NHTSA Complaint #10488021 — 1997 BMW 540I

INCIDENT #1 2010: ACCELERATED THE VEHICLE TO 75MPH TO ENTER FREEWAY. TOOK FOOT OFF GAS AND VEHICLE CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE. ENGAGED CLUTCH TO STOP ACCELERATION AND RPM CONTINUED TO RISE TO THE LIMITER POINT (APPROX 5500 RPM). PULLED OVER, STARTED CAR AND ENGINE IMMEDIATELY WENT TO THE RED LINE. ON INSPECTION, A PLASTIC PART ON AN ACCELERATOR CABLE HAD CRACKED, CAUSING THE ACCELERATOR TO LOCK IN THE FULLY OPEN POSITION. IF THE CLUTCH HAD NOT BEEN ENGAGED (I.E. IF THIS CAR HAD AN AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION), THIS COULD HAVE RESULTED IN A COLLISION AND POSSIBLE INJURIES OR FATALITIES. INCIDENT #2 12/2/2012. STARTED CAR AND PULLED AWAY FROM CURB. AT ABOUT 3-5 MPH THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED. STOPPED CAR, TURNED OFF IGNITION AND STARTED IT AGAIN. THE WHEEL UNLOCKED BUT THERE WAS AN AUDIBLE CLICKING SOUND WITHIN THE STEERING COLUMN. CAREFULLY DROVE ABOUT ONE MILE TO HOUSE AND TURNED OFF ENGINE. STEERING WHEEL LOCKED AGAIN AND CAR COULD NOT BE STARTED. THE WHEEL LOCKING WHILE THE CAR WAS BEING DRIVEN WAS A CONDITION THAT COULD HAVE RESULTED IN A COLLISION AND POSSIBLE INJURIES OR FATALITIES. *TR