NHTSA Complaint #10465781 — 2007 BMW 1 SERIES

THE INCIDENT LISTED PERTAINS TO THE REMOTE CONTROL THAT FAILED TO FUNCTION IN ENTIRETY. I COULD NOT OPEN ANY OF THE DOORS FROM THE OUTSIDE. AFTER ENTERING THE CAR WITH THE KEY, NOTHING IN THE CAR WOULD FUNCTION. I HAD TO HAVE THE CAR TOWED TO THE DEALER WHICH WAS CLOSED. TOWING A BMW IS A FORMIDABLE TASK. THE DEALER COULD NOT ASCERTAIN THE CAUSE BUT CHANGING AN ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULE WAS RECOMMENDED AND THAT SEEMINGLY FIXED THE PROBLEM. HOWEVER, ON 7/14,2012, THE REMOTE WOULD NOT OPEN ANY OF THE DOORS FROM EITHER THE INSIDE OR OUT. ONLY THE DRIVE SIDE DOOR COULD BE OPENED FROM THE INSIDE. TODAY, THE DEALER DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM AS AN ELECTRICAL SHORT IN THE DOOR LOCK MECHANISM AND UNRELATED TO THE PREVIOUS FAILURE. THE RECOMMENDATION WAS TO REPLACE THE DOOR LOCK SYSTEM AS IT WAS THE ONLY WAY TO FIX THE PROBLEM. NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS SUCH AS THESE HAVE BEEN REPORTED, BUT BMW WAS NOT REQUIRED TO NOTIFY OWNERS OF AFFECTED CARS ABOUT THE PROBLEMS. BOTH ARE SAFETY RELATED AS THERE IS NO WAY TO OPEN THE REAR DOORS FROM EITHER THE INSIDE OR OUTSIDE. THE DEALER TOLD ME THE ONLY WAY TO GET A CHILD OR PERSON OUT OF THE REAR PASSENGER COMPARTMENT WAS TO SOMEHOW BRING THEM TO THE FRONT SEAT AND OUT THE DRIVER SIDE FRONT DOOR. WHY HASN'T NHTSA DONE ANYTHING ABOUT THIS SERIOUS PROBLEM WITH AFFECTED BMW VEHICLES? *TR