NHTSA Complaint #11181395 — 2009 BMW 535I

VEHICLE WAS OPERATING ON PUBLIC HIGHWAY AT 40 MPH IN FORWARD GEAR. ELECTRONIC FUEL PUMP STOPPED CAUSING IMMEDIATE ENGINE POWER FAILURE AND LOSS OF FORWARD MOVEMENT CONTROL. IT WAS SNOWING AND THERE WAS NO SHOULDER. NO SAFE LANE OR OTHER AREA TO COAST IMMEDIATELY INOPERABLE VEHICLE INTO. HEAVY TRAFFIC REPEATEDLY NEARLY COLLIDED. NO WAY TO SECURE IMMEDIATE SAFE REMOVAL OF INOPERABLE VEHICLE OFF ROADWAY. EMERGENCY FLASHERS QUIT AFTER 30 MINUTES. WRECKER TOO 2.5 HOURS TO ARRIVE, WHILE DRIVE WAS FORCED TO CHOOSE BETWEEN UNSHELTERED FREEZING SNOW AND ICE, AND REMAINING IN VULNERABLE VEHICLE FOR TOW TRUCK TO ARRIVE. VEHICLE DISPLAYED "FUEL PUMP FAILURE" ON DIAGNOSTIC LCD SCREEN IN VEHICLE. THREE HOURS LATER, VEHICLE STARTED UP AND RAN WITHOUT INCIDENT, AFTER SITTING. PROBLEM HAS OCCURRED THREE TIMES OVER THE PAST FIFE YEARS, AND OCCURS WITHOUT WARNING WHILE ENGINE IS RUNNING.