What 146 owners told NHTSA about the 2011 BMW 335i

Wiring harness in the engine compartment caught fire about 2 weeks after changing a water pump, battery kept being draining even after battery replacement. Locking of the trunk trunk forced usage of a BMW authorized jump start battery charger/start etc. No access to Battery when the battery is discharged.

NHTSA ODI 11643883

BMW has made their early 2011-13 engines(n55) a defective engine, the problem I’ve been experiencing with these engines is there new engine system called the valvetronic system. If the something in the valtronic system goes bad and most likely does when you listen to bmw recommendation of changing oil every 10,000 it becomes very annoying to fix and can also lead to damaging the car ecu/dme so they built a car that would have problems and would also take out your car ecu which would make costly repairs

NHTSA ODI 11538659

I have electrical error codes and I cant seem to find what it is not sure if its wiring.

NHTSA ODI 11522053

2011 BMW 335i Sedan: Please attempt to get my car included in the current recall. I have contacted BMW USA and my local dealership. Both said that my car does not qualify for repair. On a weekly basis, the car produces large amounts of smoke from the engine compartment and enters the passenger compartment through the vents. BMW has stated that there is a fire risk for this year, make, and model but will not address it for my car: [XXX] The check engine light turns on while engine smokes. The BMW Dealership will not inspect the car unless it appears on the recall list. In addition, occasionally, the entire electrical system dies preventing all electronics including the starter from working. INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

NHTSA ODI 11465143

Loss of power failure, it lights up several times when turning corners and then accelerating.

NHTSA ODI 11442737

HELLO, I WANTED TO BRING TO ATTENTION THE FAILING FOOTWELL MODULES IN E9X GENERATION BMWS. THE MODULES HAVE A HIGH FAILURE RATE AND WHEN THEY BECOME INOPERABLE YOU LOSE YOUR HEADLIGHTS, TURN SIGNALS, LOCKING AND UNLOCKING DOORS, POWER WINDOW CONTROL AND THE ABILITY TO MOVE YOUR MIRRORS. IT IS A SERIOUS SAFETY CONCERN THAT BMW HAS HIDDEN FROM ITS CUSTOMERS AS IT IS A KNOWN EXTENDED WARRANTY BUT THERE IS NO RECALL FOR SUCH AN IMPORTANT COMPONENT. I RECENTLY HAD MY VEHICLE IN TO HAVE IT REPLACED AND WAS DECLINED AS IT HAD NOT FAILED ENOUGH. ESSENTIALLY THEY WANT ME TO HAVE AN UNSAFE VEHICLE BEFORE THE REPAIR WILL BE PERFORMED. I DO HAVE DOCUMENTATION THAT THE UNIT IS IN THE EARLY STAGES OF FAILING BUT BMW STILL REFUSES TO HONOR THE EXTENDED WARRANTY.

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BLINKER LIGHTS AND WINDOWS NOT WORKING. I WAS NOT DRIVING WHEN I NOTICED THE PROBLEM. I WAS PULLING OUT OF MY DRIVEWAY BUT DID NOT PROCEED WHEN I NOTICED THE WINDOWS AND LIGHTS WEREN'T WORKING. BOTH BLINKER AND HIGH BEAMS ARE NOT WORKING.

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WHEN I SHIFT TO SPORTS MODE IT DOES NOT ENGAGE. NO RESPONSE WHEN I AM DRIVING. PASSENGER SEAT IS NO DETECTING IF SOMEONE SEATING ON IT. AIR BAG MALFUNCTION ON THE DASH BOARD.

NHTSA ODI 11362129

WHILE IN MOTION ON HIGHWAYS, CITY STREETS, AND TURNING, CERTAIN SYSTEM SOMETIMES LOSE POWER (E.G., RADIO, WINDSHIELD WIPERS WHILE RAINING, STABILITY CONTROL, STABLE BRAKING, CENTER CONSOLE, HEADLIGHTS AT NIGHT). LOSS OF STABILITY CONTROL AND LOSS OF STABLE BRAKING MESSAGES APPEAR QUITE FREQUENTLY THEN GO AWAY SEVERAL MINUTES LATER. OTHER MESSAGES FOR LOSS OF OTHER SYSTEMS ALSO APPEAR SOMETIMES. THIS APPEARS TO BE AN ELECTRICAL ISSUE THAT OCCURS WHEN AT ANY SPEED CONSTANT OR OTHERWISE. THESE INTERMITTENT FAILURES HAVE BEEN HAPPENING SINCE I PURCHASED THE CAR WITH 81K MILES. IT NOW HAS 100K MILES.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 BMW 335I. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 17V676000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM); HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE RECALL REPAIR WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. BMW OF FREEHOLD (4225 U.S. 9, FREEHOLD TOWNSHIP, NJ 07728, (732) 751-4335) WAS CONTACTED AND CONFIRMED THAT THE PART WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 BMW 335I. WHEN THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO USE THE AIR CONDITIONER, IT FAILED TO BLOW COLD AIR. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 17V676000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM); HOWEVER, THE PART NEEDED FOR THE REPAIR WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE CONTACT CALLED MOTORWERK BMW AT (952) 888-2700 (LOCATED AT 1300 AMERICAN BLVD W, BLOOMINGTON, MN 55420) AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE PART WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.

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IN 2017 MY SON WAS DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE 91 HIGHWAY WHEN HIS FRONT DRIVER TIRE ROD BROKE OFF. BOLTS WERE MISSING BOTH DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDES. TIRES WENT OUT AND IT COULD HAVE CAUSED A TRAGEDY THIS HAPPENED ON A FRIDAY NIGHT. WE PAID TO HAVE THE WHEELS AND TIRES REPAIRED AND REPLACED. I PROVIDE THE RECEIPTS TO THE BMW DEALER SHIP BUT THEY WERE NEVER HONORED OR REIMBURSED. WE PAID TO HAVE WATERPUMP REPLACEMENT BECAUSE. IN JULY 2017 THE AIR CONDITIONING WAS BLOWING HOT AIR. IN NOV. 2017 THE HEATING SYSTEM WAS BLOWING COLD AIR. FEB 2018 BLOWER WAS STILL NOT WORKING, WHEN I FOUND OUT THAT THERE WERE (RECALLS). WE WAITED ALMOST 4 MONTHS FOR RECALLED BLOWER WAS REPLACED, WE PAID FOR THEMOSTRATE REPLACEMENT BUT STILL HAD NO HEAT. CAR WON'T START. SO WE PAID FOR THE BATTERY TO BE TESTED AND REGISTERED. SHORTLY AFTER THE CAR STARTED LEAKING COOLANT AGAIN APRIL 2018. DEFECTED WATER PUMP. APRIL 2018 ELECTRIC SYSTEM. I DROVE THE CAR TO BMW DEALERSHIPS, FOR FUEL LEAKAGE NOW THE DEALERSHIP SERVICE DEPT. IS TELLING ME THAT THE CAR WON'T START!!! AND THAT THE STARTER NEEDS REPLACED. WE HAVE NOT HAD ANY PREVIOUS ISSUES WITH THE STARTER. AND I HAVE ALREADY SPENT NEARLY $4,000.00 WITHIN THE PAST 5 MONTHS FOR THINGS THAT I BELIEVE I SHOULD NOT HAVE. PLEASE INVESTIGATE. IN NOVEMBER 2017 THE CAR WAS OVERHEATING

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PERTAINING TO NHTSA RECALL NUMBER 17V676 THAT WAS ISSUED IN OCTOBER OF 2017, I CALLED BMW CUSTOMER SERVICE IN DECEMBER TO INQUIRE ABOUT THE STATUS OF THE RECALL BUT WAS TOLD TO CONTINUE CHECKING ITS WEBSITE FOR STATUS AND THE REP COULD NOT PROVIDE A TIMEFRAME AS TO WHEN I CAN BRING THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR REPAIR. WE ARE NOW AT THE END OF JANUARY, MORE THAN 3 MONTHS AFTER THE RECALL WAS ISSUED AND STILL NO ETA AS TO WHEN A FIX WILL BE AVAILABLE. WHEN THERE'S A SAFETY RISK INVOLVED, I'M NOT SURE WHY THERE WAS NOT AN URGENCY BEING PLACED ON THIS RECALL FROM BMW.

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2011 BMW 335I THREE (3) RECALLS: 1) FIRE HAZARD, 2) TAKATA RECALL AND 3) VANOS HOUSING BOLTS - RESULTING IN TOTAL LOSS OF MY 2011 BMW 335I VEHICLE AS CONFIRMED A TOTAL LOSS VEHICLE BY PROGRESSIVE INSURANCE CLAIM NUMBER 17-2120735. CONTRARY TO PROGRESSIVE INSURANCE COMPANY'S REPORT, THERE WAS NO COLLISION. MY 2011 BMW 335I SPORTS MODEL VEHICLE WAS DECLARED A TOTAL LOSS BY PROGRESSIVE INSURANCE ON APRIL 21 2017 AND I WAS SEVERELY INJURED WITH HIP DAMAGE WHEN MY 2011 BMW CAR OVERHEATED AND STOPPED SUDDENLY WHEN I WAS SLOWLY DRIVING MY CAR ON A CITY STREET IN THE LOS ANGELES AREA. CONTRARY TO PROGRESSIVE INSURANCE'S FALSE REPORT, THERE WAS NO COLLISION. BMW NEVER PROVIDED ANY NOTICE RE: NHTSA RECALL NUMBER 14V176 (VANOS HOUSING BOLTS), NOR PROVIDED ANY NOTICE RE: NHTSA RECALL NUMBER 17V676 (OVERHEATING LEADING TO FIRE). INSTEAD OF OFFERING TO REPAIR OR REPLACE MY RECALLED VEHICLE,BMW, SINCE APRIL 21, 2017 AND FOR THE PAST SIX MONTHS, BMW, BMW FINANCIAL SERVICES AND PROGRESSIVE INSURANCE HAVE BEEN ORCHESTRATING TAG TEAM FINANCIAL FRAUD, REFUSING TO REPAIR OR REPLACE MY BMW VEHICLE AND DENYING ME OF STATUTORY PERSONAL INJURY BENEFITS RESULTING FROM INJURIES SUSTAINED IN MY RECALLED 2011 BMW VEHICLE. WITH REGARD TO THE ONLY RECALL NOTICE WHICH BMW DID PROVIDE RE: THE TAKATA AIRBAGS, RATHER THAN AGREEING TO REPAIR MY TOTAL LOSS VEHICLE, BRAMAN BMW OF WEST PALM BEACH USED THE TAKATA RECALL AS A 'BAIT AND SWITCH' OPPORTUNITY TO SELL ME A NEW BMW VEHICLE. EVEN THOUGH BRAMAN'S WEST PALM BEACH FLORIDA BMW MANAGER HAD FIRST HAND ACTUAL KNOWLEDGE THAT MY RECALLED BMW VEHICLE WAS A TOTAL LOSS, BRAMAN BMW REFUSED TO REPAIR OR REPLACE MY TOTAL LOSS VEHICLE; BUT CONTACTED ME MORE THAN TWO HUNDRED TIMES WITHIN SIX MONTHS TO SELL ME A NEW MODEL BMW. I HAVE FULL DOCUMENTATION OF ALL OF THE ABOVE. THANK YOU.

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BLOWER MOTOR SYSTEM CONNECTORS RECALL. RECALL INCOMPLETE REMEDY NOT YET AVAILABLE.

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CENTER BRAKE LIGHT FALLS OUT OF HOLDER. CAN NOT PERMANENTLY REATTACH. DEALER ADDED DOUBLE SIDED TAPE BUT THAT HAS FAILED TOO. REPAIR ATTEMPTED MULTIPLE TIMES BY SALES STAFF.

NHTSA ODI 11023310

DRIVERS DOOR WILL NOT UNLOCK AS A RESULT OF INTERIOR DOUBLE PULL ON HANDLE. NEED TO PRESS INTERIOR DOOR LOCK/UNLOCK BUTTON ON CENTER PANEL. COULD BE A SIGNIFICANT SAFETY ISSUE IF EMERGENCY EGRESS FROM VEHICLE IS NEEDED, OR ELECTRICAL POWER IS LOST. DEALER IS CLAIMING IT IS NOT A WARRANTED OR SAFETY RECALL ISSUE. VEHICLE HAS 36K MILES ON IT.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 BMW 335-I. COMMENTS: I WAS DRIVING MY ON A LONG UPHILL SECTION WITH PLENTY OF ROOM TO PASS AND I STARTED PASSING TWO CARS WHEN MY ENGINE LOST POWER AND STALLED. THE CARS I WAS PASSING KINDLY STARTED TO SLOW DOWN TO LET ME MOVE PAST THEM, BUT I KEPT SLOWING DOWN AT THE SAME RATE AS THEY WERE, REMAINING SIDE BY SIDE WITH THEM, LEAVING ME NO ROOM TO MOVE BACK TO THE RIGHT AND WITH THE TRUCK COMING IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION CLOSER AND CLOSER. EVENTUALLY I FELT I HAD NO CHOICE, AND MANAGED TO GET OFF THE ROAD ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE SO THE TRUCK COULD PASS BETWEEN THE TWO CARS AND MINE. I TRIED TO RESTART MY CAR. IT DID START ALBEIT WITH THE ENGINE MALFUNCTION ? REDUCED POWER LIGHT ON. THE RECURRED THE NEXT DAY I DROVE MY CAR TO BMW OF DARIEN WHICH TOLD ME THAT FOR THE THIRD TIME (TWICE ON MY PREVIOUS 2008 335IS CONVERTIBLE) THE FUEL PUMP HAD FAILED. THEN I RECEIVED RECALL NO. 13V-044: POWER SUPPLY SYSTEM ABOUT A POTENTIAL FAILURE OF THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM RESULTING IN ENGINE STALLING, BUT COULD NOT EVER GET AN ANSWER FROM BMW WHETHER THE CAUSE OF THE ENGINE STALLS WITH MY CAR WAS REALLY THE FUEL PUMP. I HAVE BEEN TRYING TO GET TO THE BOTTOM OF THIS DANGEROUS ENGINE FAILURE FOR ALMOST TWO YEARS. BMW CUSTOMER SERVICE HAS BEEN COMPLETELY EVASIVE. ONE GENTLEMAN CALLED ME ONCE ON MY CELLPHONE, NOT ON THE PHONE NUMBER I HAD PROVIDED. I CALLED THEM AND WROTE TO THEM MULTIPLE TIMES. I AM HAPPY TO PROVIDE YOU WITH COPIES OF THAT CORRESPONDENCE THAT SEEMS TO INDICATE THAT THEY DID NOT HAVE A RESPONSE! THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR LOOKING INTO THIS. BEST REGARDS.THE CONTACT REQUESTED THE COMPLAINT TO FILED IN THEIR OWN WORDS PULLED FROM AN EMAIL SENT TO NHTSA.

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BEFORE I START MY DESCRIPTION I NEED TO MENTION THAT MY CAR HAS BEEN SERVICED FOR ALL RECALL NOTICES RELATED TO THE VEHICLE MAKE AND MODEL!! ON DECEMBER 15, 2015 MY 2011 BMW 335I SPORT MODEL STOPPED WHILE I WAS DRIVING. THERE WAS NO WARNING MESSAGES FOR THIS ISSUE. SEVERAL MINUTES PRIOR TO THE CAR STOPPING I RECEIVED A WARNING MESSAGE THAT MY WIND SHIELD WIPER FLUID WAS LOW. I WAS DRIVING STRAIGHT WITH TRAFFIC ON A CITY STREET APPROXIMATELY 35-40 MPH ON A CLEAR EVENING, NO WEATHER ISSUES. THE STEARING WHEEL BECAME HARD TO TURN AND WHEN PRESSING ON THE GAS PEDAL THE CAR WOULD NOT ACCELLERATE AND IT SLOWED DOWN . I PUT MY FLASHERS ON AND MOVED TO A SAFE LANE WHERE THERE WE NO CARS DRIVING, PUT THE CAR IN PARK, TURNED IT OFF AND REMOVED THE KEY FROM THE IGNITION AND WAITED FOR A MINUTE. I CHECKED MY VEHICLE STATUS MENU TO SEE IF THERE WERE ANY ISSUES, WHICH THERE WE NONE INDICATED. I PUT THE KEY BACK INTO THE IGNITION, PRESSED THE GAS AND THE CAR STARTED. I DROVE ABOUT A QUARTER MILE TO A PARKING LOT AND CALLED BMW ASSIST TO REPORT THE INCIDENT AND ASK IF THERE WAS ANYTHING IN THE VEHICLE THAT COULD CHECK THAT MAY HAVE CAUSED THIS ISSUE TO OCCUR. THEY WERE VERY HELPFUL AND I WAS TOLD THAT THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO AT THAT TIME BUT I SHOULD BRING THE CAR TO THE DEALER AND HAVE THEM CHECK IT. I TOOK MY CAR TO THE DEALER ON DECEMBER 17TH AND WAITED WHILE IT WAS CHECKED. THEY COULDN'T FIND A REASON FOR THE OCCURANCE. THIS TYPE OF ISSUE IS NOT STORED ON MY BMW KEY WITH IT HAPPENS. THE ISSUE HAS NOT OCCURRED SINCE 12/15/15 BUT I DON'T KNOW IF IT WILL OCCUR AGAIN DURING MY CITY OR HIGHWAY DRIVING. THERE MUST BE A REASON THAT THE CAR STOPPED AND I'M ENTERING THIS ISSUE IN HOPES THAT TESTING WILL BE DONE ON MY MODEL YEAR TO DETERMINE IF THIS WAS CUASED BY A SOFTWARE OR HARDWARE ISSUE. PLEASE CONTACT ME IF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION IS NEEDED. *JS

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THE VEHICLE STALLED WHILE ACCELERATING THROUGH AN INTERSECTION AND STRANDED ME IN THE INTERSECTION. I WAS UNABLE TO RESTART THE CAR AT FIRST. IT WOULD NOT EVEN CRANK. AFTER SEVERAL MINUTES OF ATTEMPTING TO RESTART THE CAR IT FINALLY RESPONDED AND STARTED. IT STALLED 4 MORE TIMES DRIVING A SHORT DISTANCE TO GET THE VEHICLE OFF THE ROAD. CAR WENT IN FOR SERVICE THURSDAY THE 31TH AND WAS RETURNED TO ME SATURDAY THE 1ST OF AUGUST. STALLING ISSUE IS BACK AND THE CAR IS NOW BEING TOWED IN FOR SERVICE AGAIN. THIS IS AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS ISSUE. THERE WAS ANOTHER 335D IN FOR SERVICE AT THE DEALER ALSO EXPERIENCING STALLING ISSUES!!!!!

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THIS IS A KNOW FAULT PROBLEM THAT IS DIRECTLY TIED TO EMISSIONS OF THE DEISEL ENGINE STARTING AT 2008-2012 FOR ALL BMW DEISEL ENGINES. MAYBE EVEN NEWER MODELS. THIS SO CALLED SCR TEMPERATURE SENSOR THAT IS LOCATED INSIDE THE DEF (UREA) TANK FAILS, WHICH IN TERM FAILS THE SMOG INSPECTION IF IT IS NOT REPLACED. SOME OWNERS AND DEALERS HAVE REPLACED THIS TANK/SENSOR ( WHICH IS ONE PART TOGETHER, CANT BUY SEPARATELY) UNDER EMISSIONS WARENTY. BUT MOST DEALERS WILL DENY THE FACT THIS SYSTEM IS THE PRIMARY SYSTEM OF EMMISSION. AND IF IT'S NOT WORKING HOW INTENDED I'M SURE EMISSIONS OF THIS CAR WON'T MEETC THE FEDERAL OR STATE REQUIRMENT. PLEASE LOOK INTO THIS AND GET THIS FIXED/ ADDED TO THE EMMISSION SYSTEM FAILURE LIST.

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WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY, MY 2011 BMW 335CI EXPERIENCED A TOTAL POWER FAILURE LEAVING ME WITH VERY SLUGGISH STEERING, NO FUEL POWER, AND ESSENTIALLY A DEAD ROLLING HEAVY PIECE OF METAL. *TR

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BMW OF NORTH AMERICA REFERENCE: BMW 335I CABRIO VIN: [XXXX] I WOULD LIKE TO BRING TO YOUR ATTENTION THE RESPONSE OF ADVANTAGE BMW, HOUSTON, TEXAS IN ADDRESSING RECALL CAMPAIGN NO. 13V-044: POWER SUPPLY SYSTEM (NOTICE MAILED BY BMW OF NORTH AMERICA). THIS NOTIFICATION ARRIVED AT MY HOME [XXXX] VIA THE USPS ON 30 AUGUST, 2013. THE INSTRUCTION, UNDER THE SECTION PRECAUTION FOR YOUR SAFETY, 1) CONTACT YOUR AUTHORIZED BMW CENTER IMMEDIATELY TO HAVE THE NECESSARY REPAIR PERFORMED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE (ALL CAPS PER THE BMW LETTER). I CALLED ADVANTAGE BMW THIS MORNING, 31 AUGUST 2013 TO MAKE ANY APPOINTMENT AND WAS TOLD 'THAT NOTICE HAS BEEN OUT FOR A FEW MONTHS, AND WE WILL DEAL WITH IT AT THE NEXT SERVICE INTERVAL". PLEASE ADVISE WHAT STEPS YOU INTEND TO TAKE TO HAVE THE DEALERSHIP (THAT SOLD ME THIS CAR IN NEW CONDITION) CARRY OUT WORK THAT IS MANDATED BY THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC ADMINISTRATION. *JS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

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