NHTSA Complaint #10991206 — 2010 BMW 328XI

BMW ON FIRE. I HAD BEEN DRIVING ON A CITY STREET FOR ABOUT 15 MINUTES WHEN THE ENGINE CAUGHT ON FIRE. I WAS STOPPED AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT WHEN I NOTICED SMOKE SO IT MAY HAVE STARTED WHILE IN TRANSIT. MY CAR HAD NO ISSUES, NO COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE CAR, ENGINE OR DRIVING EXPERIENCE. AT THE TIME OF THE FIRE THERE WERE NO WARNINGS ON THE DASHBOARD, NO SMELL OF FIRE OR BURNING OIL, NO SIGNS OF ENGINE ISSUES WHILE DRIVING BUT WHILE STOPPED AT A RED TRAFFIC LIGHT I NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM AROUND THE DRIVER'S FRONT TIRE AREA AND IT ESCALATED QUICKLY. I WAS STOPPED WAITING AT A SECOND-TO-THE-LEFT TURN LANE SURROUNDED BY CARS AND NOBODY COULD MOVE AWAY. PEOPLE IN THE CAR TO MY LEFT PANICKED THE MOST AS THEY COULD SEE THE SMOKE GOING THEIR WAY AND COULDN'T MOVE THEIR CAR, FORTUNATELY THE LIGHT TURNED GREEN SOON AND I WAS STILL ABLE TO DRIVE TO AN EMPTY PARKING LOT OF A FAST FOOD RESTAURANT ACROSS FROM THE TRAFFIC LIGHT. I PARKED, TURNED OFF THE ENGINE AND WHEN I OPENED THE HOOD THE ENGINE WAS IN FLAMES. MANAGEMENT OF THE FAST FOOD RESTAURANT RUSHED WITH A FIRE EXTINGUISHER BUT IT WAS TOO LATE REGARDLESS. THE NEXT MORNING THE CAR WAS TOWED TO A BMW DEALERSHIP WHERE IT WAS DECLARED TOTAL LOSS BY THE INSURANCE COMPANY BEFORE BMW EVEN FINISHED ESTIMATING THE DAMAGE. NOBODY INVESTIGATED FURTHER EVENTHOUGH I ASKED IF THEY WOULD GIVEN THAT MY CAR SEEMED IN PERFECT CONDITION. BMW STATED IT WAS A RARE INSTANCE HOWEVER WHEN I RESEARCHED ABOUT IT I FOUND BLOGS OF LOTS OF MORE CASES LIKE MINE. THE INSURANCE SAID IT LOOKED LIKE AN ELECTRICAL FIRE. I WOULD HAVE PURCHASED ANOTHER BMW IF ANYONE HAD CARED ENOUGH TO PROVIDE ANSWERS OR AT LEAST FOLLOW UP. I BOUGHT MY BMW IN 2014 CERTIFIED PRE-OWNED AT THE BMW DEALERSHIP IN A BEAUTIFUL AND PERFECT CONDITION. I'M JUST GLAD I WAS ABLE TO STOP, THAT THE ONLY PROPERTY DAMAGE WAS MY CAR AND MORE IMPORTANTLY THAT NOBODY GOT HURT.