Complaint 2217979

Complaint Summary

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

Owner Narrative

The shark fin antenna seal on my BMW failed, allowing water to enter the Telematics Control Unit (TCU). This caused a complete failure of the vehicle’s Emergency SOS / BMW Assist crash notification system. The failure occurred without any warning messages or prior indications that the system was compromised. Because the TCU controls the vehicle’s automatic crash notification and emergency call functions, this failure disabled a critical safety system. This defect placed me and my family at risk, as the vehicle would not be able to automatically contact emergency services in the event of a collision or other serious incident. The failure first occurred in April 2026. I immediately contacted my BMW dealership’s service center, where the service advisor acknowledged that the shark fin seal had issues causing this to happen (water intrusion). However, instead of treating this as a safety defect, I was told to file an insurance claim. I also contacted BMW Customer Service, but both the dealership and BMW declined responsibility and refused to cover the repair. The shark fin antenna seal is a manufacturer‑installed, non‑serviceable component. Its failure directly disabled a federally regulated safety system without warning. BMW’s refusal to address this issue leaves the safety defect unresolved and exposes other owners to the same risk.

Owner-submitted narrative on file with NHTSA. Complaint narratives are self-reported and have not been verified.