2003 BMW 530I

THE CAR CAUGHT ON FIRE ON 9/4/18, AND CAUSED EXTENSIVE DAMAGE INSIDE THE ENGINE BAY. CAR WAS DRIVEN SEVERAL MILES TO A STORE. THE PASSENGERS WERE EXITING THE CAR WHEN THEY SMELLED SOMETHING BURNING. THEN THEY NOTICED SMOKE AND FLAMES EXTENDING FROM THE FRONT OF THE CAR. THE FIRE STARTED IN THE PASSENGER SIDE AND WAS EXTINGUISHED BEFORE THE DRIVERS SIDE ALSO CAUGHT ON FIRE. THE INSULATION ON PASSENGER SIDE WIRING HARNESS IS COMPLETELY BURNT, AND NUMEROUS OTHER ITEMS INCLUDING THE FIBERGLASS BODY. THE VEHICLE HAD APPROXIMATELY 215000 MILES ON IT, AND WAS WELL MAINTAINED. NO RECENT REPAIRS HAD BEEN MADE TO THE ENGINE. NO SMELLS OF GASOLINE, OIL, OR PLASTIC BURNING WERE EVIDENT BEFORE THE MOMENT THE FIRE STARTED. THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE IS UNKNOWN TO US AT THIS TIME.

WHILE DRIVING ON FREEWAY 210 IN THE SECOND LANE NEXT TO FAST LANE, GOING 70-72 MPH IN HEAVY TRAFFIC THE REAR BRAKES LOCKED UP. CAUSING THE REAR TIRES TO SKID, IN TURN CAUSING IT TO START A CLOCKWISE SPIN TWO TIMES. BECAUSE I WAS IN HEAVY TRAFFIC I QUICKLY DESIDED NOT TO TRY TO CONTROL THE CAR IN THAT LANE CAUSING A MAYOR CAR PILE UP, SO I DESIDED TO TRY TO MAKE IT OVER TO THE SIDE OF FWY. I MISSED THREE CARS AND A SEMI TRUCK AND ENDED UP STOPPING BEFORE I HIT THE THIRD CAR. I WAS STILL SETTING PART WAY IN THE SLOW LANE, SO I TRIED TO MOVE THE CAR. IT WOULD NOT MOVE FORWARD OR BACK WARD EVEN THOUGH THE ENGINE WAS RUNNING AND THE CAR WOULD GO IN GEAR. MY WIFE AND I CAME OUT WITH NO INJURIES AND NO ONE HIT US. WOW AS I THINK ABOUT IT NOW. I HAD IT TOWED HOME AND IT STILL SETS IN MY BACK YARD. IS THERE A RECALL ON THIS BECAUSE OF THE BRAKES OR THE P/C THAT MAY HAVE CAUSE IT?

TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS 2003 BMW 530I. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V318000 (AIR BAGS) HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED THE FAILURE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.

"TAKATA RECALL" - MY 2003 BMW DRIVER-SIDE FRONT AIR BAG MODULE (15V-318) WAS RECALLED IN JULY 2015 AND I CAN'T GET ANY INFO FROM BMW IF THEY WILL EVER FIX IT. I HAVE BEEN CALLING FOR ONE YEAR ON THIS, AS I WAS INSTRUCTED TO DO BY BMW, AND THEY STILL WILL PROVIDE ME WITH NO INFORMATION AS TO IF OR WHEN IT WILL EVER BE REPLACED. THEY HAVE NOTIFIED ME THAT THE AIR BAG CAN RESULT IN "SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH." I HAVE DOCUMENTATION ON MY NUMEROUS ATTEMPTS TO RESOLVE THIS BY CALLING EVERY 3-4 MONTHS AS THEY REQUESTED. IT HAS NOW GONE ON FOR ONE YEAR, AND WHEN I SAID TO THE BMW REPRESENTATIVE A COUPLE OF DAYS AGO, "IT SEEMS LIKE THIS COULD GO ON AND ON AND NOTHING WILL EVER GET FIXED," THE RESPONSE WAS "THAT'S CORRECT." I HAVE READ ON-LINE THAT YOU SHOULD "TAKE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION OR RIDE SHARE" BUT I LIVE IN L.A. AND REQUIRE A CAR TO ET TO AND FROM WORK. I WON'T LET MY SON DRIVE MY CAR BECAUSE I FEAR FOR HIS SAFETY. I CAN'T AFFORD ANOTHER CAR. I READ ON-LINE THAT OLDER CARS (MINE IS A 2003) AND HEAT (I LIVE IN THE SAN FERNANDO VALLEY OF CALIFORNIA AND IT GETS HOT) CAN MAKE THE AIR BAG MORE DANGEROUS. I HAVE BEEN DRIVING THIS CAR, KNOWING IT'S DANGEROUS, FOR A YEAR, AND I AM ALWAYS FEARFUL THAT SOMEONE NEXT TO ME ON THE FREEWAY MIGHT DRIFT INTO MY LANE, WHILE TEXTING, CAUSING THE DANGEROUS AIR BAG TO GO OFF AND SEND METAL SHARDS INTO ME. THIS CAN'T GO ON WITH NO END IN SIGHT. I FEEL LIKE THEY JUST WANT ME TO GET SO FRUSTRATED THAT I DUMP MY CAR. I'M DEFINITELY FRUSTRATED, BUT I NEED TO KEEP THIS CAR. PLEASE HELP ME GET SOME ANSWERS AND A TIME WHEN THIS CAN BE FIXED. IT'S AN UNACCEPTABLE STRESS TO PUT ON SOMEONE THAT THEY COULD DIE FROM A FAULTY AIRBAG WHILE THE COMPANY KEEPS REFUSING TO GIVE YOU INFORMATION AND HAS NO INTENTION TO FIX IT IN A TIMELY MANNER. I HAVE DOCUMENTS REGARDING THEIR NOTIFICATION AND MY PHONE CALLS TO THEM. THANK YOU. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 BMW 530I. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V318000 (AIR BAGS); HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE.