF TIME AT FREEWAY SPEEDS, A TIGHT U-TURN WAS REQUIRED. COMING OUT OF THE U-TURN, THE ROAD WAS DOWNHILL. I NEEDED TO PUT THE CAR IN REVERSE IN ORDER TO MAKE THE TIGHT U-TURN. I PUT THE SHIFTER IN REVERSE, AND STEPPED ON THE GAS. THE ENGINE REVVED AND THE CAR ROLLED FORWARD. OBVIOUSLY, IT WAS IN NEUTRAL. I PUT THE CAR IN DRIVE, THEN REVERSE. SAME THING. I PUT THE CAR IN PARK, THEN REVERSE, SAME PROBLEM. ULTIMATELY, I HAD TO TURN OFF THE CAR, THEN START IT AGAIN. NOW, REVERSE ENGAGED. UNFORTUNATELY, I RAN INTO A FIXTURE AT VERY LOW SPEED, CAUSING NO DAMAGE TO THE FIXTURE AND COSMETIC DAMAGE TO MY FRONT FENDER. INCIDENT 2 (10 JUNE 2011): AFTER DRIVING FOR ABOUT AN HOUR AT FREEWAY SPEEDS, I WAS PULLING INTO A HOTEL PARKING LOT. I NEEDED TO ENGAGE REVERSE IN ORDER TO PULL IN AS I DROVE SLIGHTLY PAST THE ENTRANCE TO THE PARKING LOT. I PUT THE CAR IN REVERSE AND STEPPED ON THE GAS. THE ENGINE REVVED AND DID NOT MOVE. THE TRANSMISSION WAS IN NEUTRAL. I AGAIN HAD TO TURN OFF THE VEHICLE, THEN TURN ON THE VEHICLE BEFORE I COULD ENGAGE REVERSE. *TR