NHTSA Complaint #10917546 — 2007 BMW 335I

I WAS TURNING ON TO A HIGHWAY, AS I ACCELERATED TO MATCH THE SPEED OF ONCOMING TRAFFIC AND MERGE, THE ENGINE POWER ABRUPTLY DEGRADED. I HAD TO SWERVE OUT OF THE LANE TO AVOID AN ACCIDENT. THE VEHICLE HAD A FLASHING SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT AND WAS NOT PRODUCING ANY POWER. I HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO PARK AVE. BMW IN NJ. THE DEALER DIAGNOSED MY VEHICLE WITH A FAILED DME (ENGINE MANAGEMENT COMPUTER OR ECU) AT LESS THAN 60K. AFTER DOING SOME RESEARCH I FOUND MANY OTHERS BMW N54 ENGINE OWNERS ONLINE WHO HAD ENCOUNTERED THE SAME DME FAILURE. IT TURNS OUT AN ELECTRICAL COMPONENT THAT COSTS A COUPLE OF CENTS WAS PREMATURELY FAILING. THIS WAS KNOWN TO BMW IN 2007 WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS BEING SOLD. THE BMW SERVICE BUILTIN SI B 12 18 07 CLEARLY INDICATES THAT THIS IS AN UNEXPECTED FAILURE AND IS CAUSED BY A DEFECTIVE DIODE. FURTHER MORE THE ISSUE CAN DAMAGE COILS AND FUEL INJECTORS COSTING THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS. REPLACING COILS, INJECTORS, AND THE DME CAN EXCEED $5000. FURTHER MORE BMW CHOSE NO TO BE PROACTIVE AND REPLACE THE COMPONENT, INSTEAD THEY PUT PEOPLES LIVES AT RISK, AT BEST THEIR BENEFITING FROM THEIR OWN LACK OF QUALITY.