NHTSA Complaint #10453173 — 2004 BMW X3

I HAVE BEEN ALERTED BY MY LOCAL MECHANIC A FEW YEARS AGO AND IN 2011 BY MY LOCAL BMW DEALER THAT MY LEFT REAR COIL SPRING HAS BROKEN DUE TO RUST. I HAVE BEEN TOLD BY THE LOCAL BMW DEALER THAT THIS IS A COMMON OCCURANCE FOR ALL BMWS THAT OPERATE IN THE NORTHEAST DUE TO SALT. THE DEALER'S MEMO TO ME STATES: "IF NOT REPLACED, WORN COIL SPRINGS WILL NOT ALLOW THE SUSPENSION SYSTEM TO MOVE AND ADAPT TO CHANGING ROAD IRREGULARITIES". THE BMW DEALER WANTS $640.24 TO REPLACE BOTH REAR SPRINGS. MY VEHICLE NOW HAS 80,000+ MILES ON IT AND I CANNOT AFFORD TO HAVE IT FIXED. THE CAR HAS ALWAYS BEEN GARAGED, AS HAS BEEN OUR OTHER VEHICLES, NONE OF WHICH THAT HAS HAD SUSPENSION PROBLEMS DUE TO SALT/RUST. ONE VEHICLE HAS 280,000 MILES ON IT. THIS IS A MAJOR DESIGN/PERFORMANCE FLAW THAT MAY HAVE BAD CONSEQUENCES FOR BMW OWNERS. *TR