NHTSA Complaint #10524471 — 2004 BMW X3

I WAS DRIVING THE 405 FWY S CLOSE TO LAX WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN I HEARD LIKE WIND BLOWING INSIDE MY CAR THEN I HEARD A LOUD SOUND THAT SOMETHING FELL OR THINKING THAT MY CAR MUST HAVE STEPPED ON SOMETHING I LOOKED AT THE WINDOWS AT THE BACK SEAT AND BOTH ARE CLOSED THEN I SAW THE DRIVER OF ANOTHER CAR THAT WAS DRIVING BEHIND ME A SPORT CONVERTIBLE BMW TRIED TO SIGNAL SOMETHING TO ME WHEN I LOOKED AT MY RIGHT SIDE VIEW MIRROR WHILE I WAS DRIVING I SAW A TIRE LYING AT THE FREEWAY,I KNEW AT THAT TIME THAT IT WAS MY SPARE TIRE/COMPACT WHEEL THAT IS LOCATED UNDER THE CARGO AREA ON THE FLOOR OF A VEHICLE. I TRIED TO EXIT ON THE NEAREST GAS STATION, SAFELY PARKED AS SOON AS I WAS WALKING TOWARDS THE BACK OF MY CAR TO CHECK I IMMEDIATELY SAW THE COMPARTMENT TIRE TOUCHING THE GROUND AND THE TIRE IS GONE. THE HANDLE IS SUPPOSED TO BE SCREWED AND MOUNTED APPARENTLY GOT LOOSE..HOW IT HAPPENED I DON'T KNOW, THE CABLE IS CUT. I STRONGLY SUGGEST BMW SHOULD HAVE A RECALL ON THIS BECAUSE THIS IS TOTALLY DANGEROUS MATTER, GOOD THING THE DRIVER BEHIND ME WAS ALERT AND WHEN SHE SAW THE TIRE FALLING FROM IT'S COMPACT SHE IMMEDIATELY CHANGE LANE AND SIGNALED ME BY POINTING HER FINGER AT MY CAR. *TR