NHTSA Complaint #10897394 — 2007 BMW X3 SAV

MY 2007 BMW X3 (E83) FRONT PASSENGER SIDE, "ENGINE MOUNT BRACKET BOLTS" SNAPPED WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE. AT LEAST 3 OF THE 4 ALUMINUM BOLTS SNAPPED DURING NORMAL VEHICLE OPERATION WHICH RESULTED IN MY ENGINE RESTING ON THE VEHICLES WATER PUMP AND EVENTUALLY CAUSING THE WATER PUMP TO FAIL. MY MECHANIC NOTICED THE SNAPPED BOLTS WHEN HE ATTEMPTED TO INSTALL A NEW WATER PUMP. THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE TO HAVE HALF YOUR ENGINE NOT PROPERLY MOUNTED DOWN AND SHOULD BE A FACTORY RECALL. JUST THINK OF THE DAMAGE A FRONT END COLLISION CAN COST WITH THAT PART OF THE ENGINE ABLE TO MOVE FREELY. ON THE MICRO SIDE IT COST ME A WATER PUMP. HOWEVER IT COULD HAVE DONE MORE DAMAGE. PLEASE RECALL THIS!!! NUMEROUS PEOPLE ONLINE ARE REPORTING THE SAME FAILURE. IT'S A VERY DANGEROUS AND LIFE THREATENING MALFUNCTION THAT COULD BE AVOIDED BY BMW. THE PROBLEM IS GALVANIZED CORROSION BETWEEN THE DIFFERENT METALS OVER TIME. THE BOLTS ARE ALUMINUM, AND THE ENGINE MOUNTS ARE MAGNESIUM-ALUMINUM MIX. I BELIEVE IT IS THE MAGNESIUM THAT IS CAUSING THE FAILURE. THERE ARE A COUPLE OF FIXES. 1-EASY FIX WOULD BE TO TAKE STEEL BOLTS AND COAT THEM WITH ALUMINUM (THE ALUMINUM WILL SLOW CORROSION AND THE STEEL WILL STRENGTHEN THE BOLT WITHOUT GIVING WAY TO GALVANIZED CORROSION). 2-OTHER FIX WOULD BE TO MAKE THE BOLTS OF THE EXACT SAME MIXTURE AS THE ENGINE BLOCK (MAGNESIUM AND ALUMINUM) NOT JUST ALUMINUM. THE BOLTS STILL WONT BE AS STRONG AS THE STEEL (ALUMINUM) COATED BOLTS.