2008 BMW 328XI

ACCORDING TO FIRE FIGHTERS THE CAR'S ELECTRICAL SYSTEM CAUSED A FIRE. THE SMOKE AND BURN PATTERNS INDICATED THE FIRE BEGAN IN THE FRONT DASH AREA. THE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY, NOTHING WAS ON, NO ELECTRICAL DEVICES PLUGGED IN. IT HADN'T BEEN DRIVEN IN SEVERAL HOURS, NO ONE WAS IN THE CAR (DOORS WERE STILL LOCKED, THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM NO LONGER OPERATED AND THE WINDOWS HAD TO BE BROKEN TO GET INTO THE VEHICLE). THE FIRE MELTED THE FRONT DASH, ESPECIALLY ON THE PASSENGER SIDE, SMOLDERED FOR QUITE A WHILE, AND WAS HOT ENOUGH TO CRACK THE FRONT WINDSHIELD. THERE IS EXTENSIVE FIRE AND SMOKE DAMAGE TO THE CAR.

ON JUNE 24TH 2017 AS I WAS BACKING OUT OF MY DRIVEWAY AT MY HOUSE IN MY 2008 CERTIFIED PRE-OWNED BMW 328XI, THE CAR WAS IN MOTION, WITH MY 3 YEAR OLD SON AND HE NOTICED SMOKED COMING FROM THE VENTS. I TURNED MY HEAD AROUND TO SEE WHAT HE WAS TALKING ABOUT AND NOTICED SMOKE BILLOWING FROM THE VENTS AND GLOVE BOX AREA. I IMMEDIATELY UNBUCKLED HIM FROM HIS CAR SEAT AND TOLD HIM TO GET OUT. I EXITED THE VEHICLE, DIALED 911, AND GOT HIM TO A SAFE DISTANCE. I COULD SEE AN ELECTRICAL FIRE (BASED ON LOCATION AND SMELL) COMING FROM UNDER THE PASSENGER SIDE DASH BOARD NEAR THE GLOVE BOX, WITHIN 4 MINUTES THE ENTIRE VEHICLE WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES. LUCKILY NO ONE WAS PHYSICALLY INJURED. THE FIRE INVESTIGATOR SAYS THE FIRE ORIGINATED FROM THE GLOVE BOX AREA WHERE A FUSE PANEL AND BATTERY CABLE ARE LOCATED AS IDENTIFIED IN THE FIRE REPORT ATTACHED. IT IS MY BELIEF THAT THE FIRE WAS CAUSED BY AN ELECTRICAL MALFUNCTION AT THE FUSE PANEL LOCATED UNDER THE GLOVE BOX. I DID SOME RESEARCH AND IN 2013 THERE WAS A RECALL (NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 13V044000) FOR THE VEHICLES POWER CABLE ATTACHED TO THE FUSE BOX THAT WAS FIXED; HOWEVER, I BELIEVE THAT IT WAS EITHER FIXED IMPROPERLY BY BMW OR THE RECALL DIDN'T FIX THE ISSUE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 BMW 328XI. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN THE GARAGE, A FIRE STARTED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO NOTIFY THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND A FIRE INSPECTOR EXTINGUISHED THE FLAMES. A FIRE INSPECTION REPORT WAS NOT PROVIDED AT THE TIME. THE FIRE BEGAN NEAR THE INSTRUMENT PANEL AND THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE INSURANCE COMPANY AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED AND THE CONTACT WAS WAITING FOR THEM TO INVESTIGATE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED AT THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE AND WAS UNABLE TO BE DRIVEN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 BMW 328XI. WHILE DRIVING 15 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS INTERMITTENT AND OCCURRED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2008 BMW 328XI. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN FRONT OF THE CONTACT'S HOUSE, IT CAUGHT FIRE. THE ORIGIN OF THE FIRE WAS BEHIND THE GLOVE COMPARTMENT, WHICH CAUSED THE AIR BAG TO DEPLOY. A FIRE REPORT WAS FILED AND THE FIRE WAS EXTINGUISHED BY THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS DECLARED DESTROYED BY THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND THE INSURANCE ADJUSTER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 126,000.

WHILE DRIVING AND EXITING A PARKING LOT, VEHICLE AUTO-LOCKS ENGAGED. DRIVER DOOR AUTO-LOCKED AND UNLOCKED REPEATEDLY ABOUT 6 TIMES; STOPPING IN THE LOCKED POSITION. ONCE ARRIVING HOME, DRIVER DOOR WOULD NOT OPEN WITH THE DOOR HANDLE OR THE INTERIOR UNLOCK BUTTON. I TURNED THE ENGINE OFF AND REMOVED THE KEY FOB AND HAD TO UTILIZE THE KEY FOB TO LOCK AND UNLOCK THE DOOR. THE DRIVE DOOR WAS AT THIS POINT ON THE OPPOSITE POSITION OF ALL THE OTHER DOORS. WHEN THE DRIVER DOOR IS LOCK, THE PASSENGER DOORS ARE UNLOCKED AND VICE VERSA. THE NEXT DAY THE DRIVER DOOR WOULD OPEN WITH THE KEY, BUT NOT WITH THE KEY FOB. THIS IS OF GREAT CONCERN BECAUSE THE DOOR WILL NOT OPEN FROM THE INTERIOR OF THE VEHICLE. LOOKING AT THE DATABASE AND ONLINE FORUMS, THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE THAT HAS YET TO BE ADDRESSED.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 BMW 328XI. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE THE DOORS WERE CLOSED, THE DOOR ACTUATORS FAILED AND THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE DOOR, ALONG WITH BOTH REAR DOORS, FAILED TO OPEN FROM INSIDE OR OUTSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE DOOR ACTUATORS MALFUNCTIONED. THE ACTUATORS WERE REPLACED AND THE FAILURE WAS REMEDIED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 55,700.

DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR WOULD NOT UNLOCK. I TRIED TO UNLOCK THE DOOR WITH THE FOB, CENTRAL BUTTON ON THE DASH, AND THE METAL KEY STORED INSIDE THE FOB AND NOTHING WILL UNLOCK THE DOOR. THE ONLY WAY TO GET INTO THE CAR IS TO OPEN THE PASSENGER DOOR AND REACH OVER TO THE DRIVER SIDE AND PULL THE HANDLE. WITH A CHILD IN THE CAR IN A SAFETY SEAT, MY CONCERN IS THAT ALL OF THE DOORS WILL SUBSEQUENTLY FAIL AND I WILL BE UNABLE TO GET MYSELF AND MY CHILD OUT OF THE CAR. I'VE SEEN NUMEROUS REPORTS ONLINE ABOUT THIS VERY SAME ISSUE FOR THIS YEAR MODEL VEHICLE AND TWO YEARS OLDER - EITHER DRIVER'S DOOR ONLY, PASSENGERS DOORS ONLY, OR ALL OF THE DOORS - AND THE ONLY WAY TO GET OUT OF THE VEHICLE THEN IS THROUGH THE SUNROOF. THIS IS A VERY SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE. *TR

THE POTENTIAL SAFETY HAZARD REPORTED IN THIS COMPLAINT TAKES PLACE WHEN THE PASSENGERS CANNOT EXIT THE CAR BY OPENING THE DOORS, GETTING TRAPPED INSIDE THE CAR. IT WILL WORSEN TO A CRITICAL LEVEL WHEN THIS FAILURE HAPPENS WITH PASSENGERS WITH LIMITED MOBILITY INSIDE THE CAR OR IN CASE THERE IS A BABY SITTING IN A CHILD SEAT INSTALLED IN THE REAR SEAT. WHEN THE DESCRIBED FAILURE MODE HAPPENS, ALL PASSENGERS WILL NEED TO EXIT THE VEHICLE THROUGH THE SUN ROOF (IF AVAILABLE) OR THROUGH THE WINDOWS. IN CASE OF FIRE THIS COULD BE A LETHAL SAFETY HAZARD FOR ALL PASSENGERS. AND IN CASE OF VOLUMINOUS PERSONS SITTING IN SEATS OTHERS THAN THE DRIVER'S SEAT, IT WILL BE VERY DIFFICULT FOR THEM TO EXIT THE VEHICLE. HOW THE FAILURE HAPPENED: AFTER DRIVING FOR APROX. 10 MINUTES AND HAVING PARKED, THE DOORS OF THE CAR DID NOT UNLOCK. THEY DID NOT UNLOCK EITHER USING THE FOB, NEITHER THE DOOR HANDLE OF THE DRIVER'S DOOR NOR THE UNLOCK BUTTON IN THE CENTRAL DASHBOARD. THE ONLY WAY TO GET OUT OF THE VEHICLE WAS THROUGH THE SUN ROOF OR CLIMBING OUT THE WINDOW. AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS THE DRIVER'S DOOR FINALLY UNLOCK AND COULD BE OPENED. ONCE OUTSIDE THE CAR, I COULD LOCK AND UNLOCK THE DRIVER'S DOOR (BUT NOT ANY OTHER DOOR) MANUALLY WITH THE METAL KEY INSIDE THE FOB. THE OTHER PASSENGER HAD TO EXIT THE CAR THROUGH THE DRIVER'S DOOR. I HAVE BEEN TO A BMW DEALERSHIP AND I MADE AN APPOINTMENT TO REPAIR IT. THE ROOT CAUSE OF THE ISSUE SEEMS TO BE A BLOWN FUSE DUE TO OVER CURRENT IN ONE OF THE ACTUATORS OF ONE OF THE DOORS. THE EFFECT IS THAT THE PASSENGERS CANNOT COME OUT OF THE CAR AS THERE IS NOT ANY MANUAL MECHANISM TO UNLOCK. THERE IS OTHER COMPLAINTS IN NHTSA ABOUT THE SAME ISSUE (FOR EXAMPLE NHTSA ID NUMBER: 10459121). I RECOMMEND THAT NHTSA CONDUCTS A SAFETY INVESTIGATION ABOUT THIS POTENTIAL SAFETY RISK ON THIS OR ANY OTHER AFFECTED MODEL. *TR