NHTSA Complaint #11048256 — 2014 BMW 535D

WHEN ACCELERATING FROM A STOP (E.G., FROM A STOP SIGN, RED LIGHT, OR MERGING ONTO A HIGHWAY), THE CAR ACCELERATES NORMALLY FOR A SECOND OR SO AND THEN ACTS AS IF THE FUEL SUPPLY WAS CUT OFF (OR AS IF IT RUNS ONLY ON ONE CYLINDER) AND SLOWS DOWN TO ALMOST A STANDSTILL. SEVERAL SECONDS THEREAFTER IT PICKS UP SPEED AGAIN AND THEN THE MESSAGE 'DRIVE MODERATELY. MAXIMUM DRIVETRAIN OUTPUT NOT AVAILABLE. CONSULT SERVICE CENTER.' APPEARS. THIS HAPPENED INITIALLY TWICE IN MAY 2017 (ONCE TO ME, ANOTHER TIME TO MY WIFE). THE CAR WAS FOR 10 DAYS AT THE DEALERSHIP FOR REPAIR AND REGIONAL SPECIALISTS STOPPED BY AND HELPED THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP LOCATING THE PROBLEM. THEY COULD REPRODUCE THE 'STALLING' AND RETURNED THE CAR TO US WITH THE HOPE THAT THEY INDEED HAD FOUND THE SOURCE OF THE PROBLEM (ELECTRONIC GOVERNOR OF AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION). THE SAME MALFUNCTION (SUDDEN STALLING AFTER INITIAL NORMAL ACCELERATION) HAPPENED AGAIN IN OCTOBER TO MY WIFE. ADDITIONALLY, A NEW PROBLEM OCCURRED (THREE TIMES): WHEN DRIVING OFF FROM A STOP, THE DRIVE MODE 'D' SWITCHED SPONTANEOUSLY TO 'N', RESULTING OBVIOUSLY IN A LACK OF PROPULSION. INSTEAD OF 'STALLING' I COULD USE THE WORDS 'SUDDEN DECELERATION TO ALMOST A STANDSTILL' 1-2 SECONDS AFTER AN INITIALLY NORMAL PICK-UP. THESE DRIVETRAIN MALFUNCTIONS CREATED SCARY LIFE-THREATENING SITUATIONS TO ME AND MY WIFE: ANY 'STALLING' AFTER INITIALLY PULLING ONTO A BUSY HIGHWAY COULD EASILY LEAD TO THE DRIVER BEING HIT FROM THE SIDE (T-BONING) OR, IF THE CAR WAS MOVING IN THE DIRECTION OF THE TRAFFIC, TO REAR-ENDING. THE FACT THAT THE SAME (AND ADDITIONAL) MALFUNCTIONS RE-OCCURRED AFTER AN UNUSUALLY LENGTHY REPAIR ATTEMPT REPRESENTS IN OUR VIEW A HUGE SAFETY ISSUE.