The contact owns a 2011 BMW 528I. The contact stated while her son was driving approximately 20 MPH, there was an abnormally loud sound coming from underneath the vehicle. The contact stated that her son saw the check engine warning light illuminated. The contact stated that her son was afraid to drive the vehicle and had the vehicle towed back to his parent's residence and then towed to a dealer. The dealer diagnosed and determined that the VANOS housing bolts and PVC cover needed to be replaced. The vehicle had been repaired. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The contact researched online and determined that the failure was related to NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V176000 (Engine and Engine Cooling). The failure mileage was approximately 115,000.

- Garden Grove, CA, USA

Purchased a brand new 528I BMW and within months I had a coolant signal indicating low coolant. Subsequently, the coolant signal came on every six weeks, despite having it topped off at dealership. Car had inadequate power and felt like it dragged. BMW service center repeatedly failed to identify a problem. Eventually, the signal came on and an intolerable fuel odor emerged upon turning on the car. Fuel and chemical odors remain. I have read of other similar complaints online and believe there is a manufacturing defect that makes the car unsafe. The exposure to carcinogenic coolant fumes and the gas fumes are dangerous. Coolant may be leaking into the engine. Other mechanical issues may be causing the drag and continued loss of power. In one instance I left the vehicle at the BMW service center with a full tank and when it was returned to me, the fuel level had dropped significantly despite having been driven a very small amount of miles by the service people. I am very concerned that these problems pose a safety hazard to not only myself, but the general public and other BMW owners who may be unaware of these issues. I feel the car is compromised by the manufacturing defects and that efforts to repair the problems continue to exist. I feel the car is unsafe and poses a safety and health hazard and that BMW is unwilling to investigate how pervasive the problem may be. I want an investigation and feel the vehicle is unsafe to drive. This is not "the ultimate driving machine." Please investigate these problems and help prevent others from being unnecessarily subjected to toxic fumes and chemicals which may compromise the public's health and the safety of people on the road.

- Inglewood, CA, USA

The vehicle has an acceleration problem and hesitates and pauses when starting from a stop or while in low speed conditions. It is dangerous to, for example, pull out in traffic when one does not know if your vehicle is going to accelerate properly. There is a definite lag and pause that is a problem when accelerating.

- Midlothian, VA, USA

The car has acceleration issues when not only adding additional speed while driving but when beginning to accelerate from a stop sign or traffic light, as well. The car hesitates when accelerating and there is often a lag in accelerating while the car is stopped or at a low speed, creating a safety concern. Not only is there a safety issue, but it is not how a $51,000 luxury sedan should drive -- it is rather rough and annoying to drive the car. The car also idles at an extremely low speed or no speed when the car is started after sitting for a longer period of time. In this case, I have to apply a decent amount of pressure on the accelerator even to back out of my garage.

- Paradise Valley, AZ, USA

I bought a 2011 BMW 535I on November 30, 2010. On December 4, 2010, I experienced car trouble. The engine malfunction, and reduce power warning lights came on. The car shutdown completely, but not before shaking very sharply. This all occurred in about 15 seconds, while I was driving. BMW response was "safe mode". on December 9, 2010 the vehicle was being repaired again for the same issues, they replaced a fuel sensor. On December 30, 2010, the car was being serviced again, they replaced the high and low fuel pumps. After being driven home by the service manger of BMW just to insure that the car was fixed, it broke down again on him on December 31, 2010. They replaced the low pressure fuel pump again, the second time in two days. They returned the vehicle to me on January 13, 2011. On March 17, 2010 the vehicle was being serviced again for long crank time, and for not start sometimes at all. I am also a previous owner of recalled 335, which I traded for this vehicle. Out of the five times that this vehicle has been service, two of those times it broke down while in traffic coming to a complete stop, once while on a freeway. This vehicle is dangerous. I would ask that the NHTSA take this matter seriously. There are many more complaints like this on bimmerfest.com, and also the internet. BMW will not resolve this issue. They are playing with my family's life, other BMW owners, and other motorist that occupy the roads with BMW customers. This vehicle is a hazard. This problem has been occurring for almost five years now. My opinion as a multiple BMW owner is that BMW is operating with malice at this point. Please you all are our only hope!

- Maumelle, AR, USA

I took delivery of a new 2011 535I on 7/11/10. The car was built on 6/1/10. On 9/5/10 (odometer reading less than 2000 miles), I was driving on local streets at approximately 30 mph when the car reported an engine malfunction error and the car shutdown. I pushed the gas pedal and there was no response and steering locked up. The car was pushed to the side of the road and then towed to the BMW dealership. Initial analysis from the BMW dealership was that the error recorded (fault stored for valvetronic system. Deviation too great. Frequency 1 logistics 38.) did not point to a specific component failure. The error did indicate that a certain software level should be loaded in the car, but the BMW dealership said I already had the correct software level loaded. They reloaded the software level anyway. The BMW dealership kept the car for a few days of testing and driving, but could not recreate the problem. After 3 days, the BMW dealership said that they noticed that I actually did not originally have the latest software patch level installed in my car. So, the only fix provided by BMW for my engine malfunction and shutdown was loading a new software patch level (program I level new F010-10-06-512), the previous software level loaded in my car at the plant was program I level plant F010-10-06-511. It should be noted, while the car was at the BMW dealership, they did install the fix for the fuel tank sensor recall (bulletin 121410). But, the fuel tank sensor problem was not related to the engine malfunction problem I experienced, because I had an actual half tank of fuel in the car at the time of my engine failure.

- Pasadena, CA, USA