NHTSA Complaint #10809486 — 2000 BMW 328CI

PLEASE SEE ATTACHED PDF. DOCUMENT FOR A FULL EXPLANATION. THE SUB-FRAME ON MY BMW 3 SERIES (E46) HAS FRACTURED AND BECOME SEPARATED FROM THE CAR. THE DETACHED SUB-FRAME IS NOT CAUSED BY ANYTHING I DID, BUT IS THE RESULT OF AN INHERENT DEFECT INVOLVING THE VEHICLE'S SUB-FRAME, A MAJOR COMPONENT OF THE CAR'S STRUCTURAL SYSTEM THAT SUPPORTS THE POWERTRAIN AND IS WELDED TO THE CHASSIS. I WAS NOT AWARE OF THE DETACHED SUB-FRAME UNTIL I HEARD A METAL ON METAL SQUEAK IN THE REAR OF THE CAR; AS TIME WENT ON, THE DETACHED SUB-FRAME RIPPED THROUGH THE REAR TIN UNDERLAYMENT/SHIELD AND THE TWO ARE NOW RUBBING TOGETHER. THE DEFECTIVE SUB-FRAME IN THE BMW 3 SERIES E46 MODELS POSES A RISK TO MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY, AS IT IS A 'CRITICAL VEHICLE COMPONENT' OF THE CAR. FURTHER, A QUICK INTERNET SEARCH WILL PROVE THAT THIS DEFECT IS HIGHLY PERSISTENT IN THE E46 BMW 3 SERIES. AND IN ACCORDANCE WITH U. S. CODES FOR MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY, 'CRITICAL VEHICLE COMPONENTS THAT BREAK, FALL APART, OR SEPARATE FROM THE VEHICLE, CAUSING POTENTIAL LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL OR INJURY TO PERSONS INSIDE OR OUTSIDE THE VEHICLE,' A RECALL IS IN ORDER. PLEASE NOTE THAT I DON'T KNOW "WHEN DID THIS HAPPEN?". I JUST PUT THE DATE I HAD MY SUB-FRAME INSPECTED BY A CERTIFIED BMW DEALER (SEE ATTACHMENT FROM COLLISION CENTER OF ORLANDO). I HAD MY SUB-FRAME INSPECTED WHEN I HEARD A LOUD SQUEAKING NOISE. AS I UNDERSTAND IT, OWNERS WERE UN-AWARE THEIR SUB-FRAMES WERE DEFECTIVE; DISCOVERY WAS MADE BY A THOROUGH MECHANIC OR BY CHANCE. MY SUB-FRAME TORE THROUGH THE TIN UNDERLAYMENT/SHEILD, SO THE METAL RUBBING METAL IS WHAT WAS CAUSING THE SQUEAKING NOISE. AND AS I UNDERSTAND IT, THE SUB-FRAME TEARS THROUGH THE TIN UNDERLAYMENT ONLY AFTER BEING UNDETECTED FOR A LONG PERIOD OF TIME. THIS IS SO DANGEROUS NOT ONLY TO ME BUT OTHER DRIVERS. BMW NEEDS TO BE HELD RESPONSIBLE. A RECALL IS IN ORDER.