See my exchange with BMW below. Seems like the next step is for us all to document the problem with NHTSA.
Hey Lindsey,
The response appears to be written by a lawyer. The service centers do not have engineers that can design a proper remedy. Therefore, the communication does not meet the test of what a reasonable customer should expect. The service teams simply continue to install tanks that fail.
Have made a formal report to the NHTSA.
Vince Sadd
On Nov 15, 2023, at 12:17, BMW Customer Relations <customerrelations@bmwusa.com> wrote:
Hi Vincent,
Thanks for writing to BMW of North America, LLC regarding your 2019 BMW M5 Sedan US. I'm very sorry to read of your concerns and the issues you're experiencing with the Coolant Tank on your vehicle.
Please know that while we do understand the importance of your concerns, BMW Customer Relations is unable to offer technical information/assistance or advise on repairs your vehicle may need, as we rely solely on the service teams at our authorized BMW centers to assist our customers with maintaining, diagnosing, and repairing our vehicles.
Our service teams go through extensive product training and courses to be able to provide our valued customers with the technical assistance that BMW Customer Relations cannot. As a result, we recommend contacting your local authorized BMW Service Center for further assistance.
If you do not have a preferred BMW Service Center, a list of authorized dealers can be found on our website at:
www.bmwusa.com.
I sincerely apologize that we're unable to provide any additional information or assistance in this case, but I hope you're able to obtain the information you're looking for very soon.
Should you need to contact Customer Relations and Services again, you can reach us at 1-800-831-1117 Monday through Thursday from 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. ET and Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. ET.
Thanks again, Vincent.
Kind regards,
Lindsey
Customer Relations and Services
Representative
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--------------- Original Message ---------------
From: [vsadd1@outlook.com]
Sent: 11/14/2023 2:46 PM
To:
customerrelations@bmwusa.com
Subject: WBSJF0C51KB447317 Coolant tank
My name is Vince Sadd, I just registered my 2019 M5 Competition with extended warranty for which you graciously waived the transfer fee.
I am very concerned about the coolant expansion tank. I actively participate in online F90 forums, and it seems like the coolant expansion tank seems to fail for almost all owners (both pre-LCI and LCI). In many cases, it also damages critical engine components underneath the tank and results in expensive repairs.
Indeed, because BMW has failed to address this problem, the aftermarket already offers an aluminum billet coolant expansion tank, as well as a coolant expansion catch can that reroutes escaping coolant so as not to damage components located beneath the tank.
While interacting with other owners, I learned that these failures continue to fail (including the recently revised part number) and there are several owners that needed the tank replaced multiple times (an owner I interacted with on bimmerpost today is on tank #8).
Can you please advise as to BMW’s intent to properly and permanently fix this issue? It's a major design flaw impacting all F90 M5s (ticking time bomb), and I am very surprised to see no official recall and replacement part that properly fixes this critical issue.
This issue is not about an individual vehicle, but a manufacturing defect that impacts all F90 M5s. Please share this message with the team responsible for supporting the M5 product and request that they respond on how they are planning to permanently fix this issue.
Please understand that this is a serious concern shared by dozens of M5 owners I am in communication with. Waiting for the failure to happen on a given F90 M5 and going to a service center is NOT a viable option since it may already be too late and the damage already done.
My car has documentation that proves the coolant expansion tank has failed previously at around 12K miles and affected other parts such as injectors. After less than two weeks of owning the car, the coolant tank has failed again as evidenced by coolant escaping at the tank seam. The car now has slightly over 14K miles.
For BMW to continue to ignore the issue is unacceptable.
Regards,
Vince Sadd