NHTSA Looks into BMW 7-Series Rollaway Accidents

By Hardwick & Pendergast, P.S. on October 23, 2012

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has started investigating reports of rollaway accidents in BMW 7-Series vehicles more closely, after multiple reports that the vehicles had failed to stay still while they were supposedly in “park,” according to a recent report from CBS News.

One report, from a 7-Series owner in Atlanta, Georgia, told of a case in which the driver parked in a day care parking lot and turned off the vehicle’s ignition. The vehicles are supposed to enter “park” immediately when the ignition is cut. However, this vehicle ended up in “neutral,” which allowed it to roll across the parking lot and crash into an embankment. Luckily, no one was injured.

Overall, the NHTSA states, it has received about 50 reports of the vehicles failing to go into “park” when the appropriate transmission button is pressed or the ignition is shut off. The BMW 7-Series vehicles have push-button transmissions and automatic ignition switches that turn on at the press of a button. So far, mechanics at BMW dealerships say they are not sure what prevents some of the vehicles from going into “park” mode when instructed.

The investigation may lead to a recall of several thousand BMW 7-Series vehicles from model years 2002 to 2008, according to the NHTSA.

Driver error can easily cause a car crash, but it’s not the only possible cause. A defective vehicle part or an error in repairing a vehicle can also cause hidden problems that may trigger a serious accident. If you’ve been injured in a car crash caused by a defective product, the diligent Seattle car crash lawyers at Hardwick & Pendergast, P.S. can help. Call us today at (888) 228-3860 for a free and confidential case evaluation.