A new design flaw has surfaced in wide range of cars from the Munich based automaker, potentially affecting a quarter million vehicles. According to a class action lawsuit filed in United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, clogged sunroof drains can introduce water into the trunks of certain models, where it accumulates and damages critical electronic control units housed beneath the spare tire. When those control units fail, the engine can shut down without warning. The suit further alleges that the company has been aware of the potential for water damage to these components for years, but has failed to take appropriate steps to warn consumers.
Defects such as these have plagued BMW of late, leading to recalls of 700,000 vehicles in just five years. During that time, BMW production has averaged just over 1.3 million units per year. In 2010, 130,000 cars were recalled due to fuel pump failures causing sudden engine shutdown, and 569,000 more in 2013 due to wiring faults. It is unknown whether the defect will result in yet another recall, and BMW will not comment due to the matter being in litigation.
Affected models include X3 (2003-2010), X5 (2004-2010), and 5 series (2004-2010) vehicles.
