On [XXX], while driving on a busy boulevard in Wilmington, Delaware, my 2020 BMW 750i suddenly lost all power (engine and electrical) without any warning. The vehicle completely shut down in traffic, creating an extremely dangerous situation. There were no warning lights or messages before the failure. I called BMW Roadside Assistance for help but was informed that because my warranty had just expired, they canceled the tow truck that was already en route and turned it away. This left me stranded in a live traffic lane until I could arrange my own tow service from Geico. I called Wilmington Police for assistance and eventually had to run a couple of blocks to flag down a police vehicle that arrived and dropped several flares behind my vehicle. The vehicle was later inspected at Union Park BMW (Wilmington, DE), where the technician stated that the failure was due to a defective cell in the main battery. This experience has made me very nervous to drive the car again, as a total loss of power without warning could lead to a collision or injury. I believe this represents a serious safety defect in the vehicle’s electrical or battery system and should be investigated. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA ODI 11692612