NHTSA Complaint #10455169 — 2008 BMW 535XI

CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS UNRESOLVED FIRE SAFETY ISSUES WITH A 2008 BMW 535XI *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED ON FEB 14, 2012, THE BATTERY WAS REPLACED. HOWEVER, SIX DAYS LATER, A SPARK OF FIRE AND BALL OF SMOKE OCCURRED AS THE CONSUMER WAS DRIVING. THE DEALER INFORMED THE CONSUMER THE ALTERNATOR WAS FAULTY AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. AN INSPECTION ALSO REVEALED AN OIL LEAK. *JB THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE BURST INTO FLAMES AND EXPLODED, TOTALING THE VEHICLE. THE ENTIRE FRONT HOOD AND ENGINE COMPARTMENT WERE MELTED AND DESTROYED, AS WELL AS THE FRONT DRIVER AND PASSENGER AREAS WERE AFFECTED BY THE FIRE. THE CONSUMER AND HIS PASSENGER SUFFERED MINOR INJURIES. THE CONSUMER STATED HE HAD TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER IN DECEMBER 2013, AND JANUARY 2014 AFTER COMPLAINING ABOUT ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS. HE COMPLAINED OF LOW COOLANT, THE TRUNK RANDOMLY OPENING, THE KEY NOT STARTING THE VEHICLE RIGHT AWAY, AND THE CLOCK SUDDENLY SHOWING A THE WRONG TIME. BOTH TIMES, THE DEALER STATED THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG. UPDATED 03/10/14