NHTSA Complaint #10550982 — 2009 BMW X5

ON 10/28/13, I WAS ON A TWO LANE COUNTY ROAD, SPEED LIMIT 45, TRAVELLING AT 45MPH, WHEN THE ENGINE OVERHEATING LIGHT CAME UP ON THE PANEL, ADVISING ME THAT THE ENGINE WAS OVERHEATING. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, THE WARNING LIGHT ADVISED THAT THE ENGINE HAD OVERHEATED AND TO PULL OVER ASAP. WHILE TRYING TO FIND A SAFE SHOULDER, THE ENGINE SHUT DOWN, SO THERE WAS NO MORE POWER. I WAS ABLE TO GET TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, GLIDING. WHILE TRYING TO CALL FOR ASSISTANCE, THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM SHUT DOWN, SO THAT I WAS UNABLE TO OPERATE THE WINDOWS OR ANY OTHER FUNCTIONS. I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO THE DEALER. PER THE DEALER INVOICE, THE ELECTRIC WATER PUMP/COOLANT PUMP WERE DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. IN ADDITION, DUE TO THE INCIDENT, THE THERMOSTAT HAD TO BE REMOVED AND REPLACED. THE BILL WAS $1136.77, NOT INCLUDING A "DEALER GOODWILL" CREDIT OF $268.59, REFLECTING 50% OF THE COST OF THE NEW WATER PUMP. WHILE THE CAR WAS AT THE DEALER, I WENT ON LINE AND DISCOVERED THAT THERE HAVE BEEN DOZENS UPON DOZENS OF REPORTED PROBLEMS WITH THE BMW WATER PUMPS, AND THAT THIS PART HAS BEEN THE SUBJECT OF RECALL 11V521000, FOR 2008 MODELS, AND THAT RECALLS EXIST FOR MORE RECENT MODELS. I ATTEMPTED TO DISCUSS THE MATTER WITH BMW NORTH AMERICA CUSTOMER RELATIONS, THE SUPERVISOR THERE ADVISED ME THAT THE PROBLEM WAS NOT WITH BMW, BUT THAT THE PROBLEM WAS THAT MY VIN NUMBER HAD NOT BEEN LISTED BY THE NSTB ON THE RECALL, AND THAT IT WAS THEREFORE THE GOVERNMENT'S FAULT! I URGE YOU TO REVIEW THE BLOGS NOTED ON ARFC.ORG REGARDING 2008 X5 WATER PUMP PROBLEMS. THE FACT THAT THE CAR'S RESPONSE TO THE WATER PUMP FAILURE WAS TO SHUT DOWN WITH ONLY SECONDS OF WARNING PLACED ME, AND ANY OTHER DRIVER OF THIS VEHICLE IN A LIFE THREATENING SITUATION--SEVERAL OF THE POSTS TALK ABOUT THIS HAPPENING ON A BUSY HIGHWAY. I COULD HAVE DIED. THE CAR SHOULD BE RECALLED, AND I SHOULD BE REIMBURSED. *TR