2001 BMW 525I

We arrived at church, and I remained behind finishing my makeup. My husband locked the car with the fob out of habit, and my foot was holding the passenger door open. Forgetting the door had been locked with the fob, I accidentally allowed the passenger door to close. I had no keys. Services began, not a soul in site outside. I began to panic when I could not get the door or any other to open. The alarm would not trigger, and the sunroof was cracked accidentally about an inch. It was July. I could not get anyone to hear me, and could not get any door or window ajar. Eventually I was able to get the attention of an elder, who went and retrieved the keys and got me out. I was soaked in sweat, using an inhaler about every 20 minutes, extremely scary. The other time this happened, my son was sitting in the car but the alarm went off and would not let him out until I came with the fob. He was 15, so he was not young. I had no idea he could not exit the vehicle should he choose. I know there is some emergency release in the hatch somehow but could not locate. Air bags were scheduled to be replaced, had rental scheduled with dealership, drove 45 minutes to leave car for repair, but they had no rental as was promised, so I returned home in the vehicle.

I DROVE THE CAR A MILE TO THE STORE AND A MILE BACK AND WHEN I WAS WALKING AWAY YOU COULD SEE A SPARK AND THEN A MINUTE LATER ANOTHER ONE AND ANOTHER UNTIL THEN THE CAR STARTED SMOKING AND WITHIN 4 MINUTES THE CAR WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES. MY SECURITY CAMERAS CAUGHT THE WHOLE THING ON TAPE. WE TRIED OUR BEST TO CONTAIN THE FIRE BUT IT TOOK THE FIRE DEPARTMENT TO PUT IT OUT.

I HAD TAKEN A LONGER ROAD TRIP, AND WAS ON MY WAY BACK, ABOUT A QUARTER OF THE WAY WHEN WE STOPPED FOR DINNER. I PARKED, AND EVERYTHING WAS USUAL. A COUPLE MINUTES LATER, I WENT TO MOVE THE CAR, AND WHILE I WAS WAITING IN A DRIVE-THRU LINE, I SEE SMOKE BILLOWING OUT FROM UNDER THE HOOD AND I SMELL A BURNING SMELL. I PARKED THE CAR BACK WHERE IT HAD BEEN, AND, THINKING IT WAS A COOLANT ISSUE, OPENED THE HOOD TO LET THE ENGINE COOL DOWN, AND LEFT MY PASSENGERS WITH THE CAR AND WALKED ACROSS THE STREET TO BUY SOME COOLANT. WHEN I RETURNED, MY PASSENGERS TOLD ME THAT THEY HAD NOTICED A FLAME AT THE EXTREME FRONT OF THE ENGINE AND HAD TO DOUSE IT WITH WATER. I CHECKED, AND I SAW THAT THE WIRES LEADING TO THE AUXILIARY COOLING FAN IN FRONT OF THE RADIATOR HAD MELTED AND CAUGHT ON FIRE AND BURNED THE PLASTIC NEAR THEM (AS SEEN IN THE PICTURE). I THEN FOUND THE CONNECTOR FOR THOSE WIRES AND DISCONNECTED THEM SO THAT THEY COULD NOT RELIGHT. I DID SOME RESEARCH AND FOUND THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM RESULTING FROM THE WIRES PULLING TOO MUCH POWER AND THUS MELTING THEMSELVES. THE PROBLEM WITH THE WIRES DID NOT SET OFF ANY WARNING OR CHECK ENGINE LIGHTS, AND DID NOT AFFECT THE ENGINE TEMPERATURE, AT LEAST AT FREEWAY SPEEDS. I ALSO FOUND OUT THAT THE BATTERY CAN RUN THIS FAN FOR UP TO 11 MINUTES AFTER THE ENGINE IS TURNED OFF, THUS BEING ABLE TO START A FIRE IN A GARAGE WHEN NO ONE IS AROUND. THIS PROBLEM IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS AS THE WHOLE CAR COULD GO UP IN FLAMES.

THE SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT IS ON AND OFF MANY TIMES. THERE ARE SEVERAL TIMES AFTER I EXIT THE HIGHWAY CAR SHAKED AND ALMOST CANNOT DRIVE. BUT AFTER SEVERAL HOURS OR PARK ONE DAY, IT CAN DRIVE AGAIN, WHEN IT CAN DRIVE, IT RUNS EXCELLENT. I DO NOT KNOW WHAT HAPPENED. IF I DRIVE A LONG DISTANCE, THE LIGHT TURN ON AGAIN. IT EVEN SLOW DOWN ON THE HIGHWAY. CURRENTLY IT CANNOT DRIVE. IT EVER STOPPED ON THE HIGHWAY 60TH NOGALES EXIT. TEMPERATURE LIGHT IS ON. I DRIVE IT OF THE HIGHWAY. AFTER I EXIT HIGHWAY, THE STEERING IS LOCKED.

POSSIBLE BMW RECALL ISSUE (CAR SPONTANEOUSLY CAUGHT FIRE WHILE CAR OFF). CAR PURCHASED ON 11/8/17. ON 11/16/17, CAR WAS PARKED IN OUR DRIVEWAY WITH IGNITION OFF AFTER DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MINUTES. APPROXIMATELY 10 MINUTES LATER, DRIVER HEARD THE CAR ALARM GO OFF WHICH PROMPTED HIM TO GO OUTSIDE AND SAW FLAMES AND SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. DRIVER CALLED 911. CAR CONTINUED TO COMBUST SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE FIRE DEPT GOT TO OUR HOUSE. SEE PICTURES FOR DAMAGE. WE STILL HAVE THE BMW CAR IN QUESTION IN OUR DRIVEWAY.

ALTERNATOR FAILURE (OF A 525I BMW 2001) DUE TO THE ENTRANCE OF LEAVES AND DIRTY THROUGH THE COOLING HOSE OF THE ALTERNATOR AND GETTING INTO THE ELECTRICAL PARTS OF THE ALTERNATOR (IODES). THIS LEAD TO FIRE AND DAMAGE OF THE ALTERNATOR. THE HOSE IS APROXIMATELY 2.5 IN. AND IT DOESN'T HAVE ANY FILTER TO CLEAN THE AIR OR AVOID PARTICLES TO COME IN.