NHTSA Complaint #10472402 — 2004 BMW 525I

IN JUNE 2012, I RECEIVED SERVICE FOR THE BATTERY CABLE RECALL FOR MY 2004 525I AT BEVERY HILLS BMW SERVICE CENTER. ONE WEEK AFTER MY SERVICE A SERVICE INDICATOR ON MY I-DRIVE SAID THERE WAS PASSENGER RESTRAINT/AIRBAG MALFUNCTION. THE BEVERLY HILLS BMW SERVICE DEPARTMENT DETERMINED THAT THIS SERVICE INDICATOR WAS TRIGGERED BY A MALFUNCTION OF THE BATTERY SAFETY TERMINAL WHICH HAPPENED SHORTLY <1000 MILES AFTER THE REPAIR OF THE BATTERY CABLE RECALL. THE RECALL SERVICE DONE AT BEVERLY HILLS BMW WAS RELATED TO THE MOUNTING OF THE BATTERY CABLES TO A CONNECTION IN THE MID-TRUNK, AND THE POSITIVE TERMINAL CABLE THAT CONNECTS THERE RUNS BACK TO THE RIGHT CORNER OF THE TRUNK AND CONNECTS TO THE BATTERY, COMMUNICATING DIRECTLY WITH THE BATTERY SAFETY TERMINAL. FROM WHAT I HAVE READ, THE BATTERY SAFETY TERMINAL CAN MALFUNCTION IF ANY CONNECTION TO IT IS LOOSE CAUSING AN ABRUPT CHANGE IN IMPEDANCE IN THE CIRCUIT, OR ON THE CONTRARY CAN BE CAUSED BY BLOWN FUSE RELATED TO A RAPID RISE IN VOLTAGE. ANOTHER POSSIBILITY IS THAT HEATING OF THE BATTERY CABLE (THE ISSUE THE RECALL EXISTS IN THE FIRST PLACE), COULD HAVE CAUSED THE BATTERY TERMINAL TO MALFUNCTION, THOUGH THAT DOES NOT EXPLAIN WHY THIS PROBLEM WOULD SURFACE ONLY AFTER THE REPAIR WORK. FURTHERMORE, THE BATTERY SAFETY TERMINAL IS NOT A WEARABLE PART, SO IT SEEM ILLOGICAL TO THINK THAT'S IT'S MALFUNCTION, TIMED TO THE RECALL REPAIR WAS JUST A COINCIDENCE. BMW OF BEVERY HILLS IS ATTMEPTING TO CHARGE ME FOR THE BATTERY SAFETY TERMINAL REPAIR $870.00 EVEN THOUGH THIS IS A DIRECT RESULT OF THEIR FALLED ATTEMPT TO REPAIR THE RECALL. BMW OF NORTH AMERICA WAS NOTIFIED OF THIS PROBLEM. *TR