NHTSA Complaint #768843 — 2001 BMW Z3

THIS DEFECT WAS NOT CAUSED BY AN ACCIDENT, HOWEVER THE POTENTIAL DANGER TO THE PASSENGERS IN THE VEHICLE IS AN OPEN QUESTION. THE DRIVER'S SEAT IN MY 2001 Z3 ROCKS BACK AND FORTH WHEN ACCELLERATING, COMING TO A STOP OR EVEN WHEN MERELY SHIFTING MY WEIGHT ON MY RIGHT LEG WHEN MOVING MY RIGHT FOOT FROM ACCELLERATOR TO BRAKE. I HAVE NOTIFIED BOTH MY DEALER, BMW CLEVELAND, AND BMW NORTH AMERICA OF THE PROBLEM. THE DEALER INITIALLY DENIED THAT A PROBLEM EXISTED THEN, AFTER GETTING BMW NORTH AMERICA'S CUSTOMER SERVICE INVOLVED, ADMITTED THE PROBLEM AND ATTEMPTED TO FIX THE PROBLEM. HOWEVER, BY OCTOBER OF 2002 THE PROBLEM HAS RETURNED. THE DEALER HAS NOW UPON A LATER VISIT STATED NOTHING CAN BE DONE. I AM ONCE AGAIN IN CONTACT WITH BMW NORTH AMERICA WHO DENIES THAT I HAVE A PROBLEM AND DENIES BEING AWARE THAT THIS PROBLEM IS A PERVASIVE DESIGN DEFECT AMONG Z3'S. I HAVE LOCATED AND FORWARDED TO BMW NORTH AMERICA DOCUMENTATION THAT LOOSE SEATS ARE IN FACT A PERVASIVE PROBLEM AMONG Z3'S. THAT COUNTLESS OWNERS HAVE REPORTED THIS PROBLEM TO THEIR DEALERS AND THAT OTHER OWNERS HAVE COMMUNICATED THE EXISTENCE OF THIS PROBLEM TO BMW NORTH AMERICA REPRESENTATIVES. I HAVE ALSO DIRECTED BMW TO AN INTERNET FORUM WHERE AT LEAST 70 OTHER OWNERS HAVE CORROBORATED THAT THEY HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. IN ADDITION, ONE OF THE OWNERS ON THAT WEBSITE HAS ENGINEERED NYLON BUSHINGS IN AN ATTEMPT TO REMEDY THIS PROBLEM. HE HAS REPORTED TO ME THAT HE HAS DISTRIBUTED BUSHINGS TO APPROXIMATELY 150 Z3 OWNERS. HOWEVER, TO DATE, BMW NORTH AMERICA HAS NOT RESPONDED TO MY MOST RECENT ALLEGATIONS AND SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION. DT