NHTSA Complaint #11375299 — 2014 BMW X3

I WAS DRIVING HOME ON A CITY STREET WHEN THE ENGINE LIGHT BEGAN TO FLASH. I WAS GETTING CLOSE TO BEING HOME SO I CONTINUED TO DRIVE TO TRY TO SAFELY GET MY CAR OFF THE STREET. IT THEN BEGAN TO DRIVE SLOWER AND SLOWER EVEN AS I WAS STEPPING FULLY ON THE GAS PEDDLE (WELL BELOW THE CITY STREET LIMIT OF 35, AS CARS STARTED TO GO AROUND ME). THE CAR THEN COMPLETELY SHUT OFF. I LUCKILY HAD MADE IT TO A NEIGHBORHOOD ROAD AND WAS ABLE TO GLIDE OVER TO THE SIDE AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE. HOWEVER, BECAUSE THE CAR WAS NO LONGER OPERATIONAL IT WAS STILL IN THE STREET AND I WAS STRANDED IN THE RAIN UNTIL THE TOW TRUCK GOT THERE HOURS LATER. ONCE I PUT THE CAR IN PARK IT WOULD NOT GO BACK TO NEUTRAL SO I HAD TO WAIT FOR A SPECIFIC TOW TRUCK. ONCE MY MECHANIC WAS ABLE TO TAKE A LOOK HE SAID THAT THE TIMING BELT HAD BROKEN AND DESTROYED THE ENGINE. IN HIS OPINION THIS IS UNHEARD OF IN A CAR WITH JUST OVER 70,000 MILES AND 6 YEARS OLD. I HAD JUST PURCHASED THE CAR FROM A HIGH END USED DEALERSHIP 5 MONTHS PRIOR AND THEY SAID THEY FOUND THAT BMW HAD PUT AN EXTENDED WARRANTY ON THE TIMING BELT FOR 70,000/7 YEARS FOR THIS SPECIFIC ISSUE. WHEN I CALLED BMW THEY WOULD DO NOTHING BECAUSE THE WARRANTY WAS NO LONGER IN EFFECT, EVEN A MILE OVER 70,000. THEY CLEARLY KNOW THIS IS AN ISSUE WITH THIS VEHICLE AND NEVER PROPERLY REMEDIED A VERY SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE. MY NORMAL COMMUTE IS ALL FREEWAY. THIS COULD HAVE BEEN A VERY SERIOUS, IF NOT FATAL ACCIDENT IF IT HAD OCCURRED ON THE FREEWAY.