NHTSA Complaint #11006685 — 2017 BMW 330E

THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION ON THE HIGHWAY ON THE LEFT LANE OF TRAFFIC AT A SPEED OF 65MPH IN "EDRIVE" MODE. AS EXPECTED, IT SHIFTED FROM ELECTRIC TO COMBUSTION ENGINE AT 65MPH THOUGH THE AT THIS POINT THE CAR STARTED COASTING, AS IF IT WAS IN NEUTRAL, EVEN THOUGH THE INDICATOR ON THE GEAR SHIFT SHOWED "D". THE "CHECK ENGINE" LIGHT ALSO WENT ON. I FIRST ATTEMPTED TO SWITCH BACK TO ELECTRIC DRIVE ONLY ("MAX EDRIVE MODE") BUT TO NO AVAIL. I THEN DECIDED TO COAST TO THE EMERGENCY LANE TO THE RIGHT OF THE HIGHWAY BUT AFTER I MADE MY WAY TO THE MIDDLE LANE, THE TRAFFIC SLOWED DOWN AND I HAD TO USE THE BRAKE AND NO LONGER HAD ENOUGH MOMENTUM TO MAKE IT SAFELY TO THE EMERGENCY LANE. I FRANTICALLY TRIED SEVERAL TIME TO SHIFT THE "D" MODE SEVERAL TIME BUT ONLY MANAGED TO PUT THE GEAR SHIFT IN "N" (WITH NO WAY OF PUTTING IT BACK IN "D" MODE). AS OF LAST RESORT (I WAS NOW COASTING AT 10~5 MPH IN THE MIDDLE LANE OF THE HIGHWAY), I PRESSED THE START/STOP BUTTON AND THAT SOMEHOW RESET THE SYSTEM AND I WAS ABLE TO ACCELERATE ONCE AGAIN AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WENT OFF. I HAVE NOT HAD ANY ISSUE SINCE THIS INCIDENT (7/18 7PM PST) AND HAD IT CHECKED THE NEXT DAY BY THE DEALERSHIP WHO GAVE ME THE FOLLOWING EXPLANATION: CONNECTED CHARGER AND RAN SHORT TEST. FOUND FAULT FOR HIGH VOLTAGE BATTERY SHUT OFF DUE TO LOW CHARGE LEVEL. VEHICLE WAS NOT CHARGED CAUSING THE CUSTOMER COMPLAINT. CLEARED FAULTS CHARGED VEHICLE AND TEST DROVE. NO ISSUES AT THIS TIME I AM NOT SATISFIED BY THE EXPLANATION: MY BATTERY WAS NOT FULLY DEPLETED (THE CAR DROVE ON ELECTRIC SHORTLY AFTER THE INCIDENT WHEN I EXITED THE HIGHWAY).