# 2005 BMW 5 SERIES — ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
> NHTSA complaint `570308` · 2006-01-25 · BMW of North America, LLC
## Severity
- **Deaths:** 0
- **Injured:** 0
- **Fire:** Yes
- **Crash:** No
- **Police report:** Yes
- **Medical attention:** No
- **Vehicle towed:** No
## Vehicle
- **Make:** BMW
- **Model:** 5 SERIES
- **Year:** 2005
- **Manufacturer:** BMW of North America, LLC
- **Component:** ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
- **Miles at failure:** 2,309
- **Speed:** 30 mph
## Narrative
ON SEPTEMBER 14, 2005 I PURCHASED A NEW 2005 BMW 330I.  WHILE DRIVING TO WORK ON DECEMBER 1, 2005 I TURNED THE HEATER ON FOR THE FIRST TIME.  THE HEATER HAD ONLY BEEN ON FOR A FEW MINUTES WHEN I STARTED TO SMELL A BURNING TYPE OF ODOR.  I WAS NOT SURE IF THE ODOR WAS COMING IN FROM THE OUTSIDE OR IF IT WAS INSIDE MY CAR.  THE ODOR BECAME STRONGER AND RESEMBLED THAT OF AN ELECTRICAL BURN.  I THEN OBSERVED WHITE SMOKE COMING OUT FROM THE HOOD OF MY CAR.  WITHIN MINUTES THE SMOKE BECAME GRAY.  AT THIS POINT I WAS IN HEAVY EARLY MORNING TRAFFIC.  I WAS IN THE MIDDLE LANE WHICH WAS SLOWING DOWN/STOPPING FOR A TRAFFIC LIGHT.  AS I CAME TO A STOP THE SMOKE WAS TURNING BLACK AND WAS VERY THICK.  I PUT THE VEHICLE INTO PARK AND TURNED OFF THE ENGINE.  BY THIS POINT VISIBILITY TO MY FRONT WAS OBSCURED BY THE SMOKE.  I KNEW THAT I SHOULD EXIT THE CAR.  I BEGAN OPENING THE DRIVER'S DOOR BUT THE CARS WERE MOVING QUICKLY AND I FEARED BEING HIT.  I MADE SEVERAL ATTEMPTS WHILE SIMULTANEOUSLY HITTING THE BMW ASSIST BUTTON ON THE REAR VIEW MIRROR.  I TOLD THE OPERATOR THAT MY CAR WAS ON FIRE, AND SHE STATED THAT SHE WOULD CONTACT THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.  DURING THIS I SAW THAT THERE WAS A POLICE CAR ONE CAR BEHIND ME.  FORTUNATELY HE MANEUVERED HIS CAR INTO THE LEFT LANE TO BLOCK THE TRAFFIC AND I WAS ABLE TO EXIT THE CAR.       THE FIRE TRUCKS RESPONDED QUICKLY AND PUT THE FIRE OUT.  THEY DID HAVE DIFFICULTY TRYING TO OPEN THE HOOD.  THEY FINALLY HAD TO USE A CROW BAR TO GET IT OPENED.  MY CAR W
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*Source: [NHTSA ODI](https://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/downloads/) · AI Analytics · CC0 1.0*