NHTSA Complaint #11625039 — 2014 BMW 228I

What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? Highly disappointed in BMW for a severe safety issue. My pregnant wife was driving this car. The plastic fuel tank started leaking which was very very scary. There is no sensor or alert on the car to notify of this. Our mechanic suggested that this was a manufacturing problem. There was no damage to the car (e.g. no accident or bump). This was apparently a spontaneous failure caused by poor manufacturing and design quality. This is a dangerous condition. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? Fuel was leaking out of the vehicle and it could have easily started a fire with passengers inside or bystanders nearby. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? This issue was confirmed as a known problem by BWM. I cannot explain why they did not send notification to owners - this is clearly a safety issue. I called the dealership in Irvine CA and they gave me the runaround. I brought the car to an independent mechanic who confirmed the fuel tank was leaking through a poor weld (its plastic). Once the issue was confirmed I called the BMW dealer again. They again gave me the runaround. Later I discovered there was a "warranty extension" issued. I submitted a reimbursement request for the $1300 repair but BWM denied it. They say the repair was completed in October 2022, but they won't pay for repairs made after April 2022. This is nonsense. NTSB should intervene. Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? I saved the tank and have photos. BMW did not take responsibility and the tank was eventually discarded. BMW confirmed that they are aware of this safety issue. Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? None. BMW did not notify customers.