NHTSA Complaint #10432952 — 2012 BMW X5

I LEASED MY 2012 BMW X5 35I IN MAY 2011. I WAS DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE WITH 2 TODDLERS AT AROUND 65 MPH, WHEN THE CAR SUDDENLY LOST POWER AND THE MESSAGE DISPLAYED "ENGINE MALFUNCTION, REDUCED POWER". I PULLED OVER ON THE SHOULDER, AND TRIED TO RE-START THE CAR, BUT IT WON'T START. WHEN IT DID START AFTER MULTIPLE ATTEMPTS, THE CAR SHOOK VIGOROUSLY AND THEN TURNED OFF. I INITIATED THE SOS CALL VIA THE BMW ASSIST FEATURE IN THE CAR. FOR SOME REASON, THE CALL FAILED MULTIPLE TIMES, AND THE DATA COULD NOT BE TRANSFERRED. WHEN THE CALL DID GO THROUGH, THE CAR COULD NOT SEND MY EXACT COORDINATES TO THE REPS TO HELP ME GET A TOW TRUCK. AFTER TRYING FOR ABOUT 30 MIN TO GET HELP FROM THE BMW ASSIST, I TRIED TO RESTART THE CAR, WHICH STARTED NORMALLY AS IF NOTHING EVER HAPPENED. THE IN-BUILT DIAGNOSIS SAID "ALL SYSTEMS OK". I GOT ON THE INTERSTATE, AND AS I REACHED AROUND 60 MPH, THE ENGINE STALLED AGAIN WITH THE SAME MESSAGE "ENGINE MALFUNCTION ...". FOR THE NEXT 1.5 HOURS, I TRIED TO CALL THE BMW ASSIST OVER MY PHONE TO GET HELP. THE SAID THE TOW TRUCK SHOULD COME IN THE NEXT HOUR. FOR ABOUT 2 HOURS, THE 2 TODDLERS AND 3 ADULTS WERE SITTING BY THE INTERSTATE. WHEN THE TOW TRUCK DID NOT SHOW UP, I CALLED THE BMW ASSIST REPS AGAIN, TO BE TOLD THAT THE TRUCK SHALL TAKE ANOTHER 45 MINUTES TO REACH US. I THEN CALLED MY FRIEND TO TAKE EVERYBODY HOME, AND I STAYED WITH THE CAR. I THEN TRIED TO DRIVE AT ABOUT 40 MPH AND TAKE THE CAR TO THE DEALER, ONLY TO BE PULLED OVER BY THE HIGHWAY PATROL. HE SAID I WAS VIOLATING THE LAW BY DRIVING AT 40 MPH IN A 70 MPH ZONE. I THEN CALLED MY INSURANCE COMPANY TO GET A TOW TRUCK, WHICH ARRIVED IN 30 MIN. THE NEXT DAY MY WIFE TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER, AND THE REPORT SHEET THEY PROVIDED SAID THAT THE HIGH PRESSURE PUMP WAS FAULTY, AND THAT THEY HAVE REPLACED IT. I AM YET TO TAKE MY CAR ON THE INTERSTATE TO CHECK THE PERFORMANCE AT 65 MPH. *TT