NHTSA Complaint #11123030 — 2006 BMW 750I

BRAKES SUDDENLY BECAME VERY HARD TO ENGAGE. IT TOOK QUITE A BIT OF FORCE TO BRING THE CAR TO A COMPLETE STOP. A MECHANIC INFORMED ME THAT THE BRAKE BOOSTER SYSTEM HAD FAILED AND THAT BMW HAD A RECALL FOR THE SYSTEM - 10V-466. I CALLED BMW WARRANTY AND INFORMED THEM OF THE REASON FOR MY CALL AS WELL AS THE VIN. THEY TOLD ME THAT THERE WERE NO OUTSTANDING RECALL NOTICES FOR MY VEHICLE. WHILE NO ONE COULD TELL ME WHEN, THE FACT THAT THERE WERE NO OUTSTANDING RECALL NOTICES ON THIS VEHICLE APPARENTLY INDICATING THAT THE CORRECTION ON THE CAR HAD BEEN MADE. AFTER A LENGTHY DEBATE ABOUT WHAT THIS MEANT AND WHY BMW SAID THEY HAD NO MORE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ISSUE, I ASKED TO SPEAK TO A SUPERVISOR. I GOT SARAH (EMPLOYEE #7716), AN ESCALATION SUPERVISOR. VERY NICE BUT ESSENTIALLY TOLD ME THERE WAS NOTHING SHE COULD DO, THAT BMW WAS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS MATTER AND THERE WAS NO ONE THAT SHE COULD ESCALATE ME TO. IF THE CORRECTION, AS SPELLED OUT IN THE RECALL NOTICE WAS IN FACT MADE, IT DID NOT WORK. THE ACTUAL LANGUAGE USED IN THE RECALL NOTICE UNDER CORRECTION STATES AS FOLLOWS: 'THE UPDATED BRAKE BOOSTER VACUUM SUPPLY LINE WITH FLUID CHECK VALVE IS TO BE INSTALLED IN ALL APPLICABLE VEHICLES TO ELIMINATE FUTURE CONTAMINATION.' (THE EMPHASIS IS MINE) I HAD ESC SAVE ALL OF THE PARTS AND THEY HAVE CONFIRMED THAT IN FACT THE BRAKE BOOSTER WAS CONTAMINATED WITH OIL WHICH CAUSED THE MEMBRANE TO FAIL. TO ME, THIS MEANS ONE OF TWO THINGS: 1. THE UPDATED BOOSTER VACUUM SUPPLY LINE WITH FLUID CHECK WAS NEVER INSTALLED IN MY VEHICLE; OR 2. THE BMW SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEM WAS FAULTY. AS FOR THE BRAKE BOOSTER VACUUM SUPPLY LINE, IT APPEARS THAT THE LINE WAS REPLACED AT 97K MILES IN AUGUST OF 2013. SO WHAT GOOD DID THAT DO? IT FAILED AGAIN, (I HAVE ALL OF THE PARTS) IN LESS THAN 5 YEARS. SEE DOCUMENTATION ATTACHED.