NHTSA Complaint #10627123 — 2012 BMW 528I

DRIVING IN THE HOV AT APPROXIMATELY 9PM WHEN AN ALERT MESSAGE "DRIVETRAIN MALFUNCTION, DRIVE MODERATELY" DISPLAYS. CAR ENGINE IMMEDIATELY CUTS OUT AND WE HAVE NO PROPULSION. WE ARE UNABLE TO MOVE TO A SAFE LOCATION AND WIND UP ON A NARROW SHOULDER OF THE LIE IN NY. POLICE COME AND CLOSE DOWN 2 LANES TO PREVENT COLLISION (EXTREMELY DANGEROUS ROAD CONDITIONS). WE WERE UNABLE TO START THE CAR OR SHIFT IT INTO NEUTRAL. CAR WAS TOWED. BMW NOTIFIES US THAT FUEL SENSORS MALFUNCTIONED RESULTING IN US RUNNING OUT OF GAS EVEN THOUGHT THE INDICATOR SHOWED WE HAD 1/2 TANK. HOWEVER BECAUSE WE WERE OVER THE 50,000 MILE WARRANTY WE WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR REPLACING. . BMW IS LOOKING FOR US TO PAY $3,100 TO HAVE THE FUEL SENSORS REPLACED. I RESEARCHED THIS AND FOUND THAT BMW HAD ISSUED A RECALL ON ITS 2011 5 SERIES SEDANS AND 2012 5 SERIES GT FOR A FUEL SENSOR MALFUNCTION THAT MIRRORS EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED TO US. WE PURCHASED OUR BMW NOV 2011. WE STRONGLY BELIEVE THIS FUEL SENSOR DEFECT BOTH IN DESIGN AND FUNCTIONALITY IS THE REASON BEHIND WHAT HAPPENED TO US. PUT MY FAMILY AND 6 POLICE PATROL MEN IN HARMS WAY. NOTIFIED BMW THAT THEY NEED TO EXTEND THEIR RECALL TO OTHER 2012 5 SERIES SEDANS GIVEN OUR EXPERIENCE. FELT COMPELLED TO NOTIFY YOU AS THERE MAY BE OTHER DRIVERS WHO WILL BE PUT IN HARMS WAY IF THIS PROBLEM IS NOT RECONCILED ON ALL 2012 5 SERIES SEDANS. WE WERE LUCKY WE WERE NOT INJURED. SOMEONE ELSE MIGHT NOT BE. *TR