NHTSA Complaint #10984964 — 2011 BMW 550I

THE 2011 BMW 550I HAD JUST RECENTLY BEEN PARKED AND TURNED OFF. AFTER NO MORE THAN 10 MINUTES AFTER IT WAS PARKED, IT BURST INTO FLAMES COMING FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT ON THE PASSENGER SIDE. THEN VERY QUICKLY SPREAD THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE CAR. THE CAR WAS PARKED IN AN ATTACHED GARAGE THUS NOT ONLY COMPLETELY BURNING THE CAR TO THE GROUND BUT ALSO PARTIALLY BURNING THE HOME DOWN AS WELL. RESULTING IN OVER $250,000 IN DAMAGE. THIS VEHICLE HAD ONE OF THE N63 ENGINES IN IT WHICH BMW HAD THREE VOLUNTEER RECALLS TO "CORRECT" THE FUEL INJECTOR ISSUE. 5 MONTHS PRIOR TO THE FIRE, A CERTIFIED BMW DEALERSHIP EXECUTED THE THIRD ATTEMPT AT THIS RECALL. THIS BMW WAS ALSO UNDER A FULL COVERAGE MAINTENANCE WARRANTY, THUS IT HAD ONLY BEEN TO CERTIFIED BMW SERVICE CENTERS. DURING THE LAST RECALL UNDER CAMPAIGN 0013480200 SIB 11 16 14 IN CONJUNCTION WITH SIB 11 06 14 AND 61 30 14, THE OIL LIFE MILEAGE WAS REDUCED FROM 15,000 MILES TO 10,000 MILES WITH THE BMW SERVICE CENTER EXPLAINING THAT WAS PART OF THE CAMPAIGN BMW NA REQUESTED TO SERVICE THE VEHICLES MORE FREQUENTLY. WHEN I ASKED THE BMW REPRESENTATIVE ABOUT THIS SPECIFICALLY AT THE FIRE INVESTIGATION HE SAID IT WAS DUE TO "EPA REQUIREMENTS". HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH THE KNOWN ENGINE ISSUES THAT BMW HAS BEEN ATTEMPTING TO ADDRESS SINCE 2013.