BMW 745I, 745LI, 750I and others: Switch

Date

Oct. 17, 2012

Filed by

BMW of North America, LLC

Vehicles

BMW 745I (2005); BMW 745LI (2005); BMW 750I (2006, 2007, 2008); BMW 750LI (2006, 2007, 2008); BMW 760I (2005, 2006); BMW 760LI (2005, 2006, 2007, 2008)

Component

Electrical System › Ignition › Switch; Power Train › Automatic Transmission; Power Train › Automatic Transmission › Control Module (Tcm/Pcm/Tecm)

Description of the defect

BMW is recalling certain model year 2005-2008 7-Series vehicles, equipped with the Comfort Access option, and manufactured August 23, 2004, through July 24, 2008. The affected vehicles have an electronic key and an electronic connection between the gear shifter and the transmission (shift-by-wire) that automatically shifts the transmission to Park when the driver presses the Start/Stop button to shutdown the engine. If the driver presses the engine Start/Stop button 2 or 3 times within a short time interval, the system may shift the transmission to Neutral rather than Park. If using the electronic key (Comfort Access mode), there would be no protection from the ignition interlock that prevents key removal if the vehicle is not in Park.

Potentially affected

45500

What can happen

If the driver exits the vehicle with the transmission in Neutral and the parking brake is not applied, the vehicle may rollaway. Unattended rollaway incidents often result in a crash or cause injury to pedestrians attempting to stop or enter the vehicle or to other bystanders in the path of the vehicle.

Remedy

BMW will notify owners beginning in November 2012. The remedy became available in March 2013. Owners may call BMW at 1-800-525-7417 or email BMW at CustomerRelations@bmwusa.com.

Recall notes

Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY: 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.

Owner notification date

March 20, 2013

Recall type

V (vehicle)

Influenced by

ODI

Recall number

12V502000

What should I do? Car recall: how to check your car and get it fixed

Source: NHTSA · Vehicle record. View the agency notice. The agency notice governs; check it and the company before acting.