← NHTSA complaints

2020 BMW X3 — ENGINE

fire · 2186516 · 2026-03-15

Vehicle

Make
BMW
Model
X3
Year
2020
Manufacturer
BMW of North America, LLC
Component
ENGINE

Severity

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

Narrative

Component Failed: Engine starter relay and starter motor assembly. The vehicle stalled in traffic and ignited upon a restart attempt. The vehicle is a total loss, currently held by [Insurance Co] at [Location/Lot #], and is available for inspection. Safety Risk: The driver’s life was at immediate risk. The vehicle stalled in active traffic, creating a collision hazard, followed by a rapid, uncontrollable engine fire. The driver suffered smoke inhalation and severe trauma while escaping. A delayed exit would have been fatal. Confirmed by Dealer: The failure mirrors the defect pattern in Recall 25V-636 (Starter Relay Corrosion). While the fire prevents reproduction, the vehicle had a consistent service history with no prior electrical issues. Inspected By: The vehicle was inspected by [Insurance Co] and declared a total loss. [Optional: The Fire Dept. responded under Report #[Number]]. BMW was formally notified via demand letter on [Date]. Warning Lamps/Symptoms: No prior warnings. The failure was acute. A "Drivetrain Malfunction" message appeared seconds before the stall. Smoke and flames appeared immediately upon the attempted restart.

Source

Authoritative
NHTSA ODI Flat-File Downloads
ODI Number
11724444
Machine
JSON-LD · Markdown