NHTSA Complaint #10501477 — 2007 BMW 650I

I WAS DRIVING ON INTERSTATE 95 FROM WASHINGTON DC TO RICHMOND, VA AT ABOUT 65-75 MPH. AT AROUND THE KINGS DOMINION EXIT, I ATTEMPTED TO ACCELERATE IN ORDER TO GET INTO A SLOWER LANE TO LET FASTER TRAFFIC PASS. THAT'S WHEN I NOTICE THE RPM'S WENT UP TO 8X1000 AND THE CAR WAS NOT ACCELERATING. I WAS NOW COASTING AT AROUND 60 MPH AND IMPEDING TRAFFIC ON A MAJOR HIGHWAY. BEING THAT THIS PARTICULAR STRETCH OF HIGHWAY IS ABOUT 6-7 LANES WIDE, IT WAS VERY DIFFICULT AND DANGEROUS GETTING OVER TO THE RIGHT HAND SHOULDER. I WAS ABLE TO CONTINUE TO MY DESTINATION WITHOUT HAVING THE ABILITY TO ACCELERATE AT NORMAL RATE. I HAD TO PUSH THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL SLIGHTLY SO THAT THE TRANSMISSION WOULD NOT JUMP OUT OF GEAR. I MADE IT BACK HOME LATER THAT DAY HAVING TO DRIVE IN THE SAME MANNER. I WAS BARELY ABLE TO DRIVE THE CAR UP MY SLIGHTLY SLOPED DRIVEWAY BY TRYING SEVERAL TIMES BECAUSE IF I PRESSED THE PEDAL TOO HARD, THE TRANSMISSION WOULD JUMP OUT OF GEAR. AFTER SEVERAL MONTHS OF RESEARCH, I LEARNED THAT THIS HAS BEEN A VERY COMMON PROBLEM IN BMW'S WITH THE SMG TRANSMISSION. SO I WAITED SEVERAL MONTHS BEFORE DRIVING IT TO THE DEALERSHIP. WHEN I ARRIVED AT THE DEALERSHIP, THEY HAD TO PUSH MY CAR INTO THE SERVICE BAY BECAUSE IT WOULD NO LONGER STAY IN GEAR. I WAS TOLD THAT THE SMG MODULE NEEDED REPLACING. I CALLED BMW TO COMPLAIN AND ASKED IF THIS WAS A RECALLED ISSUE SINCE IT HAPPENED TO MANY VEHICLES AND BECAUSE IT PUT ME IN A POTENTIALLY LIFE THREATENING SITUATION ON THE HIGHWAY. I WAS THEN TOLD WAS TOLD THAT BMW WILL ONLY RECALL AND ISSUE IF THE NHTSA REQUIRES THEM TO DO SO. THE REPAIR BILL WAS APPROXIMATELY $2,000 AND BMW OFFERED TO PAY FOR 50% OF THE EQUIPMENT COSTS. SO I HAD TO PAY $1,395 BUT MY CAR STILL WOULD NOT GO INTO GEAR. THIS ITEM SHOULD BE RECALLED AS IT PUT ME IN A LIFE THREATENING SITUATION. *TR