NHTSA Complaint #10520162 — 2007 BMW 328XI

MY 2007 328XI TRANSFER CASE ON THE DRIVE TRAIN FAILED AT APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH ON SUNDAY 6/16/2013. THIS CAUSED AN IMMEDIATELY LOSS OF ALL WHEEL DRIVE AND ABS IN THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. WITH SOME SIMPLE RESEARCH ONLINE IT IS EVIDENT THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM AMONGST SIMILAR MODELS AND YEAR GROUPS. THE X3 AND X5 ARE NOTORIOUS FOR THE ISSUE. A WHOLE AFTERMARKET INDUSTRY AND DEVELOPED ON REPLACING THE GEARS WITH NEWER, HIGH HEAT AND STRESS GEARS SO THIS ISSUE DOESN'T HAPPEN AND THERE ARE RETAILERS WHO MARKET TO PEOPLE WITH THESE VEHICLES TO REPLACE THEM. THE FACT THAT A SECONDARY MARKET HAS APPEARED AND IT HAS NOT BEEN ACKNOWLEDGED AS A SERIOUS ISSUE IS CONFUSING. THE INTERIOR OF THE TRANSFER CASE SHOWS THE GEARS ARE MADE FROM PLASTIC WHICH DEGRADE OVERTIME AND EVENTUALLY CAUSE ALL WHEEL DRIVE TO FAIL TO ENGAGE OR TO DISENGAGE AND CAUSING SEVERE BRAKE AND HANDLING ISSUES. I WAS FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO MAINTAIN CONTROL BUT OTHERS MAY NOT BE. *TR