NHTSA Complaint #10781516 — 2011 BMW X5

I WAS DRIVING ON A PARKWAY IN NY WHEN I HEARD A TERRIBLE CRUNCHING METAL NOISE AND I IMMEDIATELY HAD TO PULL OVER. THERE WAS NO SHOULDER EXCEPT FOR A SMALL GRASS AREA WHICH WAS VERY DANGEROUS ON THIS PARTICULAR PARKWAY (SAW MILL PKWY SOUTHBOUND). I STAYED INSIDE THE VEHICLE AND CALLED FOR HELP. POLICE ARRIVED IN ABOUT 30 MINUTES AND HAD TO COME BLOCK OFF TWO LANES IN ORDER FOR THE TOW TRUCK TO SAFELY PULL US OUT OF THE AREA. AFTER THE CAR WAS TOWED, I POSTED ON FORUMS ASKING FOR HELP AND RECEIVED A DOCUMENT STATING THAT BMW HAD ISSUED AN EXTENDED WARRANTY, NOT A RECALL ON THIS PARTICULAR PART. THE PART THAT FAILED WAS THE FRONT DRIVE-SHAFT. APPARENTLY MANY OTHER PEOPLE HAVE HAD THIS PART FAIL ON THE ROAD CAUSING AN SIMILARLY DANGEROUS SITUATION YET THE PART HAS NOT BEEN RECALLED. BMW PAID FOR THE REPAIR AND MY EXPENSES, BUT I FELT AS IF I WAS IN DANGER WHEN THE PART FAILED AND ALL OTHERS WITH THIS DEFECTIVE PART SHOULD HAVE IT REPLACED PRIOR TO FAILURE VIA A RECALL NOT AN EXTENDED WARRANTY. I HAVE ATTACHED PICTURES OF MY FAILURE AS WELL AS THE DOCUMENT FROM BMW.