NHTSA Complaint #10649300 — 2007 BMW 530XI

WE WERE UP IN THE MOUNTAINS IN AN ISOLATED AREA WHEN I TRIED TO START THE CAR. AT FIRST THE CAR WOULDN'T START. FINALLY IT STARTED AND THE WHOLE DISPLAY LITE UP. THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD NOT GO TO THE DRIVING POSITION, PLUS SEVERAL MALFUNCTION LIGHTS STARTED FLASHING. I PUT THE CAR IN GEAR AND STARTED TO DRIVE, THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION WOULD NOT SHIFT AND I HAD TO DRIVE TO THE NEAREST TOWN (10 MILES) IN THIRD GEAR. WE STOPPED AT THE FIRST AUTO SHOP WE COULD LOCATE AND HAVE THE MECHANIC LOOK AT IT. HE TOLD US WE WOULD HAVE TO TAKE IT TO THE DEALERSHIP IN DENVER. WE STARTED THE CAR AGAIN AND THIS TIME WE GOT TWO RED LIGHTS INDICATING A PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG MALFUNCTION AND THE SEATBELT MALFUNCTION. IN ADDITION THE STEERING WHEEL FAILED TO GO DOWN INTO THE DRIVING POSITION. WHEN I CALLED THE DEALER TO CHECK, HE TOLD ME THERE IS A RECALL ON THAT ISSUE THOUGH MY VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED. THEY WANTED $1300.00 TO FIX IT. I CALLED BMW USA AND THEY TOLD ME THE SAME THING. MY CAR WAS MANUFACTURED A MONTH AFTER THE RECALLED CARS, PRESENTLY I AM DRIVING WITH DEFECTIVE AIRBAGS THAT MAY NOT DEPLOY. I THINK BMW SHOULD BE HELD RESPONSIBLE AS THEY ARE WELL AWARE OF THE LIFE THREATENING MALFUNCTION AND HAVE ISSUED RECALLS ON A FEW CARS. *TR