NHTSA Complaint #10565394 — 2005 BMW 530I

I HAVE LEFT MY CAR AT THE AIRPORT FOR A 2 DAY BUSINESS TRIP. WHEN I DROVE BACK FROM THE AIRPORT, WHILE ON THE HIGHWAY, I SAW A BIG PLUME OF SMOKE COMING FROM THE BACK OF MY CAR. THE ENGINE KIND OF HESITATED BUT DIDN'T' STALL. I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE TO A SAFE PLACE AND CHECK THE OIL DIPSTICK. THERE WAS NO OIL LEFT IN THE OIL COMPARTMENT. WHEN THE ENGINE COOLED DOWN I SAW BLACK LIQUID DRIPPING OFF THE EXHAUST PIPE. THE CAR SMELLED LIKE BURNT OIL. I SPOKE TO THE DEALERSHIP THAT SERVICES MY CAR AND THEY TOLD ME TO TOW IT TO AVOID ANY FURTHER DAMAGE. THE DEALERSHIP IDENTIFIED THE PROBLEM AS A FROZEN OIL SEPARATOR THAT CREATED A VACUUM LOCK AND PUSHED THE OIL TO BURN THRU THE ENGINE AND THE EXHAUST SYSTEM. FROM FURTHER DISCUSSION WITH THE DEALERSHIP SERVICE ADVISOR AND LOOKING INTO BMW POSTING FORUMS I REALIZED THAT THIS IS AN ISSUE THAT HAS BEEN HAPPENING FOR A WHILE NOW WITH BMWS IN COLD WEATHER CONDITIONS. I ALSO FOUND OUT THAT BMW HAS RELEASED IN FEB 2009 A SERVICE INFORMATION BULLETIN SIB 11 08 03 THAT RECOGNIZED, THAT THE DEFECTIVE PART MAY FAIL IN COLD WEATHER CONDITIONS, AND RECOMMENDED TO BMW SERVICE DEPTS REPLACEMENT WITH A NEW BETTER DESIGNED PART. HOWEVER, BMW DID NOT TAKE THE STEP TO NOTIFY CUSTOMERS WHO HAVE BEEN OR COULD BE AFFECTED BY THIS DEFECT. IF I KNEW ABOUT THIS ISSUE IN FEB 2009, WHEN MY CAR WAS UNDER THE NEW VEHICLE WARRANTY, I WOULD HAVE REPLACED IT AT NO COST AND THE ENGINE AND EXHAUST WOULD NOT HAVE GONE THRU THIS NEARLY DESTRUCTIVE INCIDENT. I NOW HAD TO INCUR THIS $1300 REPAIR COST AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT ELSE COULD MECHANICALLY INCUR WITH THIS CAR IN THE FUTURE DUE TO THIS MALFUNCTION.THE RESALE VALUE OF THE CAR HAS ALSO GONE DOWN AS WELL. I FEEL BMW HAS ACTED IRRESPONSIBLY, IF NOT CRIMINALLY, TO NOT NOTIFY AFFECTED CUSTOMERS ABOUT THIS DEFECT. IT COULD HAVE BEEN MUCH WORSE DRIVING IN THE INTERSTATE AND HAVING A STALLED ENGINE AT 60 MILES AN HOUR. *TR