# 1995 BMW 540I — ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
> NHTSA complaint `916356` · 2012-04-27 · BMW of North America, LLC
## Severity
- **Deaths:** 0
- **Injured:** 0
- **Fire:** Yes
- **Crash:** No
- **Police report:** No
- **Medical attention:** No
- **Vehicle towed:** No
## Vehicle
- **Make:** BMW
- **Model:** 540I
- **Year:** 1995
- **Manufacturer:** BMW of North America, LLC
- **Component:** ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
- **Miles at failure:** 76,500
- **Speed:** 50 mph
## Narrative
ADDENDUM TO ODI ID NUMBER 10439751    THE FIRE WAS STARTED BECAUSE THE IHKRIII HVAC UNIT, WHICH CAN BE FOUND IN AN EXTREMELY LARGE NUMBER OF BMW MODELS, IN MY CAR WAS CONFIGURED INCORRECTLY BY THE MANUFACTURER, BMW.     THE BLOWER MOTOR IS ON A ELECTRICAL CIRCUIT THAT USES A 30AMP FUSE RECOMMENDED BY BMW, WHICH IS LOCATED ON THE FUSE BOX COVER, TO REGULATE THE RATE THE BLOWER MOTOR CAN RECEIVE 12VOLTS. WHEN THE BLOWER MOTOR ITSELF REQUIRES 12VOLTS AT A RATE OF 12AMPS TO OPERATE NORMALLY.    WHEN THE BLOWER MOTOR BEGINS TO FAIL, THE RESISTANCE IN THE CIRCUIT DROPS AND INCREASES THE RATE AT WHICH THE BLOWER MOTOR RECEIVES 12VOLTS, INCREASING THE AMPS (CURRENT) IN THE ELECTRICAL CIRCUIT, WHICH ALSO INCREASES THE WATTAGE THE BLOWER UNIT RECEIVES. AMPS X VOLTS = WATTS, THE UNIT NEEDS 12AMPS X 12VOLTS = 144WATTS TO OPERATE, BUT ENDS UP GETTING 30AMPS X 12VOLTS = 360WATTS. THAT IS 216WATTS MORE THAN THE BLOWER MOTOR SHOULD RECEIVE.     WHICH IS WHY THE BLOWER MOTOR AND THE FINAL STAGE RESISTOR WHICH ARE BOTH ON THE SAME ELECTRICAL CIRCUIT HEAT UP TO EXTREMELY HIGH TEMPERATURES THAT CAN EASILY CAUSE 3RD DEGREE BURNS, AND ALLOWED THE COMPONENTS TO IGNITE THE TREE LEAVES AND PINE NEEDLES THAT WERE BEING FILTERED.     EVERY UNIT THAT IS CONFIGURED IN THIS WAY IS A FIRE HAZARD, AND IS DANGEROUS TO EVERYONE BECAUSE THE FIRE CAN START ANYTIME THE BLOWER MOTOR IS USED, AND THERE IS NO WAY OF TELLING IT IS FAILING UNTIL IT IS TOO LATE AND THERE IS A FIRE INSIDE OF YOUR CAR. I'M DISGUSTED THA
---
*Source: [NHTSA ODI](https://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/downloads/) · AI Analytics · CC0 1.0*