NHTSA Complaint #11205828 — 2013 BMW X5

ON THURSDAY, MAY 2ND, 2019, MY WIFE AND 19-MONTH OLD SON WERE AT THE PARK AND RETURNED TO THE VEHICLE, WHICH WAS PARKED IN THE PARKING LOT. MY WIFE HAD THE KEY FOB IN HER BAG. SHE PLACED HER BAG ON THE FLOOR OF THE CAR, JUST BEHIND THE FRONT PASSENGER'S SEAT. SHE PLACED OUR SON IN HIS CAR SEAT, STRAPPED HIM AND CLOSED THE DOOR. THE VEHICLE THEN PROCEEDED TO LOCK ITSELF, THUS LOCKING MY SON IN AND MY WIFE OUT. SHE HAD TO CALL EMS TO COME AND BREAK OPEN THE CAR IN ORDER TO GAIN ACCESS, THIS TOOK CLOSE TO 15-20 MINUTES TOTAL IN WHICH TIME MY SON WAS TRAPPED IN THE CAR WITH TEMPS IN EXCESS OF 100 DEGREES AS IT WAS ABOUT 90 OUTSIDE AT THE TIME IT OCCURRED. THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE WITH BMW'S COMFORT ACCESS FEATURE. THERE HAS ALREADY BEEN ONE CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT FOR OWNERS TO RECOVER EXPENSES, HOWEVER I FEEL THIS IS A BIGGER ISSUE. IF A PERSON OR PET, WHO ARE UNABLE TO OPERATE DOORS OR LOCKS, GET TRAPPED IN A VEHICLE IT COULD VERY EASILY RESULT IN DEATH UNDER THE RIGHT CIRCUMSTANCES. WHEN THEY PULLED HIM FROM THE CAR HE WAS SOAKEDDD IN SWEAT, GLOSSY EYED AND OUT OF IT. THIS WAS A TERRIBLE EXPERIENCE THAT NO ONE SHOULD EVER HAVE TO GO THROUGH AND I FEEL BMW SHOULD STEP UP AND FIX THESE VEHICLES. I DON'T CARE IF THAT'S REPLACING THE SYSTEM OR TAKING IT OUT, IT'S DANGEROUS. HTTPS://COMFORTACCESSSETTLEMENT.COM/HOME/PORTALID/0 THIS IS LITERALLY THE SAME STORY OF WHAT HAPPENED TO US... HTTPS://WWW.CARCOMPLAINTS.COM/NEWS/2...TTLEMENT.SHTML BMW DESCRIBES THE COMFORT ACCESS SYSTEM AS FOLLOWS: 'THE VEHICLE CAN BE ACCESSED WITHOUT ACTIVATING THE REMOTE CONTROL. ALL YOU NEED TO DO IS TO HAVE THE REMOTE CONTROL WITH YOU, E.G., IN YOUR JACKET POCKET. THE VEHICLE AUTOMATICALLY DETECTS THE REMOTE CONTROL WHEN IT IS NEARBY OR IN THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT. COMFORT ACCESS SUPPORTS THE FOLLOWING FUNCTIONS: UNLOCKING/LOCKING OF THE VEHICLE.'