NHTSA Complaint #10712995 — 2015 BMW X3

ON APRIL 3 2015, WE WERE ABOUT START OUR 7 DAY SPRING BREAK TRIP TO NORTHERN CALIFORNIA FROM OUR HOME IN SAN DIEGO WHEN MY 8 YEAR OLD CHILD SAID SHE CAN'T PUT THE SEAT BELT BUCKLE ON (REAR RIGHT SIDE). I WAS SURPRISED AND ASKED HER TO TRY AGAIN BECAUSE I THOUGHT MAY BE SHE IS NOT ABLE TO REACH ALL THE WAY DOWN TO THE BUCKLE RECEPTOR BUT THE SEAT BELT WONT GO IN THE RECEPTOR. WITH HELP OF A FLASH LIGHT WE TRIED TO LOOK INTO THE RECEPTOR TO SEE THAT IF ANY DEBRIS GOT STUCK IN SIDE BUT THERE WAS NO DEBRIS INSTEAD THE LOOKED LIKE THE METAL LATCH WAS ALREADY IN LOCK POTION WITHOUT THE SEAT BELT. THIS WAS A VERY SCARY MOMENT FOR US AND ABOUT TO RUIN OUR VACATION. WE TOOK A CHANCE AND WITH HELP OF A SCREW DRIVER WE TRY TO PUSH THE METAL LATCH DOWN TO SEE IF WE CAN PUT THE SEATBELT ON. LUCKILY THE METAL PIECE GOT PUSHED DOWN AND WE WERE ABOUT TO PUT THE SEAT BELT ON. AFTER THAT WE VERY SCARED AND WORRIED IF SEAT BELT MAY NOT LATCH IS AGAIN. WE STARTED OBSERVING THE SEAT BELT LATCHING IN ALL OTHER 4 SEATS BELTS CLOSELY. AT LATER TIME I HAVE OBSERVED THAT DRIVER SEAT BELT LATCHING FEELS "VERY FLIMSY" WE REPORTED THIS TO BMW CUSTOMER SERVICE AND AT FIRST BMW SHOWED A VEY COLD AND ROUTINE RESPONSE TO OUR CONCERNS. IT IS ONLY WE TOLD THEM WE WILL REPORT THIS SAFETY INCIDENT TO APPROPRIATE FEDERAL AGENCY, THEY TRIED TO HELP LITTLE BIT. WHEN TOOK THAT CAR TO A BMW DEALER SHIP ASKED TO CHECK ALL THE SEAT BELT LATCHING ISSUE, THEY ONLY REPLACED REAR RIGHT SIDE SEAT BELT RECEPTOR AND HAVE SAID THERE WAS NO PROBLEM FOUND IN OTHER SEAT BELTS. I AM STILL NOT CONVINCED AND STILL FEEL THE LATCHING IN THE 2015 BMW X3 IS TO BE "FLIMSY". I WANT TO REPORT THIS AS SERIOUS PASSENGER SAFETY ISSUE AND POOR QUALITY OF SO CALLED HIGH END CARS FOR WHICH CUSTOMERS PAY HUGE PREMIUM BECAUSE THESE CARS DEEMED MORE SAFER THAN OTHER CARS. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO CONTACT ME IN CASE. *TR