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2008 BMW 328XI — ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

fire · 1389681 · 2017-07-06

Vehicle

Make
BMW
Model
328XI
Year
2008
Manufacturer
BMW of North America, LLC
Component
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Miles at failure
93,000

Severity

Deaths
0
Injured
0
Fire
Yes
Crash
No
Police report
No
Medical attention
No
Vehicle towed
No

Narrative

ON JUNE 24TH 2017 AS I WAS BACKING OUT OF MY DRIVEWAY AT MY HOUSE IN MY 2008 CERTIFIED PRE-OWNED BMW 328XI, THE CAR WAS IN MOTION, WITH MY 3 YEAR OLD SON AND HE NOTICED SMOKED COMING FROM THE VENTS. I TURNED MY HEAD AROUND TO SEE WHAT HE WAS TALKING ABOUT AND NOTICED SMOKE BILLOWING FROM THE VENTS AND GLOVE BOX AREA. I IMMEDIATELY UNBUCKLED HIM FROM HIS CAR SEAT AND TOLD HIM TO GET OUT. I EXITED THE VEHICLE, DIALED 911, AND GOT HIM TO A SAFE DISTANCE. I COULD SEE AN ELECTRICAL FIRE (BASED ON LOCATION AND SMELL) COMING FROM UNDER THE PASSENGER SIDE DASH BOARD NEAR THE GLOVE BOX, WITHIN 4 MINUTES THE ENTIRE VEHICLE WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES. LUCKILY NO ONE WAS PHYSICALLY INJURED. THE FIRE INVESTIGATOR SAYS THE FIRE ORIGINATED FROM THE GLOVE BOX AREA WHERE A FUSE PANEL AND BATTERY CABLE ARE LOCATED AS IDENTIFIED IN THE FIRE REPORT ATTACHED. IT IS MY BELIEF THAT THE FIRE WAS CAUSED BY AN ELECTRICAL MALFUNCTION AT THE FUSE PANEL LOCATED UNDER THE GLOVE BOX. I DID SOME RESEARCH AND IN 2013 THERE WAS A RECALL (NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 13V044000) FOR THE VEHICLES POWER CABLE ATTACHED TO THE FUSE BOX THAT WAS FIXED; HOWEVER, I BELIEVE THAT IT WAS EITHER FIXED IMPROPERLY BY BMW OR THE RECALL DIDN'T FIX THE ISSUE.

Source

Authoritative
NHTSA ODI Flat-File Downloads
ODI Number
11003258
Machine
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