NHTSA Complaint #754347 — 2001 BMW 325

I HAD BEEN DRIVING MY CAR FOR ABOUT 2 HOURS ON THE INTERSTATE WITH THE COOLANT TEMPERATURE GAUGE "DEAD CENTER" AS IT ALWAYS IS. I STOPPED THE CAR AT A STORE AND LEFT THE CAR RUNNING FOR ABOUT 5 MINUTES. AS I PROCEEDED BACK TOWARD THE INTERSTATE THROUGH SOME STOP AND GO TRAFFIC FOR ABOUT 5 MINUTES, I NOTICED THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE IN THE "RED ZONE" AND THE RED INDICATOR WAS ILLUMINATED. I PULLED TO THE SIDE OF THE ENTRANCE RAMP, KEPT THE CAR IDLING AND CRANKED THE HEAT UP. THE GAUGE WENT DOWN A LITTLE BIT. I STOPPED THE CAR FOR ABOUT 1 MINUTE, STARTED IT, AND THEN ACCELERATED TOWARD ANOTHER EXIT IN ORDER TO BE IN A SAFER PLACE. THE GAUGE WENT DIRECTLY BACK TO "DEAD CENTER" SO I CONTINUED DRIVING AND THE GAUGE STAYED THERE FOR THE NEXT 2 HOURS. THE OUTSIDE TEMPERATURE WAS IN THE MID-60S AND THE AIR CONDITIONING WAS ON BEFORE AND AFTER THIS INCIDENT. THE SAME THING HAPPENED THE FOLLOWING DAY IN STOP-AND-GO TRAFFIC, BUT I NOTICED THE GAUGE RISING THIS TIME. I SHUT OFF THE AIR CONDITIONING AND ENGINE FOR A FEW SECONDS, TURNED THEM BACK ON AND AT THE SAME TIME ACCELERATED TO A CRUISING SPEED. THE GAUGE RETURNED TO "DEAD CENTER" AND STAYED THERE FOR THE NEXT 20 MINUTES OF HIGHWAY DRIVING. WHEN I RETURNED HOME FROM MY TRIP, I TOOK THE CAR TO THE BMW DEALER, AND THEY REPLACED THE AUXILIARY COOLING FAN. I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE IS A RECALL ON THIS PART, AND BMW HAS SENT VERY FEW OR NO LETTERS TO CUSTOMERS BECAUSE A TRULY COUNTERMEASURED PART IS NOT AVAILABLE YET. I FEAR THAT THE NEW FAN INSTALLED IN MY CAR COULD VERY WELL BE A SUSPECT PART AND MAY RESULT IN AN UNDERHOOD FIRE, AS REPORTED BY OTHER CUSTOMERS AT NHTSA.GOV AS WELL AS OTHER WEB SITES. I'M NOT SURE IF THIS IS RELATED, BUT A FEW MONTHS AGO, I HAD THE THERMOSTAT REPLACED FOR A "STICKING" CONDITION THAT WAS CAUSING THE "SERVICE ENGINE SOON" LIGHT TO ILLUMINATE. AT THE SAME TIME, THEY REPLACED THE FAN FOR THE FIRST TIME FOR THE RECALL. 2001 BMW 325I MANUAL TRANSMISSION.*AK