NHTSA Complaint #10439751 — 1995 BMW 540

DRIVING THROUGH THE BROOKLYN BATTERY TUNNEL HEADING INTO MANHATTAN THE BLOWER MOTOR IN MY CAR FAILED. I WAS DRIVING IN THE TUNNEL WHEN I TURNED ON THE HEAT IN MY CAR, THEN SMOKE BEGAN COMING OUT OF THE AIR VENTS. I TURNED OFF THE HEAT IMMEDIATELY. THE SMOKE BEGAN FILLING THE CABIN, SO I OPENED ALL OF THE WINDOWS IN THE CAR AND OPENED THE MOONROOF. I WAS ABLE TO MAKE OUT OF THE TUNNEL AND STOPPED AT THE EXIT OF THE TUNNEL IN MANHATTAN. I THEN TURNED THE CAR OFF AND TOOK THE KEY OUT OF THE IGNITION. ONE OF THE BROOKLYN BATTERY TUNNEL OFFICERS SAW ME GET OUT OF THE CAR AND SEES THE SMOKE COMING FROM THE CAR. AT THIS POINT THERE WAS MELTING PLASTIC THAT WAS SURROUNDED IN FLAMES FALLING FROM WHERE THE BLOWER MOTOR IS LOCATED ONTO THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL, THE BRAKE PEDAL, AND THE CARPET SURROUNDING THE THESE PEDALS. THE OFFICERS PUT OUT THE MELTING PLASTIC THAT WAS ON FIRE WITH FIRE EXTINGUISHERS. THEY ALSO SPRAYED FIRE EXTINGUISHER MATERIAL IN THE AREA THE MELTING PLASTIC THAT WAS ON FIRE WAS FALLING FROM. THE OFFICERS THEN SEEING THE SMOKE RISING OUT THE AIR VENTS SPRAYED THE FIRE EXTINGUISHER MATERIAL INTO AIR VENTS. THE FDNY SHORTLY SHOWED UP AT THE SCENE AND SPRAYED THE ENGINE BAY WITH THE WATER HOSE FROM THE FIRE TRUCK, AND SPRAYED MORE FIRE EXTINGUISHER MATERIAL INTO THE AIR VENTS, AND THEN DISCONNECTED THE CAR BATTERY. THE BLOWER MOTOR BECAME SO HOT IT IGNITED THE CABIN FILTER AND THE LEAVES AND PINE NEEDLES THAT THE CABIN FILTER WAS FILTERING FROM THE FRESH AIR INLET. THE FUSE FOR THE BLOWER MOTOR DID NOT BREAK UNTIL THE AREA THE BLOWER MOTOR WAS IN BECAME SO HOT, THAT IT MELTED THE INSULATION OF THE WIRES LOCATED AROUND THE BLOWER MOTOR. BECAUSE THE INSULATION OF THE WIRES MELTED NOT ONLY DID THE FUSE FOR THE BLOWER MOTOR BREAK, BUT FIVE OTHER FUSES BROKE AS WELL. THERE IS AN INCIDENT REPORT ON FILE WITH THE TRIBOROUGH BRIDGE AND TUNNEL AUTHORITY. *TR