NHTSA Complaint #10492311 — 2012 BMW 3 SERIES

THIS CAR HAS NO "SAFETY CATCH" ON THE HOOD LATCH THAT THE OWNER OPENS AFTER FIRST RELEASING THE HOOD FROM INSIDE THE CAR. INSTEAD, THE OWNER OPENS THE HOOD BY PULLING TWICE ON THE HOOD RELEASE LEVEL INSIDE THE CAR IN THE DRIVER'S FOOTWELL. THE HOOD THEN OPENS FREELY WITHOUT FURTHER UNLATCHING OUTSIDE THE CAR. THE PROBLEM IS THAT THIS LATCH SYSTEM FAILS TO CLOSE THE HOOD PROPERLY. OFTEN ONE SIDE OR THE OTHER WILL NOT LATCH FIRMLY INTO PLACE. SO, INSTEAD OF TWO LATCHES HOLDING THE HOOD DOWN, ONLY ONE DOES. I TOOK MY CAR TO A DEALER FOR THIS PROBLEM, WHO DIAGNOSED IT HAS BEING CAUSED BY "LEAVES" IN THE MECHANISM. HOWEVER, THE PROBLEM HAS RECURRED ON BOTH THE SIDE THEY CLEANED (THE PASSENGER'S SIDE) AND ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE LATCHES. IT IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE THIS CAR WITH THE HOOD ONLY PARTIALLY LATCHED CLOSED, AS I AM SURE YOU WILL AGREE. OWNERS ARE COMPLAINING OF THIS SAFETY PROBLEM. SEE THIS DISCUSSION AND A PICTURE OF THE IMPROPERLY CLOSED HOOD ONLINE ON A BMW FORUM: HTTP://WWW.F30POST.COM/FORUMS/SHOWTHREAD.PHP?T=790560. *TR