NHTSA Complaint #10809709 — 2006 BMW 330I

I AM FILING THIS SAFETY VEHICLE COMPLAINT ON MY 2006 BMW 330I. WHAT FIRST BEGAN AS A SMELL OF FUEL INSIDE THE CAR ESCALATED TO A STRONG SMELL OF GAS, AFTER LOOKING AT THE UNDERCARRIAGE OF THE VEHICLE I DISCOVERED FUEL LEAKING DOWN THE DRIVER'S SIDE GAS TANK INCHES AWAY FROM THE HOT EXHAUST. TRACKING WHERE THE LEAK WAS COMING FROM, I REMOVED THE PASSENGER REAR SEAT AND DISCOVERED THAT THE FUEL PUMP PLASTIC HOUSING DEVELOPED CRACKS ALL AROUND CAUSING THE FUEL TO ESCAPE BELOW THE PASSENGER SEAT DOWN THE GAS TANK. THE VEHICLE OPERATES FINE AND THERE ARE NO DASH LIGHTS INDICATING THAT THERE ARE ANY FAILURES OF FUEL, HOWEVER, IT SEEMS THE FUEL HAS BROKEN DOWN THE PLASTIC HOUSING OF THE FUEL PUMP OVER TIME, RESULTING IN AN ENORMOUS LOSS OF FUEL WHEN THE VEHICLE IS RUNNING. I AM VERY GLAD I DISCOVERED THIS ISSUE, WHICH I BELIEVE IS AN ENORMOUS SAFETY ISSUE AND CONSIDER MYSELF LUCKY THAT I DIDN'T CATCH ON FIRE ON MY LAST DRIVE. I WILL FOLLOW-UP WITH BMW'S HOTLINE BECAUSE I AM CERTAIN THERE ARE OTHER DRIVERS THAT OWN THE I90 SERIES THAT MAY BE HAVING THE SAME ISSUE AND HOPE NHTSA CAN PUT THIS ON THEIR BULLETIN AND OPEN AN INVESTIGATION ON THE SERIOUS ISSUE.