NHTSA Complaint #10509456 — 2008 BMW 328I

AS I WAS DRIVING HOME FROM WORK ONE EVENING, MY 2008 BMW 328I COUPE BEGAN ACTING STRANGE. THE INTERIOR OVERHEAD LIGHTS AS WELL AS MOST ALL OF THE DASHBOARD LIGHTS (RADIO, HAZARD BUTTON, ON-BOARD COMPUTER ETC.) BEGAN TO FLICKER ACCOMPANIED BY A TICKING NOISE IN SEQUENCE WITH THE FLICKERING. THE VEHICLE WAS ACTING AS THOUGH IT WAS ABOUT TO SHUT DOWN; THAT'S WHEN I DECIDED TO PULL OVER. AS I PULLED OFF OF THE ROAD, THE STEERING BECAME MORE DIFFICULT AND THE FLICKERING BECAME MORE FREQUENT. WHILE COMING TO A STOP (TRAVELING AT ABOUT 10MPH), THE VEHICLE COMPLETELY SHUT OFF. I LOST COMPLETE CONTROL OF VITAL MECHANISMS SUCH AS STEERING, POWER, LIGHTING (BOTH INTERIOR AND EXTERIOR). THE BRAKE PEDAL FELT UNUSUALLY FIRM/STIFF (NOT SPONGY OR SOFT AS IT SHOULD FEEL). AT THIS POINT, THE VEHICLE HAD COMPLETELY SHUT DOWN WITH THE GEAR SELECTOR STILL IN "DRIVE". I ATTEMPTED TO RE-START THE VEHICLE BUT IT FAILED TO START. I HAD MY VEHICLE TOWED BACK TO MY APARTMENT AND THE FOLLOWING DAY, I TOOK IT TO A REPUTABLE, INDEPENDENT BMW MECHANIC. HIS DIAGNOSIS WAS THAT SOMETHING RELATED TO THE VEHICLE'S BATTERY, POWER SUPPLY SYSTEM/ELECTRICAL SYSTEM CIRCUITRY WAS FAULTY--WHICH IN TURN, KILLED THE STARTER. HE REPLACED THE BATTERY WITH A NEW OEM BATTERY AS WELL AS REPLACED THE STARTER WITH AN NEW OEM STARTER AND THE RELATED WIRING/CIRCUITRY. A FEW WEEKS LATER, I RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE IN THE MAIL-- MARCH 2013 RECALL NO. 13V-044 : POWER SUPPLY SYSTEM. BECAUSE THE SYMPTOMS NOTED IN THE RECALL LETTER MATCH THOSE I EXPERIENCED IDENTICALLY, I AM SEEKING REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE COST OF REPAIR THAT CORRELATES TO THIS ISSUE. HOWEVER, BMW STATES IT WILL ONLY REIMBURSE THE COST OF REPAIR PERTAINING TO THE SINGLE PART AT FAULT/RECALLED. THE CAUSE OF THIS RECALL IS KNOWN, BUT THEY ARE FAILING TO REIMBURSE CUSTOMERS FOR THE DAMAGING EFFECTS THAT THE FAULTY/RECALLED PART MAY HAVE HAD ON OTHER COMPONENTS. *TR