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.
The risk
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.
The 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.
NHTSA's own wording · initiated by ODI
Vehicles covered
| Model | Model years |
|---|---|
| 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 |
Components: POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:CONTROL MODULE (TCM/PCM/TECM) | POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH
Model years in this recall
NHTSA complaints and the number of recall campaigns for each model year this recall covers.
| Model | Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|---|
| BMW 745Li | 2005 | 25 | 3 |
| BMW 745i | 2005 | 16 | 3 |
| BMW 750Li | 2006 | 216 | 4 |
| BMW 750Li | 2007 | 77 | 4 |
| BMW 750Li | 2008 | 65 | 2 |
| BMW 750i | 2006 | 57 | 4 |
| BMW 750i | 2007 | 34 | 4 |
| BMW 750i | 2008 | 17 | 2 |
| BMW 760Li | 2005 | 2 | 3 |
| BMW 760Li | 2006 | 7 | 4 |
| BMW 760Li | 2007 | 2 | 4 |
| BMW 760Li | 2008 | 1 | 2 |
| BMW 760i | 2005 | 2 | 3 |
| BMW 760i | 2006 | 8 | 4 |
Other electrical system recalls in 2012
47 of the 583 recall campaigns reported to NHTSA in 2012 concerned the electrical system; BMW of North America, LLC filed 347 campaigns in all.
| 12V596000 20 Dec 2012 | Airstream, Inc. |
| 12V573000 11 Dec 2012 | Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) |
| 12V571000 7 Dec 2012 | Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC |
| 12V566000 6 Dec 2012 | Winnebago Industries Inc. |
| 12V559000 3 Dec 2012 | WINNEBAGO INDUSTRIES INC. |
| 12V555000 3 Dec 2012 | HINO MOTORS SALES U.S.A., INC. |
| 12V547000 23 Nov 2012 | SETRA OF NORTH AMERICA |
| 12V541000 20 Nov 2012 | STARCRAFT RV, INC. |
NHTSA recalls (public domain) · all recalls of 2012