NHTSA Complaint #10472497 — 2008 BMW 535XI

I OWN A 2008 BMW 535XI. ONLY MONTHS AFTER THE BUMPER-TO-BUMPER FACTORY WARRANTY EXPIRED, THE WATER PUMP FAILED. A CAR IS RENDERED INOPERABLE WITHOUT THIS CRITICAL COMPONENT. BECAUSE OF THIS FAILURE, I WAS LEFT STRANDED ON THE SIDE OF A MAJOR HIGHWAY, WITH MY WIFE AND KIDS IN THE CAR, UNABLE TO DRIVE THE CAR TO THE NEAREST EXIST. THE WATER PUMP FAILED IMMEDIATELY AND COMPLETELY WITH LITTLE-TO-NO WARNING. I WAS EXTREMELY SURPRISED AND DISAPPOINTED THAT THE ORIGINAL BMW WATER PUMP COULD NOT EVEN LAST FOR 50,000 MILES. HOW COULD THIS BE? WHAT TYPE OF BMW QUALITY CHECKS WAS THIS CRITICAL COMPONENT SUBJECTED TO? I HAVE ALSO HEARD THAT THIS FAILURE IS NOT UNCOMMON FOR MY MODEL VEHICLE. IT'S A KNOWN ISSUE. WOW! MOST OTHER VEHICLES HAVE WATER PUMPS LASTING OVER 100,000 MILES AND WELL BEYOND. GIVEN THE CRITICALLY OF THIS POTENTIAL PREMATURE COMPONENT FAILURE, WHY HASN'T BMW ISSUED A RECALL? AFTER BEING LEFT STRANDED ON THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY AND OUT MORE THAN $1,200 FOR THE REPAIR (PLUS TOWING), I AM LEFT WITH A MUCH LOWER OPINION OF BMW QUALITY AND SAFETY. *TR