# 2013 BMW 128I — STRUCTURE:BODY
> NHTSA complaint `980802` · 2013-05-21 · 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:** 128I
- **Year:** 2013
- **Manufacturer:** BMW of North America, LLC
- **Component:** STRUCTURE:BODY
- **Miles at failure:** 300
- **Speed:** 70 mph
## Narrative
I PURCHASE VEHICLE FROM BMW MAY 3,2013,WITH 40 MILES SHOWING. THE DEALERSHIP HAD TO JUMP START VEHICLE TO GET IT STARTED AND OFF OF SHOW ROOM FLOOR. I ASKED ABOUT THAT AND WAS TOLD IT HAPPENS ALL THE TIME. AFTER TEST DRIVE AND PURCHASE I DROVE VEHICLE HOME 220 MILE. FOR THE NEXT WEEK EVERY TIME I TRIED TO START VEHICLE IT WOULD NOT START AND ACTED LIKE A DEAD BATTERY. MADE A APPOINTMENT WITH SERVICE DEPT. MAY 15 AFTER DRIVING 25 MILES I HEARD A LOUD NOISE "BANG" AND SMOKE. COAST OFF HWY.STOP CAR OPEN DOOR AND SAW FLAMES COMING OUT FROM UNDER CAR. JUMP OUT AND START TO STORE WITHIN 5 SECONDS HEARD LOUD "BANG" TURN AROUND AND SAW CAR TOTAL ENGULFED IN FLAMES. VFD SHOW UP, TOM GREEN COUNTY TX. SHERIFF MADE REPORT. A BYSTANDER MADE VIEDO AND PHOTOS OF VEHICLE BURNING THAT I HAVE. I ESCAPE BEING ENGULFED IN THAT FIRE BALL BY SECONDS. IF THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN IN A CHILD SEAT IT WOULD NEVER HAVE SURVIVED! THIS SHOULD NOT HAPPEN TO A CAR WITH ONLY 300 MILES OFF OF SHOW ROOM FLOOR.I HOPE THIS EVENT IS LOOKED IN TO BEFORE THE WORSE HAPPENS.VEHICLE IS WITH ALLSTATE CLAME#[XXX]. FROM THE FEED BACK I GET FROM BMW AND THE DEALERSHIP I DONT THINK THEY TAKE THIS EVENT SERIOUS. [XXX]    INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).  *TR
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*Source: [NHTSA ODI](https://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/downloads/) · AI Analytics · CC0 1.0*