NHTSA Complaint #11081723 — 2011 BMW X3

THERE ARE 4 LED TAIL LIGHTS ON THIS MOTOR VEHICLE. 3 OF THE 4 HAVE QUIT WORKING. THE FIRST ONE BMW FIXED; THE SECOND ONE I FIXED OUT OF MY POCKET. THE THIRD ONE TO QUIT WORKING IS AWAITING REPAIR. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE BECAUSE ALL THE TAIL LIGHTS NEED TO BE WORKING, ESPECIALLY AT NIGHT. IF THE OUTER TAIL LIGHT IS NOT WORKING CONSPICUITY FROM THE SIDE IS SEVERELY REDUCED, ESPECIALLY AT NIGHT. BMW TAKES THE POSITION THAT THIS X3 IS OUT OF WARRANTY AND THEY HAVE NO FURTHER RESPONSIBILITY FOR IT. I TAKE THE POSITION THAT THIS IS A DESIGN DEFECT AND PRODUCT LIABILITY ISSUE FOR WHICH THEY ARE RESPONSIBLE. THE LED DRIVER CIRCUIT BOARD IS DEFECTIVE, BUT BMW IS NOT WILLING TO ACKNOWLEDGE THERE IS A PROBLEM. THERE HAVE BEEN HUNDREDS OF X3 2011-2016 WITH THE F25 BODY THAT HAVE THIS PROBLEM. THE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY WHEN I NOTICED THE PROBLEM BUT WAS PROBABLY IN MOTION WHEN THE TAIL LIGHT SEGMENT FAILED. FOR LED TAIL LIGHT SEGMENTS TO HAVE A 75% FAILURE RATE SEEMS EXCESSIVE AND UNACCEPTABLE. WOULD BE HAPPY TO DISCUSS THIS WITH YOU.