NHTSA Complaint #10449475 — 2003 BMW 5-SERIES

MY 2003 BMW 530I SEDAN CAUGHT FIRE DUE TO AN ELECTRICAL FAULT WHILE PARKED IN NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND POLICE WERE CALLED. CASE #[XXX] WAS ASSIGNED BY OFFICER [XXX] OF THE NEW HAVEN PD. THE CAR, TOO BADLY DAMAGED TO REPAIR, WAS HAULED AWAY FOR EVENTUAL SCRAPPING. I WAS CLOSE TO THE CAR WHEN THE FIRE STARTED. FLAMES WERE ERUPTING FROM THE DASH, WHERE THE CLIMATE CONTROL SWITCHES ARE LOCATED. I TRIED SMOTHERING THE FLAMES WITH A SWEATER. THIS DID NOT INTERRUPT THE PROGRESS OF THE FIRE. THERE WAS NO PERSONAL INJURY OR PROPERTY DAMAGE OTHER THAN TO THE CAR AND ITS CONTENTS. ITEMS SITUATED IN THE FRONT SEAT AREA WERE NOT RECOVERED, DUE TO THE INTENSITY OF THE FIRE. THE APPARENT CAUSE OF THE FIRE WAS AN ELECTRICAL FAULT. IN 2010 NEW COUNTRY BMW IN HARTFORD TWICE REPLACED THE CLIMATE CONTROL FAN FINAL STAGE RESISTOR, ONCE IN APRIL AND AGAIN IN OCTOBER, AT NO CHARGE FOR THE SECOND REPLACEMENT. IN THE DAYS BEFORE THE FIRE THE CLIMATE CONTROL WAS AGAIN ACTING ERRATICALLY, AND THE EVIDENCE INDICATES THE FINAL STAGE RESISTOR WAS FAILING ONCE AGAIN. BMW NORTH AMERICA INSPECTED THE CAR AND CONFIRMED THAT THE FIRE WAS CAUSED BY AN ELECTRICAL FAULT IN THE AREA BEHIND THE DASH WHERE THE FINAL STAGE RESISTOR IS LOCATED. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).*TR