NHTSA Complaint #10625810 — 2008 BMW 335I

THESE VEHICLES SEEM TO HAVE AN EXTREMELY HIGH FAILURE RATE OF THE ELECTRIC COOLANT PUMP. WHEN THE COOLANT PUMP FAILS, IT CREATES A VERY UNSAFE SITUATION AS THERE IS NO TEMPERATURE GAUGE FOR THE COOLANT, YOU JUST GET A YELLOW WARNING LIGHT THAT INDICATES THE CAR IS OVERHEATING AND A WARNING TO DRIVE MODERATELY. UNFORTUNATELY THE SOFTWARE WAITS UNTIL THE CAR IS SO HOT TO GIVE YOU A WARNING THAT LITERALLY SECONDS LATER THE WARNING WILL TURN RED AND TELL YOU TO PULL OVER AT WHICH TIME IT WILL REDUCE ALL ENGINE POWER. WHEN THIS OCCURRED I WAS IN HEAVY TRAFFIC IN THE FAST LANE DOING 70-75 MPH, THE WARNING POPPED UP AND BY THE TIME I READ IT ON THE SCREEN, IT HAD TURNED RED AND BASICALLY FELT LIKE I REMOVED MY FOOT FROM THE GAS PEDAL IN TRAFFIC. I HAD TO CROSS 3 LANES OF HEAVY TRAFFIC WITH NO POWER AT ALL, CAR WAS BASICALLY COASTING AND COULD NOT EVEN MAINTAIN SPEED ENOUGH TO PULL OVER, QUITE DANGEROUS WITH CARS SWERVING AND HONKING. IT IS RIDICULOUS HOW EARLY THE PUMP FAILED BUT EVEN WORSE HOW DANGEROUS THE SITUATION IS THAT IT CREATES WHEN IT HAPPENS.