NHTSA Complaint #10872961 — 2011 BMW X5

WE WERE DRIVING OUR 2011 BMW X5 ON INTERSTATE 405 IN BELLEVUE WASHINGTON, GOING NORTH BOUND WITH NORMAL THURSDAY AFTERNOON TRAFFIC WHEN WE FELT A VIBRATION COMING FROM UNDER THE CAR. WE WERE FORTUNATE TO PULL TO THE SHOULDER QUICKLY, AND WE HEARD A LOUD THUD. THIS WAS FOUND TO BE THE FRONT DRIVE SHAFT BREAKING OFF AT THE FORWARD UNIVERSAL JOINT. THIS IS A HUGE SAFETY CONCERN FOR ME AND OUR FAMILY. WE WERE LUCKY TO DRIVE ALONG THE SHOULDER HAVING THE REAR DRIVE SHAFT PROPEL THE CAR FORWARD SLOWLY TO THE EXIT, AND INTO A SERVICE STATION. THE DESTINATION WE HAD WAS OVER 100 MILES AWAY, SO WE WERE FORTUNATE THIS DID NOT HAPPEN AT HIGH SPEEDS ON THE TWO LANE STEVEN'S PASS HIGHWAY 2. PLEASE SEE THAT BMW MAKES THIS A RECALL ON THE BMW X5 MODELS MANUFACTURED DURING THE PERIOD OF 2011-2012. THE MANUFACTURER CURRENTLY HAS THIS ITEM AS A "WARRANTY" ONLY- SI B26 01 14. ALL DAMAGE COST WAS COVERED, WHICH INCLUDED REPLACEMENT OF THE TRANSFER CASE AND THE TRANSMISSION DUE TO CONTACT OR RESULTING EFFECTS. BMW HAS STATED THE PART HAS A WARRANTY FOR 10 YEARS OR 120,000MI. THE DRIVE SHAFT WAS INSPECTED ONLY 18,000 MILES PRIOR AND WAS NOT REPLACED BY BMW SERVICE. I DO NOT FEEL BMW HAS TAKEN ENOUGH CONSIDERATION TO THE SAFETY OF DRIVERS PLACED IN DANGEROUS SITUATIONS WHEN THE FRONT DRIVE SHAFT IS AT RISK OF FAILURE, DESPITE A REASONABLE INSPECTION INTERVAL OF THE PART. THERE IS NO REQUIREMENT INTERVAL FOR INSPECTING THE FRONT DRIVE SHAFT. PLEASE REQUIRE THAT BMW CHANGE THE X5 FRONT DRIVE SHAFT WARRANTY TO A RECALL FOR THE SAFETY OF ALL DRIVERS AND PASSENGERS. THANK YOU [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR