Table 1 shows one common vehicle speed control related problems of the 2019 BMW X3.
| Problem Category | Number of Problems |
|---|---|
| Vehicle Speed Control problems |
Subject: rear differential mount failure and driveshaft breakage — sudden loss of vehicle control at highway speed complaint summary: while driving at highway speed, I experienced a sudden and extremely loud bang from the rear of the vehicle. Immediately afterward, I lost complete control of the rear end, accompanied by violent clanking and grinding noises from the driveline area. The gearbox then stalled, leaving the vehicle disabled in the middle of the highway. Upon inspection, it was determined that a rear differential mounting bolt had sheared, causing the differential to shift violently out of position. This sudden movement resulted in the driveshaft breaking, which further destabilized the vehicle and led to a severe and immediate loss of control. This failure occurred without warning and created an extremely dangerous situation. The sudden loss of drivetrain integrity at highway speed placed both myself and nearby motorists at serious risk of a crash. A component as critical as a differential mount or driveshaft should not fail under normal operating conditions. This incident strongly indicates a serious design or manufacturing defect affecting the vehicle’s powertrain and structural safety. Requested action: I urge the NHTSA to investigate rear differential mounting and driveshaft failures on this vehicle model. Such failures can lead to catastrophic loss of control, and immediate attention is necessary to prevent future incidents and ensure driver safety.
On may 20, 2022 at around 10 am. I pulled into my work parking lot. I proceeded to park the car in front of the main building. I put the car on park but the car accelerated on its own at high speed. It curved around the bushes yanking them out and then smashed into the building. The airbags opened. I called 911 for help. Ambulance took me to a hospital nearby. I lost a lot of blood due to a large cut in my mouth. I had some other minor injuries including a fracture in my sternum and nose.
The speedometer is inaccurate. BMW told me that they have a directive which states that it is normal for a speedometer to be off by up to 7mph. They told me it is impossible to recalibrate. I do not know my true speed which is dangerous and makes it difficult to know if I am driving within posted limits. It also adds false mileage to my vehicle as it always indicates a speed higher than I am actually maintaining.
The digital speedometer reads in kilometers per hour, instead of miles per hour, so I do not know how fast I am going. A couple of months ago, BMW issued a recall related to the reverse camera on the 2019 X3. To repair this recall, the software in the car had to be upgraded. After the dealership repaired the recall issue and upgraded the software, the digital speedometer malfunctioned. The speedometer defaulted to kilometers per hour every time I started the car. It would not stay on miles per hour. Thus, after every start, I would have to go into the main menu and switch the digital speedometer to miles per hour. I took my car into the dealership today to fix the speedometer issue (so it would stay on miles per hour), and they made the situation worse. The option to switch the digital speedometer from kilometers per hour after every start to miles per hour has disappeared. The digital speedometer is now permanently stuck in kilometers per hour (and cannot be switched to miles per hour). Because of this issue, I do not know how fast I am going (which is a major safety issue), and also makes it difficult for me to know if I am breaking the speed limit and thus susceptible to getting a speeding ticket. The dealership advised me that dozens, if not hundreds of people, have complained about the issue and BMW is working on a software fix, but advised that it could take months. I find this absurd for a significant safety issue. There is an analog speedometer in the dash that is in mph, but it is difficult to read and not specific enough (it increases by 20 mph; for example, 0, 20, 40, 60, 80, etc. ). The analog speedometer does not have sufficient specificity to tell whether I am going 22 or 39 mph. The design of the analog speedometer is extremely poor and cannot be relied upon to determine actual speed, which is why the digital speedometer is critical.