NHTSA Complaint #10981135 — 2012 BMW X5

2012 BMW X5 WHICH WAS PURCHASED AS CERTIFIED ON DECEMBER 31,2015.. PUT MY LIFE AND THE LIFE OF MY YOUNG SON IN DANGER AND SHOULD IMMEDIATELY BE INVESTIGATED AND A "FIX' NEEDS TO BE DEVELOPED BEFORE LIFE THREATENING INJURY OCCURS TO SOMEBODY ELSE. I RECEIVED THIS MESSAGE (SEE ATTACHED) IN MY X5 WHILE DRIVING STRAIGHT ON A HIGHWAY I-90 (60 MPH) ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF CHICAGO, IL. WE HAD BEEN DRIVING FOR 1 1/2 HOURS AND THE TEMPERATURE OUTSIDE WAS A COLD 35 DEGREES. IN ADDITION TO GETTING THIS MESSAGE, MY CAR STOPPED RESPONDING TO MY ACCELERATION ATTEMPTS AND ABRUPTLY STARTED SLOWING DOWN WITHOUT ANY BRAKES LIGHTS. I HAD TRUCKS BEHIND ME THAT DID NOT KNOW I WAS SLOWING DOWN TO BELOW THE SPEED LIMIT. THESE TRUCKS WERE BEHIND ME AND COULD NOT STOP THAT QUICKLY AND OUR SAFETY WAS IN DANGER AS THEY WERE LIKELY TO REAR END MY CAR. ALSO, MY CAR CONTINUED TO SLOW DOWN TO 40 MPH WHEN THE ROAD WENT UPHILL. I HAD BEEN IN THE CENTER LANE WHEN I GOT THE WARNING SO I HAD TO MANEUVER TO THE RIGHT LANE WHERE TRAFFIC WAS GOING TO THE POSTED 55-60 MPH SPEED LIMIT. I WAS THEN ABLE TO EXIT THE HIGHWAY. I WAS WITH MY YOUNG CHILD IN A BROKEN DOWN BMW X5. I FELT LIKE A SITTING DUCK. THE BMW DEALER NOW INFORMED ME THAT THE ELECTRIC WATER PUMP HAD STOPPED WORKING AND THE MOTOR GOT TOO HOT AND SHUT ITSELF OFF, ESSENTIALLY SHUTTING OFF MY CAR. MY SON AND I COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED. IT IS INCREDIBLY UNSAFE FOR THE MOTOR TO JUST SHUT DOWN IN A LOCATION WHERE I COULD NOT SAFELY EXIT THE FREEWAY. THIS INCIDENT HAPPENED APRIL 9, 2016 AND I HAD JUST PURCHASED THE CERTIIFED VEHICLE ON DECEMBER 31, 2015 SO I HAD ONLY OWNED IT FOR 3 MONTHS. THE CAR ONLY HAD 24,000 MILES. THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE AS I COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED OR SERIOUSLY INJURED IN AN AUTOMOBILE ACCIDENT WHEN OTHER VEHICLES FAILED TO RESPOND TO MY SLOWED SPEED FROM A SHUT DOWN MOTOR (WITH NO BRAKE LIGHTS).