NHTSA Complaint #10618527 — 2014 BMW X5

WHILE RETURNING HOME FROM CHICAGO, AROUND 3:30 PM ON SUNDAY 07/26/14 - I WAS EXITING I-88 ON THE ROUTE 31 EXIT RAMP. HALFWAY UP THE RAMP THE TRUNK/HATCH OF THE X5 OPENED ON ITS OWN. THE CAR WAS TRAVELING APPROX. 28 - 30 MPH WHEN THE HATCH OPENED UNDER ITS OWN CONTROL. BOTH OF THE DRIVERS (MY) HANDS WERE ON THE STEERING WHEEL TURNING THE VEHICLE WELL AWAY FROM THE TRUNK CONTROLS LOCATED ON THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR AT THE TIME. MY DOG WAS LOCATED IN THE BACK/TRUNK OF THE CAR WHEN THE HATCH DECIDED TO OPEN. LUCKILY HE WAS SLEEPING AT THE TIME IT OPENED AS THERE IS USUALLY NO HOLDING HIM BACK WHEN IT COMES TO ENTERING OR EXITING THE CAR. COMBINE THIS WITH THE FACT THAT I THINK HE WAS CONFUSED AS TO WHY THE CAR WAS STILL MOVING AT THE TIME THE HATCH OPENED, THAT BY THE TIME I GOT THE CAR PULLED OVER AND IN PARK; THE DOG ([XXX]), WAS JUST ON THE VERGE OF JUMPING OUT AND I WAS ABLE TO CATCH HIM WHEN HE ATTEMPTED TO DO SO. I WAS FORTUNATE THAT THE CAR DIRECTLY BEHIND ME ON THE RAMP SAW THE DOG AND STOPPED SO I WAS ABLE TO GATHER THE DOG AND RETURN HIM TO THE CAR SAFELY. I THEN PROCEEDED TO CLOSE THE TRUNK USING THE BUTTON LOCATED ON THE HATCH. THE HATCH/DOOR OPERATED WITHOUT INCIDENT FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE RIDE HOME. WHILE I'M GRATEFUL THAT NO ONE WAS HURT OR INJURED AS RESULT OF THIS INCIDENT, THE SCENE WAS STILL KIND OF TERRIFYING. YOU'RE DRIVING AND THE TRUNK ON YOUR SUV MAGICALLY COMES UNDER POWER AND OPENS ON IT'S OWN? WHILE THE CAR WAS MOVING? WITH MY DOG IN THE TRUNK? WHAT IF I WAS DOING 55 MPH ON THE HIGHWAY AND I WAS IN THE MIDDLE LANE OF THE HIGHWAY? I PREVIOUSLY SCHEDULED THE CAR FOR SERVICE BECAUSE THE TRUNK WOULDN'T OPEN, BUT THEN IT STARTED WORKING AGAIN, SO I NEVER BROUGHT THE CAR IN FOR SERVICE. SO I'VE GONE FROM THE TRUNK NOT WANTING TO OPEN TO OPENING ON IT'S OWN WHILE THE CAR IS IN DRIVE AND IN MOTION. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR