NHTSA Complaint #10543454 — 2008 BMW 335I

9/11/2013 AT APPROXIMATELY 9:25 AM EST MY 2008 BMW 335I SPONTANEOUSLY CAUGHT FIRE FROM WHAT SEEMS TO BE AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM IN THE DASH BOARD AREA. I WAS MAKING MY DAILY COMMUTE TO WORK WHEN THE AC UNIT SHUT OFF AND THEN TURNED BACK ON WITH THICK BLACK SMOKE POURING INTO THE CABIN OF THE CAR. NATURALLY I ROLLED THE WINDOWS DOWN TO ALLOW THE SMOKE TO CLEAR SO THAT I COULD PULL OVER OUT OF TRAFFIC. THIS MADE MATTERS WORSE, THE SMOKE THICKENED, THE HORN STARTED HONKING AS IF SOMEONE WAS HOLDING THE HORN DOWN, AS I WAS PULLING THE CAR OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD THE SMOKE BECAME UNBEARABLE, I WAS FORTUNATE TO ESCAPE THE CAR AS THE FIRE RIPPED INTO THE CABIN CONSUMING THE ENTIRE VEHICLE WITHIN JUST MINUTES. THE CAR IS NOW TOTALED AND MY INSURANCE IS INVESTIGATING. MY QUERY IS WHAT IF I HAD OTHER PEOPLE IN MY CAR? WHAT IF MY CAR WAS IN MY GARAGE? WHAT IF I HAD YOUNGER CHILDREN IN THE CAR? JUDGING ON HOW QUICKLY THE CAR WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES I KNOW FOR A FACT THAT EVEN IN MY VERY ABLE CONDITION REMOVING TWO YOUNG CHILDREN FROM THE BACK SEAT OF THE CAR WOULD HAVE BEEN IMPOSSIBLE, THIS NEEDS TO BE LOOKED INTO! SEEING AS BMW'S TARGETED AUDIENCE IS MIDDLE TO UPPER CLASS FAMILIES I WONDER IF THE PUBLIC KNOWS OF THE RISKS? I KNOW I SURE DIDN'T, HOWEVER AFTER REVIEWING THE BLOGS AND POSTS ONLINE I HAVE SEEN COUNTLESS OTHER SCENARIOS UNFOLD ALMOST IDENTICAL TO MINE AND I KNOW I AM NOT ALONE. I AM CURRENTLY DEALING WITH MY INSURANCE AND I AM SURE THEY WILL BE IN TOUCH WITH BMW AS THE CAR WAS STILL UNDER 100,000 MILES AND JUST AT 5 YEARS OF AGE. *TR