NHTSA Complaint #10764978 — 2005 BMW 525I

ON APRIL 11, 2015. I WAS TAKING MY VEHICLE TO MY MECHANIC TO GET IT SERVICED AFTER SITTING ALL WINTER. AS I WAS DRIVING I NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. I PULLED OVER, COULD NOT LOCATE THE SOURCE. I CONTINUED TO MY MECHANIC. ONCE THERE WE OPENED THE TRUNK, WE NOTICED AND SMELLED SOMETHING BURNING. WE TOOK OUT THE TIRE AND NOTICED WATER IN THE WHEEL WELL, WHICH MADE AN ELECTRICAL COMPONENT SPARKING, SMOKING AND ON FIRE. I HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO BMW. THEY STATED THE WATER DAMAGED THE MICRO POWER MODULE. BMW PAID FOR THE REPAIRS, AND RELOCATED THE MODULE AWAY FROM THE WHEEL WELL. I FEEL WHERE IT WAS PLACED PREVIOUS WAS VERY DANGEROUS. IF I HAD ANY COMBUSTIBLE ITEM IN MY TRUNK MY BMW WOULD HAVE FULLY CAUGHT FIRE. BMW SHOULD RECALL ALL VEHICLE AND RELOCATION ANY ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS THAT CAN BE DAMAGED BY WATER, POSSIBLY CATCH FIRE. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS