NHTSA Complaint #10661317 — 2006 BMW 530I

WHEN I STARTED MY CAR THE IDRIVE DISPLAYED THE "INCREASED BATTERY DISCHARGE" MESSAGE. I THEN SMELLED A STRONG ODOR OF SMOKE AND MELTED PLASTIC, AND THE IDRIVE STOPPED WORKING ALTOGETHER. I COULDN'T FIGURE OUT THE PROBLEM UNTIL I SEARCHED THIS WEBSITE AND SEVERAL BMW DEVOTED MESSAGE BOARDS TO DISCOVER THAT THE PROBLEM COULD BE TRACED TO A DEFECTIVE DESIGN RELATED TO THE MICRO PROCESSOR MODULE THAT CONTROLS THE IDRIVE. APPARENTLY, BMW THOUGHT IT WAS A GOOD IDEA TO INSTALL THE MPM, AN IMPORTANT AND SENSITIVE ELECTRICAL COMPONENT, IN THE SPARE TIRE WHEEL-WELL WHERE LIQUID CAN GATHER EASILY. A SMALL AMOUNT OF WATER SPILLED IN MY TRUNK, AND THE MPM BURNED AND MELTED ALONG WITH THE ATTACHED WIRING HARNESS. OBVIOUSLY, THIS IS A SERIOUS AND DANGEROUS DESIGN DEFECT. AND MINE IS NOT THE FIRST INSTANCE OF THIS HAPPENING - WHY HASN'T A RECALL BEEN REQUIRED? IT ALSO SEEMS THAT BMW ISSUED AT LEAST ONE SERVICE BULLETIN REGARDING THIS ISSUE, AND DIRECTED ITS DEALERS TO RELOCATE THE MPM TO A SAFER LOCATION. MY VEHICLE HAS BEEN TO THE DEALER SEVERAL TIMES SINCE THE BULLETIN WAS ISSUED - AT LEAST TWICE FOR PROBLEMS WITH THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM - BUT THE DEALER NEVER MENTIONED THE BULLETIN OR SUGGESTED THAT THEY SHOULD RELOCATE IT. *TR