— BMW shark fin antenna problems have led to a California class action lawsuit which alleges faulty seals allow water to enter the antennas and damage important components.
The BMW shark fin antenna class action lawsuit includes:
"All persons or entities who are: (1) current or former owners and/or lessees of a Class Vehicle; and (2) reside in California and purchased a Class Vehicle for primarily personal, family or household purposes, as defined by California Civil Code § 1791(a), in California."
The BMW roof-mounted shark fin antenna lawsuit includes these models.
- 2017-2023 BMW M440i
- 2017-2023 BMW M550i
- 2017-2023 BMW X1
- 2017-2023 BMW X3
- 2017-2023 BMW X4
- 2017-2023 BMW X5
- 2017-2023 BMW X6
- 2017-2023 BMW X7
- 2017-2023 BMW 330
- 2017-2023 BMW 340i
- 2017-2023 BMW 750i
California plaintiff Tim Craft purchased a certified pre-owned 2019 X5 xDrive 40i in April 2023 from a BMW dealer. In March 2024 when the vehicle had about 30,000 miles on it, the plaintiff noticed various features were acting up.
"First, his vehicle displayed a warning on the dashboard stating that emergency call system was malfunctioning. Second, the GPS navigation system incorrectly pinned his location, thereby preventing him from using the GPS system as intended. Third, the hands-free phone microphone located above the driver’s seat was not functioning." — BMW class action lawsuit
Craft says he also experienced issues with the BMW Comfort Access system which allows drivers to unlock the vehicle without a key by detecting when the driver is nearby and readying the vehicle’s engine for an automatic start.
"Plaintiff Craft noticed that the vehicle would intermittently crank but not start. All of these issues worsened over time."
According to the plaintiff, he brought his vehicle to a BMW dealer in May, and technicians found water had entered the telematics control module. The dealer said it should be replaced along with the shark fin antenna.
The BMW dealer said repairs were estimated to be $2,500 which the plaintiff refused to pay because the shark fin antenna was allegedly defective.
The plaintiff "paid $92 for the necessary repairs because he needed a safe and working vehicle."
It was after paying $92 the plaintiff filed the BMW shark fin antenna class action lawsuit for more than $5 million.
Water allegedly enters the roof-mounted BMW shark fin antenna because of defective sealing, corroding interior electrical components as water damages the interior of the vehicle.
Failures of vital safety equipment can allegedly occur, including failure of the emergency call systems and inaccurate GPS readings.
BMW allegedly concealed the defective shark fin antenna defects and how the vehicles would have diminished resale values.
The class action alleges BMW has been unable or unwilling to properly repair the vehicles for free when the shark fin antennas have problems.
The plaintiff also says the BMW vehicle limited warranty "is unconscionable and unenforceable" regarding the shark fin antenna seals.
The BMW shark fin antenna class action lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey: Tim Craft v. BMW of North America, LLC, et al.
The plaintiff is represented by Sauder Schelkopf LLC.