NHTSA Complaint #10561208 — 2010 BMW 535I

DESCRIPTION: THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE DOOR ACTUATOR WENT BAD. AS A RESULT, DOOR WILL NOT UNLOCK WHEN HANDLE IS DOUBLE-PULLED. THE MAIN PROBLEM IS, THE DOOR IS DESIGNED SUCH THAT, IT CANNOT BE UNLOCKED MANUALLY BY PULLING THE LOCK STUD UP... THE ONLY WAY TO UNLOCK THE DOOR IS TO PULL THE HANDLE TWICE. THEREFORE, WHEN THE ACTUATOR MALFUNCTIONS, THE ONLY WAY TO UNLOCK THE DOOR AND GET OUT OF THE CAR IS BY PRESSING THE UNLOCK BUTTON WHICH IS ON THE MAIN CONTROL PANEL. RISK: IF I AM IN AN ACCIDENT WITH A PASSENGER SITTING IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT, SHE WILL NOT BE ABLE TO OPEN THE DOOR AND GET OUT OF THE CAR. IF THE PASSENGER IS A CHILD OR SOMEONE WHO DOES NOT KNOW HOW TO OPERATE THE UNLOCK BUTTON IN THE MAIN CONTROL PANEL, IT MIGHT GET VERY SERIOUS. FREQUENCY: ABOUT SIX MONTHS AGO, MY DRIVER SIDE DOOR ACTUATOR WENT BAD, AND WAS REPLACED UNDER MY WARRANTY (UNDER 50K). BUT, I HAD TO PUT UP A FIGHT TO GET IT COVERED BY WARRANTY. NOW THE PASSENGER SIDE ACTUATOR IS GONE. AND BMW REFUSES TO FIX IT UNDER THE EXTENDED WARRANTY. BROWSING ONLINE, I FOUND QUITE A FEW PEOPLE HAVING SIMILAR ISSUES. HERE IS A DISCUSSION THREAD I OPENED, AND SEVERAL OTHER PEOPLE COMPLAINED ABOUT THE SAME ISSUE: HTTP://WWW.BIMMERFEST.COM/FORUMS/SHOWTHREAD.PHP?T=674994 ALSO, MANY MENTIONED THIS ARTICLE BELOW, WHICH MIGHT HAVE BEEN CAUSED BY THE SAME ISSUE: HTTP://GUARDIANLV.COM/2013/09/14-YEAR-OLD-GIRL-DIED-TRAPPED-INSIDE-LOCKED-CAR-VIDEO/ CONCLUSION: THIS HAPPENED TO ME TWICE IN THE SAME CAR. THIS HAPPENED TO A LOT OTHER PEOPLE. THIS IS, IN MY OPINION, A MANUFACTURER DEFECT AND DEFINITELY POSES GRAVE SECURITY RISK. BMW SHOULD TAKE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE COSTS AND GET THE FAULTY ACTUATORS REPLACED AT NO COST TO THE CONSUMERS. *TR