2016 BMW X3 UNKNOWN OR OTHER

a long overdue recall without remedy

The incident that happened to us was the shattered front panel sunroof while driving in a cold temperature on the highway. We don't believe this was caused by a rock because it should have cracked the whole panel but instead, it shattered.

WHEN AT A STOP (LIGHT OR STOP SIGN), TRANSMISSION SWITCHES TO PARK FROM DRIVE. DOES NOT HAPPEN IN SPORT MODE JUST STANDARD AND ECONO. THIS PROBLEM OCCURS INTERMITTENTLY WITH NO KNOWN TREND WHEN OR WHY OCCURRING. THIS PROBLEM PRESENTS A SAFETY RISK TO BOTH THE OCCUPANTS AND OTHER DRIVERS. IF CAR FORWARD MOTION FROM A STOPPED POSITION IS DELAYED DUE TO HAVING TO SWITCH FROM STANDARD TO SPORT AND FROM PARK TO DRIVE, CAR IN REAR COULD ASSUME SUBJECT CAR WILL BE TIMELY WITH MOVING FORWARD AND STRIKE THE SUBJECT CAR OR THE DRIVER OF SUBJECT CAR (WITH PROBLEM) PANICS AND HAS A DELAY IN MOVING INTO TRAFFIC, THIS SITUATION COULD LEAD TO A VEHICLE OR CYCLIST OR PEDESTRIAN STRIKE. APPEARS THAT TREND IS WELL KNOWN BASED ON INTERNET SEARCH. ENCINITAS, CA. BMW HAS SEEN CAR ON THREE OCCASIONS AND HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO IDENTIFY THE TRIGGER FOR CONDITION (IE. ROOT CAUSE IS UNKNOWN). HOWEVER, A BATTERY WAS REPLACED BUT PROBLEM STILL PERSISTS. AND, ENCINITAS BMW HAS BEEN VERY HELPFUL TRYING TO ADDRESS WITH WONDERFUL CUSTOMER SERVICE. HOWEVER, I FEEL A MORE FOCUSED AND EXPANDED STRATEGY IS NEEDED BY BMW TO IDENTIFY ROOT CAUSE. I'M REPORTING THIS DUE TO THE POTENTIAL WIDESPREAD /SIMILAR CONDITION THAT OTHER BMW OWNERS MAY BE FACED WITH. PLEASE LET ME KNOW WHAT I CAN DO TO HELP EXPEDITE ADDRESSING THIS SITUATION. I'M WORRIED THAT MY WIFE AND DAUGHTER (DRIVERS OF CAR) COULD BE EXPOSED TO A SERIOUS BAD EVENT DUE TO THE VEHICLE MALFUNCTION DESCRIBED ABOVE. AND OTHER PERSONS MAY BE EXPOSED AS WELL. THANK YOU AND I LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING FROM YOU. (XXXXX) PARTS OF THIS DOCUMENT HAVE BEEN REDACTED TO PROTECT PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

EXPLODING SUNROOF. HAPPENED WITHOUT IMPACT, ON FREEWAY, NO NEARBY OVERPASS AND NOTHING TRAVELING TOWARDS VEHICLE. SOUNDED AND FELT LIKE A BOMB WAS GOING OFF, WHICH COULD HAVE BUT FORTUNATELY DID NOT CAUSE ME TO LOSE CONTROL OF VEHICLE.

DRIVING ~75 MPH ON I-25 NORTH OF DENVER ON JUNE 22, 2018 ABOUT 1:30 PM AND MY SUNROOF EXPLODED. FEW CARS CLOSE TO ME.

MAY 31, WHILE SLOWING TO ENTER A TOLL BOOTH, ENGINE STARTED REVVING UNCONTROLLABLY, MAINTAINING EXCESSIVE SPEED. I BRAKED HARD AND VEHICLE STOPPED IN TIME TO AVOID A COLLISION. VEHICLE OPERATED NORMALLY THEREAFTER UNTIL AUGUST 27, WHEN, STOPPED AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT ON A HIGHWAY, ENGINE AGAIN STARTED REVVING, RANGING FROM ABOUT 3500 TO 4000 RPM. I SHIFTED TO PARK AND ENGINE IMMEDIATELY REVVED UP TO OVER 7000, IN RED ZONE OF TACHOMETER. REVVING STOPPED AFTER A MINUTE OR SO AND VEHICLE OPERATED NORMALLY. THE NEXT DAY, I HAD VEHICLE TOWED TO BMW ROCKVILLE. SERVICE DEPARTMENT EXAMINED VEHICLE AND FOUND NO DEFECTS, SUGGESTING POSSIBILITY THAT DRIVER MAY HAVE HAD FOOT ON BRAKE AND ACCELERATOR AT SAME TIME. I DID NOT THINK SO, ESPECIALLY AS THIS HAD NEVER HAPPENED BEFORE AND REVVING WAS UP AND DOWN, REQUIRING RHYTHMIC ACTION ON GAS WHILE HOLDING BRAKE DOWN FIRMLY. AS WIFE AND I DID NOT FEEL SAFE DRIVING THE CAR, WE HAD ALSO ALERTED BMW NORTH AMERICA, WHICH SENT AN ENGINEER TO TEST THE VEHICLE. BMW NA'S ANALYSIS FOUND NO DEFECTS BUT OFFERED TO HELP AS WE WISHED TO TRADE IN THE CAR. IT WAS TRADED IN TO BMW ROCKVILLE SEPT 17, AT CONSIDERABLE FINANCIAL LOSS. I HAVE A COPY OF BMW NA'S REPORT, BUT IT SHOWS ONLY THAT THE CAR IS IN PERFECT OPERATING CONDITION. BMW ROCKVILLE SALESMAN SAID VEHICLE WOULD NOT BE RESOLD, BUT WOULD BE CANNIBALIZED FOR SPARE PARTS.

THE REAR HATCH CAME DOWN WITHOUT WARNING WHILE I WAS LOADING ITEMS INTO THE BACK CARGO SPACE. THIS IS THE SECOND INCIDENT. THE SAME THING HAPPENED 2 OR 3 WEEKS EARLIER. AT THAT TIME BMW RAN DIAGNOSTICS AND FOUND NOTHING WRONG. I PLAN TO REPORT THIS INCIDENT.