NHTSA Complaint #11713522 — 2016 BMW 528I

On January 29, 2020, while driving my 2016 BMW 5 Series under normal operating conditions, the engine compartment caught fire without warning. Smoke and flames originated from the engine bay while the vehicle was in motion. I was forced to pull over and exit the vehicle immediately. The fire spread rapidly, and the vehicle was declared a total loss. At the time, both my insurance carrier and BMW representatives inspected the vehicle, but no definitive cause was identified. In January 2026, I received notification that this same vehicle is subject to BMW Safety Recall Campaign No. 24V-608, which states that liquid from the positive crankcase ventilation system can drip onto the water pump electrical connector, potentially causing a short circuit and, in rare cases, an engine fire. This recall describes the same failure event that destroyed my vehicle, which occurred before any recall remedy was available.