German car manufacturers BMW are set to face a class action over one of their award-winning high-performance engines, the BMW N54 inline-six.
Despite the twin-turbocharged engine (debuted at the 2006 Geneva Motor Show and winner of two International Engine of the Year awards soon after) boasting the ability to improve both fuel economy and performance, the N54 has been somewhat of a product liability nightmare for BMW.
The engine has garnered numerous complaints from drivers of 1, 3 and 5-Series vehicles, as well as the owners of X6 crossovers and Z4 sports cars. The problem, as outlined by the legal firm in charge of the latest class action lawsuit against BMW, seems to be that the fuel pump is faulty, causing the car to lose power nearly completely. Depending on where and when this defect showed itself in N54-powered cars, this could have serious safety ramifications for drivers.
All of this is detailed in the class action lawsuit, along with the accusation that BMW knowingly hid the problems with the N54 from customers as well the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
As well as potentially claiming for damages – which BMW, as a product manufacturer, should be able to cover with a professional insurance policy for product liability- the lawsuit is pushing for BMW to recall the affected vehicles.