NHTSA Complaint #11277471 — 2014 BMW 320I

ON WEDNESDAY, OCT 30TH 2019, I WAS DRIVING MY 2014 BMW 320 (VIN: [XXX]) FROM MY DOCTOR OFFICE IN CARMEL (INDIANA) TO ZIONSVILLE (INDIANA) DURING LUNCH TIME, MY ENGINE ABRUPTLY SHUT DOWN AT MILE 55 ON THE HIGHWAY 465. FORTUNATELY, I WAS CLOSE ENOUGH TO PARK THE CAR ON THE RIGHT ROADSITE OF THE HIGHWAY 465( 1 MILE CLOSE TO EXIT 27). WHEN I ATTEMPTED TO RESTART THE CAR ON THE ROADSIDE, THE STARTER TURNED OVER, BUT THE ENGINE WOULD NOT START. ACCORDINGLY ARRANGED TO HAVE MY 320I TOWED TO CLOSEBY AUTO SHOP (MATTHEWS AUTO REPAIR SHOP IN 725 EAST 106TH STREET, INDIANAPOLIS, IN 46280), WHICH IS AUTO SHOP CLOSEBY ALMOST 40 YEARS SERVICE. ON OCT 31TH, I RECEIVED A CALL FROM A SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE AT AUTO SHOP. HE TOLD ME THAT MY FUEL PUMP HAD FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED DUE TO QUALITY PROBLEM. HE SAID THAT HE CHECKED THAT MY CAR MODEL IS IN THE BMW RECALL LIST FOR FUEL PUMP BY RECALL #: 15V-189. HE SAID I SHOULD CONTACT BMW TO DO IT FREE FOR ME. I CONTACTED BMW CUSTOMER SERVICE IMMEDIATELY (BOTH BMW USA CUSTOMER RELATIONS AND LOCAL BMW DEALER), AND BOTH BMW SERVICE PEOPLE TOLD ME THAT NOT ALL THE CARS IN THIS CAR MODEL ARE IN RECALL LIST, AND MY CAR WAS NOT IN THE RECALL LIST. THIS DOESN'T MAKE SENSE. I TOLD THEM THAT I WAS SURPRISED AND CONCERNED THAT THE FUEL PUMP HAD FAILED ON A CAR THAT IS ONLY 5 YEARS, AND IT IS QUALITY PROBLEM. YOU CAN IMAGINE HOW DANGEROUS IT IS TO HAVE ENGINE STOP SUDDENLY ON THE HIGHWAY, AND IT IS VERY DANGEROUS FOR THIS KIND OF CAR ON THE ROAD WITH FAMILY MEMBERS. I ASKED THE LOCAL BMW DEALER ABOUT WHAT I SHOULD DO, AND I WAS EVEN MORE ASTONISHED TO HEAR FROM THEM THAT I SHOULD TOW THE CAR BY MYSELF TO THE BMW DEALER AND PAY $150 FOR INSPECTION FIRST, AND PAY ALL THE COST TO REPLACE THE FUEL PUMP SINCE IT IS NOT IN THE RECALL LIST. [XXX] , PH.D EMAIL:[XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR