What 99 owners told NHTSA about the 2012 BMW 528i

I PURCHASED MY BMW 528 XI DRIVE CPO IN JANUARY 2015. IN AUGUST 2018 MY ENGINE OIL PRESSURE LIGHT CAME ON IN THE CAR AND THEN THE DRIVE TRAIN MALFUNCTION LIGHT.I TRIED TO RUN A SELF DIAGNOSTIC ON THE CAR AS THIS IS A FEATURE BUILT IN AND THE ENGINE OIL CHECK WOULD ONLY GO UP TO 15% AND CUT OFF. I TOOK IT INTO BMW OF BLOOMFIELD FOR SERVICE MENTIONING THIS TO THEM. THEY CHANGED THE OIL AND CLEARED THE CODES GOT THE CAR BACK. FAST FORWARD TO JUST A FEW WEEKS AGO, I AM DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AND THE ENGINE OIL PRESSURE AND DRIVE TRAIN MALFUNCTION LIGHT COME ON AND THE CAR STOPS ON ME. I COULD HAVE GOTTEN KILLED. I HAD IT TOWED TO BMW AND THEY CHECK IT AND SAY THAT THE ENGINE IS GONE DUE TO LOW PRESSURE AND REPAIRS ARE 20,000 PLUS. REMIND YOU I BARELY DRIVE THE CAR AS I WORK IN NY AND TAKE THE BUS . I ONLY DRIVE THE CAR ON EVENINGS AND WEEKENDS. I CONTACTED THE CORPORATE BMW OF NA OFFFICE AND THEY ACT LIKE THEY DON'T CARE. ADVISED ME TO TALK TO THE SERVICE MANAGER TO SEE WHAT COULD BE DONE. BASED OM WHAT I HAVE RESEARCHED THIS SEEMS TO BE A COMMON ISSUE WITH THESE TYPES OF CARS AS IT IS A DEFECT IN THE ENGINE. NOW I AM NOT SURE WHAT TO DO BUT WILL BE CONSULTING AN ATTORNEY.

NHTSA ODI 11186067

LAST WEEK I WAS ON THE NJ TURNPIKE WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN MY CAR STALL AND LOST POWER, I BARLEY GOT OFF THE TURNPIKE WHEN THE CAR CAME TO A COMPLETELY STOP. NO WARNING MESSAGES OR NOISES JUST STOPPED. FORTUNATELY NO ACCIDENT OCCURRED DUE TO THIS BUT COULD HAVE BEEN AN UGLY ONE. THE CAR WOULD NOT START AND WAS TOWED TO THE BMW DEALER. THE CAR WAS INSPECTED, OIL WAS CLEAN, NO WATER DAMAGE, HOWEVER THEY TELL ME I NEED A NEW ENGINE (13K) HAS THE ENGINE SEIZED WITHOUT TELLING ME WHAT CAUSED IT.THE CAR HAS 83K MILES. I'VE BEEN A BMW OWNER FOR 19 YEARS. I NOW HAVE MIXED FEELINGS ABOUT BMW AND THE WAY I FEEL NOW I WILL NEVERY BUY ANOTHER BMW AS I'M NOT GETTING THE ATTENTION I THIN I DESERVE. ANY ADVICE IS GREATLY APPREICATED!

NHTSA ODI 11184817

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 BMW 528I. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE CONTACT HEARD ABNORMAL NOISES UNDERNEATH THE HOOD AND THE POWER TRAIN WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. BMW OF GREENWICH AND BMW OF MAMARONECK SERVICE (110 MIDLAND AVE, PORT CHESTER, NY 10573, (914) 881-3600) INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE VEHICLE WAS LEAKING OIL AND THE TIMING CHAIN AND OIL PAN NEEDED TO BE REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,000.

NHTSA ODI 11181316

LAST WEEK MY WIFE WAS ON THE FREEWAY WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN THE CAR STALL AND LOST POWER, MY WIFE WAS ABLE TO BARLEY PULL TO THE SIDE OF THE FWY WHEN THE CAR COMPLETELY STOPPED. NO WARNING MESSAGES OR NOISES JUST STOPPED. FORTUNATELY NO ACCIDENT OCCURRED DUE TO THIS BUT COULD HAVE BEEN AN UGLY ONE. THE CAR WOLD NOT START AND WAS TOWED TO MY HOUSE AND WAS INSPECTED BY MY MECHANIC. HE FOUND BROKEN PIECES OF THE TIMING GUIDE AND METAL SHAVINGS INSIDE THE ENGINE. I SEE THAT THERE WAS AN EXTENDED WARRANTY FOR THIS ISSUE BUT IT WAS ONLY EXTENDED TO 70K MILES. I WAS NOT AWARE OF THIS ISSUES AND SPECIALLY NOT THIS BIG WHERE I WOULD ENDANGER MY FAMILY WHEN THE CAR WOULD DIE WHILE DRIVING. I NOW HAVE MIXED FEELINGS ABOUT BMW. I HAVE A PAYMENT ON A CAR THAT IS WELL KNOWN AND LUXURY ALL AROUND THAT FAILED DUE TO POOR QUALITY PARTS ON THE MOST IMPORTANT PART OF A CAR 'THE ENGINE'. PLEASE LET ME KNOW MY OPTIONS AND HOPEFULLY I DON'T GET DISCOURAGED TO EVER BUY ANOTHER BMW.

NHTSA ODI 11179824

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 BMW 5-SERIES. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE EXCESSIVELY OVERHEATED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT CONSTANTLY HAD TO EXERCISE CAUTION IN THE EVENT THAT THE VEHICLE MAY HAVE REDUCED ENGINE POWER AND WAS UNCERTAIN IF THE FAILURE WOULD RESULT IN A FIRE. BMW GALLERY OF NORWOOD (918 BOSTON PROVIDENCE HWY, NORWOOD, MA 02062, (888) 441-2338) WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE, BUT HAD NOT SPECIFIED IF THE FAILURE WAS RELATED TO ANY RECALL CAMPAIGNS OR TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETINS. THE DEALER STATED THAT FURTHER DIAGNOSTIC TESTING WAS REQUIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 40,000.

NHTSA ODI 11176482

I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY AND MY 'LOW OIL PRESSURE' LIGHT CAME ON SO I PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD IMMEDIATELY AND SHUT THE CAR OFF. I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO A CERTIFIED BMW REPAIR SHOP GLOBAL IMPORTS. THE BMW SERVICE CENTER CONFIRMED THE FAILURE WAS THE DRIVE CHAIN CAUSING THE ENGINE TO SEIZE AND NEEDING TO BE REPLACED. AS I RESEARCHED THE ISSUE I FOUND THOUSANDS OF SIMILAR INTERNET STORIES ELABORATING ON THE DESIGN FLAWS IN THE ENGINE THAT USES PLASTIC FLYWHEELS FOR THE DRIVE CHAIN/OIL PUMP CHAIN. BMW EXTENDED THE WARRANTY FOR THIS ISSUE BEYOND THEIR NORMAL 4 YEAR 48,000 MILES TO 7 YEARS AND 70,000 MILES. I AM AT 76,000 MILES JUST OUT OF WARRANTY. IT IS ODD THEY EXTENDED THE WARRANTY YEARS BY 3 BUT ONLY EXTENDED THE WARRANTY MILES AN ADDITIONAL 22,000 MILES OR AN AVERAGE OF 7,333 MILES PER YEAR. WHO ONLY DRIVES 7,333 MILES A YEAR. BMW'S OTHER EXTENDED WARRANTIES USUALLY OFFER AN AVERAGE OF 12,000 MILES PER YEAR ON THE ADDITIONAL YEARS IT IS EXTENDED. THE OTHER EXTENDED WARRANTIES FOR THIS ENGINE WERE EXTENDED 10 YEARS AND 120,000 MILES. I WAS DILIGENT IN CHANGING THE OIL LONG BEFORE THE RECOMMENDED CHANGE INTERVALS ISSUED BY BMW. THERE IS NO REASON AN ENGINE WOULD SEIZE AT 76,000 MILES WHEN THE REGULAR MAINTENANCE WAS FOLLOWED UNLESS THERE WAS A MAJOR ENGINE DESIGN FLAW. BMW HAS ALREADY ACKNOWLEDGED THE ENGINE DESIGN ISSUES BY EXTENDING THE WARRANTY ON THE 'TIMING CHAIN AND OIL PUMP DRIVE CHAIN', 'ENGINE OIL FEEDLINE' TO THE TURBO CHARGER AND THE 'FUEL TANK LEAK DIAGNOSTIC MODULE (NVLD)'. WITH THIS BEING A KNOWN DESIGN FLAW AND THE NUMBER OF ISSUES THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL ON THIS ENGINE SO THE FLY WHEELS CAN BE REPLACED WITH A BETTER PART OR AT VERY LEAST BMW SHOULD BE FORCED TO EXTEND THE WARRANTY AND MILES AS THEY DO WITH OTHER WARRANTY EXTENSIONS. THIS DESIGN FLAW CAUSED THE ENGINE TO STOP IN THE MIDDLE OF THE HIGHWAY WHICH IS VERY DANGEROUS.

NHTSA ODI 11171805

MY CAR HAS ALWAYS BEEN SERVICED THEY BMW SERVICE DEPARTMENT. THERE IS A RUNNING LOG. CAR WAS LAST SERVICED BACK IN OCT. MY CAR HAD BEEN THERE 2 TIMES PREVIOUSLY. NOT SURE HOW METAL SHAVING WOULD END UP IN MY ENGINE. MY VEHICLE IS OUT OF WARRANTY. 109,000 MILES. I HAVE THE SAME DRIVING PATTERNS. WARNING ISSUED WHILE DRIVING ENGINE OIL PRESSURE. PULLED OVER , CAR TURNED COMPLETELY OFF. YOU COULD HERE THE CAR TRYING TO RESTART. CAR WAS TOWED TO THE BMW SERVICE DEPARTMENT. I WAS TOLD A NEEDED TO REPLACE THE ENGINE. NOT SURE HOW OR WHY I NEVER RECEIVED ANY INDICATION OF ENGINE FALLIURE. I'M THE SECOND OWNER OF THIS CAR. MY SERVICE RECORDS PROVE I HAVE FAITH FULLY BOUGHT MY CAR IN FOR SERVICE WHENEVER NEEDED OR ANY ISSUE WOULD ARISE. NOT I'M TOLD I'M RESPONSIBLE FOR PAYING THE REPAIRS. BMW HAS ISSUED SEVERAL RECALLS. THIS IS CLEARLY ANOTHER ISSUE THAT SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED AND BMW SHOULD ASSUME RESPONSIBILITY.

NHTSA ODI 11165299

ON A RAINY OCTOBER 13, 2018, WHILE RIDING ON THE HIGHWAY(RTE. 422) WITH MY 7 YEAR OLD SON MY BMW 528I STOPPED RUNNING; WITHOUT WARNING. MIRACULOUSLY, WE COASTED ON THE HIGHWAY RAMP INTO THE DEALERSHIP DRIVEWAY. THE VEHICLE WAS DIAGNOSED WITH AN INTERNAL ENGINE FAILURE, WHICH REQUIRED $12,000+ TO REBUILD/REPAIR. CURRENTLY, THE PAYOFF IS $13,895.32 TILL 11/25/18. THE MONTHLY PAYMENT IS $425.00 AND THE DATE OF MATURITY FOR THE LOAN IS 9/15/21. I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE UNDER A PRE-OWNED CERTIFIED GUARANTEE, WHICH EXPIRED IN JULY. THE CAR WAS REGULARLY SERVICED AND I KEPT ALL OF MY PAPERWORK. UPON RESEARCHING THE ENGINE FAILURE, I DISCOVERED THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM. IN FACT, PRESENTLY, AN ACQUAINTANCE OF MINE HAS HIS CAR AT THE BMW CLEVELAND DEALERSHIP WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. THESE ENGINES SUFFER RELIABILITY ISSUES THAT RESULT FROM PROBLEMS RELATING TO THE TIMING CHAIN, FUEL INJECTORS, MASS AIRFLOW SENSORS, CRANKCASE VENT LINES, BATTERY, THE ENGINE VACUUM PUMP AND LOW-PRESSURE FUEL SENSORS. SUCH PROBLEMS LED TO MORE SERIOUS CONCERNS SUCH AS EXCESSIVE BATTERY DRAINAGE (THE 'BATTERY DEFECT'), OIL LEAKAGE (THE 'OIL DEFECT') AND ENGINE SEIZURE, OFTEN CAUSING PISTONS TO CRACK THE ENGINE BLOCK DUE TO THE HIGH PRESSURE (THE 'ENGINE DEFECT'). ADDITIONALLY, THE ENGINES EXPERIENCE INTERNAL ENGINE FAILURE DUE TO LOOSE METAL SHARDS IN THE ENGINE. MY QUESTION IS...HOW DID THE VEHICLE PASS THE MULTI-POINT INSPECTION TO EARN THE PRE-CERTIFIED DESIGNATION?

NHTSA ODI 11152222

MY WIFE AND I WAS DRIVING ON 95 A VERY BUSY HIGHWAY WHEN A LIGHT CAME ON SAYING LOW OIL PRESSURE TO PUMP WE WERE IN THE LEFT LANE TRYING TO GET OVER BY THE TIME WE MADE IT TO THE RIGHT LANE THE CAR HAD STOPPED WE JUST MADE IT WE COULDN'T GET OVER AS MUCH AS WE WOULD HAVE LIKE THE CAR JUST SHUT OFF I THANK GOD WE MADE IT OFF THE HIGHWAY IT COULD HAVE BEEN WORSE THE CAR DIDN'T GIVE US A WARNING ABOUT OIL WAS LOW THE ONLY WARNING WE GOT WAS A FEW MINUTES BEFORE THE CAR CUT OFF EVEN WILL THE LIGHT CAME ON ABOUT THE PUMP THE OIL LEVEL IN OUR CAR WAS STILL NORMAL NO KIND OF SIGN OF OIL BEING LOW AND THE CAR WASN'T DO FOR A OIL CHANGE WE KEPT UP WITH THE MAINTENANCE NOW DUE TO NO WARNING ABOUT THE OIL BEING LOW MY ENGINE IS GONE

NHTSA ODI 11130016

VEHICLE WAS STARVED OF OIL. NO WARNING SHOWED UP IN THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE VECHLE DIED ON A HIGH SPEED ROADWAY AND COULD NOT BE PUT INTO NEUTRAL TO GET IT TO A SAFE LOCATION OFF THE ROAD. THE TOW OPERATORS COULD NOT MOVE IT EITHER. CARS WERE SWERVING AND BRAKING TO AVOID HITTING MY VEHICLE. BMW TOLD ME TH OIL ISSUE WAS MY FAULT. COME TO FIND OUT THERE ARE 2 LETTERS SENT FOR WARRANTY EXTENSIONS FOR OIL PUMP DRIVE CHAIN AND ENGINE OIL FEED LINE. BECAUSE I DO MY OWN OIL CHANGES BMW STATED THE OIL ISSUE WAS MY FAULT. THIS IS A SAFETY PROBLEM AND SHOULD NOT BE A WARRANTY EXTENSION BUT AN OFFICIAL RECALL! THERE ARE DOZENS OF COMPLAINTS ONLINE REGARDING THE SAFETY ISSUES WHEN THIS CAR DIES IN THE ROADWAY. SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE ABOUT THIS!!!

NHTSA ODI 11051647

WAS DRIVING DOWN THE STREET AND CAR STOPPED. DEALER SAID I NEEDED A NEW ENGINE ON A 3 YR OLD CAR. ENGINE COVERED UNDER WARRANTY.A FEW YEARS LATER THE DRIVE SHAFT FAILED AS I WAS DRIVING. BELIEVE IT WAS RELATED TO REMOVING ENGINE AND NOT SECURING ALL PARTS. HOW COULD THIS HAPPEN TO A 5 YR OLD CAR? DEALER NOR BMW USA WOULD NOT COVER THE 2800 COSTS.

NHTSA ODI 11046035

I WAS DRIVING MY CAR HOME FROM WORK AND IT JUST CUT OFF , I PUT THE CAR IN PARK AND RESTARTED MY CAR THIS WAS IN MAY 2017 AND ON JULY 13 2017 I WAS SITTING AT A RED LIGHT AND STOP SIGN TURNED GREEN AND I PUSH ON THE GAS BUT THE CAR CUT OFF AGAIN .

NHTSA ODI 11005610

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 BMW 528I. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO SHUTTER AND THE ENGINE OIL INDICATOR ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. UPON STOPPING AND CHECKING UNDER THE HOOD, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE PLASTIC OIL FILTER HOUSING FRACTURED AND SPILLED ALL OVER THE ENGINE AND INTO THE COOLANT SYSTEM. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE OIL FILTER HOUSING NEEDED TO BE CHANGED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN A RECALL; HOWEVER, THERE WAS A MANUFACTURER'S CUSTOMER SATISFACTION CAMPAIGN FOR THE ISSUE. THE MANUFACTURER REFUSED TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE PER THE CUSTOMER SATISFACTION CAMPAIGN BECAUSE THE MANUFACTURER ALLEGED THAT THE ENGINE WAS CHANGED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 66,000.

NHTSA ODI 10917502

I WAS DRIVING AT ABOUT 65 MPH ON A HIGHWAY UPHILL, ENGINE COMPLETELY STALLED, NO POWER, GOT A MESSAGE "DRIVE-TRAIN MALFUNCTION, NO MAXIMUM OUTPUT, DRIVE MODERATELY". I WAS SURROUNDED BY CARS/SEMI TRUCKS, VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION. MANAGED TO PULL OVER ON THE SHOULD. COULD NOT RESTART CAR, GOT A MESSAGE "AUTOMATIC START/STOP DEACTIVATED: ENGINE WILL NOT START AUTOMATICALLY. PRESS THE START/STOP BUTTON TO START THE ENGINE." ABOUT 30 MINS AFTER ENGINE STALLED, I FINALLY RESTARTED THE CAR. CONTINUED TO DRIVE ON THE HIGHWAY FOR ABOUT 10 MILES @ 60-65 MPH. AT A LOCAL STREET, AS I SLOWED DOWN TO APPROACH A TRAFFIC LIGHT, ENGINE STALLED AGAIN, NO POWER, CAR STOPPED IN THE MIDDLE OF ROAD, GOT THE TWO SAME MESSAGES, COULD NOT START CAR. ABOUT 30 MINS AFTER ENGINE STALLED, I FINALLY STARTED THE CAR.

NHTSA ODI 10895472

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 BMW 528I. WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH, THE VEHICLE LOST POWER. THE COOLANT FLUID, TRANSMISSION MALFUNCTION, AND PLEASE HAVE CAR SERVICED LIGHTS WERE ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ENGINE OIL FILTER HOUSING NEEDED TO BE CHANGED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN A RECALL, BUT THERE WAS A MANUFACTURER COMMUNICATION. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 34,000.

NHTSA ODI 10892172

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 BMW 528I. WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED AND AN UNKNOWN WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO RESTART AFTER MULTIPLE ATTEMPTS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 10,000. UPDATE 01/15/16 MA *CN

NHTSA ODI 10762212

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 BMW 528I. WHILE AT A COMPLETE STOP, THE VEHICLE VIBRATED EXCESSIVELY AND THE CONTACT HEARD AN UNUSUAL NOISE. THE VEHICLE WAS DIAGNOSED BY AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO STATED THAT THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED BECAUSE OF THE DEFECTIVE OIL RESERVOIR. THE FAILURE CAUSED THE ENGINE OIL TO MIX WITH THE COOLANT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 62,000.

NHTSA ODI 10706128

LAST MONTH MY CAR WAS APPROXIMATELY 52,200 MILES (OUT OF WARRANTY) AND LEAKING OIL ALL OVER MY DRIVEWAY AND UNDER THE HOOD. IT COST ME $1570 TO FIX BY REPLACING THE FITER CASING. LUCKILY THAT THE OIL LEAK WAS IN MY DRIVEWAY. WHAT IF I WAS ON THE FREEWAY? THIS IS TOTALLY UNSAFE CAR TO DRIVE. THE LOCAL SHOP TOLD ME THAT THE FILTER HOUSING (2012 VERSION) WAS MADE OF PLASTIC AND THE CURRENT BMW ONE 2014 IS MADE OF METAL. THE LOCAL SHOP TOLD ME TO CALL BMW IF THERE IS ANY RECALL FOR THIS. SO BEFORE FIXING IT LOCAL SHOP, I DID CALL THE CREVIER BMW IN SANTA ANA, CA AND THE SERVICE ADVISOR TOLD ME THAT THERE IS NO RECALL FOR THE FILTER HOUSING AND MY CAR WAS OUT OF WARRANTY. I TOLD THE BMW ADVISOR THAT I CANNOT BELIEVE THAT A 2012 BMW 528I WITH 52K MILES ON IT AND LEAKING OIL ALL OVER THE PLACE. THE BMW ADVISOR TOLD ME THAT I DROVE TOO MUCH. WHAT KIND OF SERVICE IS THAT? AND BMW WILL NOT COVER IT. SO BMW CANNOT BE DRIVEN OVER 50K MILES. I ALSO DID CALL BMW CORPORATE AND SOMEONE FROM BMW CORPORATE CALLED ME BACK THAT AND SAID NOTHING BMW CAN DO ABOUT THIS. NOW I FOUND OUT BECAUSE OF THE OIL LEAK, THE ALTERNATOR IS HAVING PROBLEM. I WANT TO REPORT THIS INCIDENT SO THAT BMW SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE TO SIMILAR CASES OF THEIR UNSAFE CARS. [XXX] 'INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

NHTSA ODI 10662405

DRIVING IN THE HOV AT APPROXIMATELY 9PM WHEN AN ALERT MESSAGE "DRIVETRAIN MALFUNCTION, DRIVE MODERATELY" DISPLAYS. CAR ENGINE IMMEDIATELY CUTS OUT AND WE HAVE NO PROPULSION. WE ARE UNABLE TO MOVE TO A SAFE LOCATION AND WIND UP ON A NARROW SHOULDER OF THE LIE IN NY. POLICE COME AND CLOSE DOWN 2 LANES TO PREVENT COLLISION (EXTREMELY DANGEROUS ROAD CONDITIONS). WE WERE UNABLE TO START THE CAR OR SHIFT IT INTO NEUTRAL. CAR WAS TOWED. BMW NOTIFIES US THAT FUEL SENSORS MALFUNCTIONED RESULTING IN US RUNNING OUT OF GAS EVEN THOUGHT THE INDICATOR SHOWED WE HAD 1/2 TANK. HOWEVER BECAUSE WE WERE OVER THE 50,000 MILE WARRANTY WE WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR REPLACING. . BMW IS LOOKING FOR US TO PAY $3,100 TO HAVE THE FUEL SENSORS REPLACED. I RESEARCHED THIS AND FOUND THAT BMW HAD ISSUED A RECALL ON ITS 2011 5 SERIES SEDANS AND 2012 5 SERIES GT FOR A FUEL SENSOR MALFUNCTION THAT MIRRORS EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED TO US. WE PURCHASED OUR BMW NOV 2011. WE STRONGLY BELIEVE THIS FUEL SENSOR DEFECT BOTH IN DESIGN AND FUNCTIONALITY IS THE REASON BEHIND WHAT HAPPENED TO US. PUT MY FAMILY AND 6 POLICE PATROL MEN IN HARMS WAY. NOTIFIED BMW THAT THEY NEED TO EXTEND THEIR RECALL TO OTHER 2012 5 SERIES SEDANS GIVEN OUR EXPERIENCE. FELT COMPELLED TO NOTIFY YOU AS THERE MAY BE OTHER DRIVERS WHO WILL BE PUT IN HARMS WAY IF THIS PROBLEM IS NOT RECONCILED ON ALL 2012 5 SERIES SEDANS. WE WERE LUCKY WE WERE NOT INJURED. SOMEONE ELSE MIGHT NOT BE. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10627123

WHILE DRIVING IN METRO DETROIT LAST NIGHT MY 2012 BMW 528I XDRIVE SUDDENLY FLASHED A "FUEL SYSTEM MALFUNCTION" MESSAGE, LURCHED AND CAME TO A DEAD STOP JUST PAST THE INTERSECTION OF NOVI ROAD AND 10 MILE. I WAS TWO MILES FROM THE EXPRESSWAY AND MY WIFE AND CHILDREN WERE WITH ME IN THE CAR. HAD I MADE IT TO I-96 - JUST TWO MILES UP THE ROAD - AND THIS HAPPENED, WE VERY LIKELY WOULD HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN A MAJOR ACCIDENT. POLICE WERE CALLED BECAUSE I WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET. THE CAR WAS ELECTRONICALLY LOCKED. I COULD NOT PUT THE CAR IN NEUTRAL TO MOVE IT OUT OF THE ROADWAY. BMW SERVICE FINALLY MANAGED TO GET THE CAR TOWED 8 HOURS LATER BECAUSE FEW TOW TRUCKS LACKED THE EQUIPMENT NEEDED TO MOVE THE CAR WITHOUT DAMAGE. THERE IS NO MANUAL OVERRIDE TO ALLOW YOU TO PUT THE CAR IN NEUTRAL, IT CAN ONLY BE ACCESSED BY A SERVICE TECH UNDERNEATH THE CAR. MY SERVICE ADVISOR WAS WELL AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. THIS IS A MAJOR HAZARD AND HUGE DESIGN FLAW. THERE IS NO MECHANICAL LINKAGE TO EITHER THE START/STOP BUTTON OR THE SHIFTER. IT'S ALL ELECTRONICALLY CONTROLLED. I SHUDDER TO THINK WHAT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED HAD THE CAR STALLED ON THE INTERSTATE. NOW I'M STUCK WITH A CAR I DON'T FEEL SAFE DRIVING. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10559563