UPON STARTING MY CAR AT A FRIEND'S HOUSE, I HEARD A BRIEF ELECTRICAL BUZZING NOISE THAT THEN STOPPED. IT SOUNDED LIKE THE RADIATOR FAN, BUT THE FAN WASN'T MOVING. I DROVE MY CAR APPROXIMATELY 15 MILES HOME AND PARKED IT. ABOUT 2.5 HOURS LATER, FROM INSIDE MY HOME, I HEARD THE SOUND OF WHAT SEEMED TO BE A SMALL EXPLOSION. I LOOKED OUTSIDE AND MY CAR'S ENGINE COMPARTMENT WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES. IT HAD PARKED, UNUSED WITH THE MOTOR OFF FOR MORE THAN TWO HOURS ON A COOL DAY WITH TEMPERATURES IN THE 40S WITH NO WARNING INDICATORS LIGHTS OR MESSAGES. I LATER LEARNED BMW HAD ISSUED A RECALL FOR ELECTRICAL FIRES, HOWEVER, I NEVER RECEIVEDA RECALL NOTICE. PRESS REPORTS NOTE THAT MORE THAN 90 SUCH FIRES HAVE BEEN REPORTED TO YOUR AGENCY, AND I CAN STILL FIND NO DOCUMENTATION ON YOUR WEBSITE OF THIS PROBLEM.
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration — Office of Defects Investigation