NHTSA Complaint #10972012 — 2008 BMW 535XI

ON THURSDAY MARCH 30TH I DROPPED THE CAR OFF WITH BRINSFIELD AUTO IN GREENSBORO, NC BECAUSE MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. ON APRIL 6TH I PICKED IT UP WITH COMPLETED REPAIRS OF A CLEANED #5 FUEL INJECTOR THAT WAS DIAGNOSED AS RUNNING RICH BUT AFTER BEING CLEANED WAS RUNNING CORRECTLY AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS NO LONGER AN INDICATOR. ON APRIL 8TH I WAS DRIVING IN GASTONIA, NC AND THE CAR BEGAN SMOKING AND SHUDDERING TO THE POINT IT WAS NOT DRIVABLE. I PULLED INTO A CAR DEALERSHIP THAT WAS CLOSED BECAUSE IT WAS AFTER HOURS AND PARKED THE CAR. MY SON AND I GOT OUT OF THE CAR AND NOTICED A VERY CLEAR ODOR OF GAS. THERE WAS A COUPLE DRIVING THROUGH THE DEALERSHIP LOT WHO STOPPED AND ALSO NOTICED THE ODOR AND AGREED IT WAS INDEED FUEL AND I SHOULD NOT DRIVE THE CAR. IT WAS TOWED BACK TO BRINSFIELD AUTO WHERE IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE #5 FUEL INJECTOR WAS LOCKED IN THE OPEN POSITION AND SHOOTING STRAIGHT FUEL THROUGH THE ENGINE AND OUT THE EXHAUST PIPE. THIS COULD HAVE CAUSE A FIRE HAD I NOT NOTICED.