NHTSA Complaint #11661270 — 2024 BMW IX

My 2024 BMW iX xDrive50 intermittently fails to deploy the rearview windows upon startup. Restarting does not help; they open only after driving above ~25 mph. This typically occurred once or twice a month based on my recollection. I purchased the vehicle in late May 2024, so I had it for only five months before the accident. More concerningly, the vehicle sometimes shifts from Drive (D) to Brake (B) mode without input. I noticed this behavior several times before a crash on 10/27/24, and again after the crash. On 10/27/24, while in B mode, I slowed at an intersection with ~30 feet of space ahead. I was practically at a stop and began to inch forward when the car suddenly accelerated and I lost control, rear-ending the car in front. No automatic braking or warning systems activated. BMW North America inspected the vehicle on 12/20/24 and later concluded that no defect was present after a 6-mile test drive. After their review, my dealership also conducted its own inspection but was unable to replicate the issues I reported. However, neither review addressed—or could replicate—the intermittent switching between D and B modes, which remains unresolved and unpredictable. BMW also could not explain or resolve the issue of the rearview windows failing to deploy. I am concerned that both issues may reflect a broader software or user interface flaw. I am also concerned that BMW’s investigation focused primarily on establishing that I pressed the accelerator pedal before the crash, as a way to default blame for the accident to me, rather than investigating whether a fault in the vehicle’s electronic input or feedback systems could have contributed to the incident. Given the safety implications and the limited scope of BMW's investigation, I request a deeper independent review.