A R1.2 million electric BMW nightmare: Western Cape man's ordeal with faulty wall box which damaged his new car

A Western Cape man has found himself trapped in a nightmare after purchasing a brand-new R1.2 million BMW electric car which was left defective after a faulty wall box installation.

While Ronald Craig Smith expected a seamless journey with his new car, he instead faced a litany of issues stemming from a faulty wall box installation, leading to frustration and mounting concerns over the vehicle's reliability.

The saga began when Smith bought an iX1 xDrive 30 Xline at BMW Paarlberg influenced by a promotional package that included a complimentary wall box installation and a year of free insurance.

He took delivery of the BMW financed car on November 6, 2023. "The motor vehicle was brand new and in perfect working condition,'' he said.

However, the initial journey of ownership took a turn when the wall box was delayed in installation. In the interim, Smith relied on external charging stations and didn't experience any issues.

Three weeks later, when a technician finally installed the wall box at his house, his excitement quickly turned to dismay. Almost immediately after plugging in the vehicle, a “DRIVE SHAFT ERROR” message appeared on the dashboard.

"The installer could not provide any clarity on the issue and indicated that I should contact BMW Paarlberg if the problem persists," he said.

Two days later, hoping for a different outcome, Smith said he tried to charge the car again and he immediately received the same message.

He said this time; the message was accompanied by unnerving and loud noises that emanated from under the carriage and at the back of the motor vehicle and it eventually went completely dead.

After contacting BMW Paarlberg, the car was collected the next day. He was subsequently informed that the twelve-volt battery needed replacement.

An appointment was scheduled with the installer to assess the wall box on December 1, 2023. Unfortunately, the installer did not honor this appointment and made no effort to reschedule.

In a desperate bid for resolution, Smith reached out to BMW Paarlberg in mid-December and was finally informed that the wall box was indeed defective. A second wall box was delivered in February 2024, yet history repeated itself as the same error resurfaced shortly after its installation. 

He contacted the dealership, and they sent an electric vehicle to test the wall box, and it failed to charge it. Later that day, while driving, the "DRIVE SHAFT ERROR" message reappeared. He immediately drove to the dealership and delivered the car.

A technician told him that the e-motor was damaged by the defective wall box`s attempt to charge, which needed to be repaired or replaced. 

After nearly two months with the car at the dealership, with increasing frustration stemming from a lack of communication about potential long-term damage to the vehicle, Smith decided enough was enough. On February 27, he formally requested to cancel the sale, feeling he could no longer trust the car or the service he had received.

In a bid to retain the sale, Smith said the dealership arranged for a different installation company to assess the wall box.

Upon completion of the repairs, a test car from BWM Paarlberg was used to assess the wall box. During this test, the vehicle experienced a complete shutdown, displaying the same “DRIVE SHAFT ERROR” message. The technician subsequently had to reboot the test car to restore its functionality.

Each new attempt brought Smith more frustration, leaving him feeling defeated as the vehicle continued to display the ominous message and failed to operate correctly.

"Needless to say, I was beyond frustrated at this stage and communicated in no uncertain terms to BMW Paarlberg that I am cancelling the sale."

In an effort to get a cancellation, Smith said he spoke to a BMW representative, and he was assured that the car was repaired and the representative further acknowledged that this was a learning curve for the multinational conglomerate car manufacturer.

Even though he had received assurance from the BMW representative, Smith said the elephant in the room was not addressed, being the defective wall box.

"I reluctantly agreed to accept the return of the motor vehicle. On April 16, 2024, a second installer attended our residence again to assess the wall box. I was told that the wall box had been repaired and assured that there would be no further difficulties. Regrettably, this was not the case," he said.

In May 2024, Smith said while the car was still in his possession, he tried to charge the car and the error message appeared again. 

"The car would not start, the handbrake would not release, the radio remained on and would not switch off, and a cooling system fault was indicated. I logged a call with BMW Assist, but the technician was not available to assist over the weekend, eventually only arriving on Monday."

He said he was provided with a courtesy car on May 4, 2024, and the car was collected two days later, and he has never seen his car since.

Smith said he engaged his lawyers in an effort to cancel the deal and get a refund but has been unsuccessful. 

"This has been really stressful; I have had two wall boxes installed and technicians have been out four times to assess and repair the wall box. Despite this, I have not been able to successfully charge the motor vehicle without damaging it.

"After four months of having taken delivery of the motor vehicle, the file on the motor vehicle repairs was almost two inches thick. I owned the motor vehicle for twenty-seven weeks, nine of which the motor vehicle was with the BMW Paarlberg, and I did not enjoy the use thereof," he said.

In his legal documents, Smith mentioned that he had not approached the Motor Industry Ombudsman of South Africa (MIOSA) as their recommendations were not binding and he went directly to the National Consumer Commission.

In response to Smith's complaint, BMW spokesperson Hailey Philander, said Smith lodged a complaint with MIOSA and the Ombudsman ruled in favour of BMW.

"The customer has since approached the National Consumer Commission where an outcome is to be determined," she said.

sinenhlanhla.masilela@iol.co.za

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