BMW · Model Report
Showing safety data for the 2000 model year only.
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE BRAKE LAMPS IN THESE VEHICLES ARE CONTROLLED BY A SWITCH ACTIVATED BY THE MOVEMENT OF THE BRAKE PEDAL. THIS SWITCH COULD FAIL INTERNALLY, CAUSING IT TO REMAIN EITHER IN THE "BRAKE LAMPS OFF" POSITION OR IN THE "BRAKE LAMPS ON" POSITION.
The contact owned a 2000 BMW 528i. The contact stated that shortly after arriving home and with the vehicle parked in his garage, he observed first white smoke and then brown smoke emanating from the engine compartment. While waiting for emergency services, the contact stated that he then observed flames engulfing the engine compartment and heard a loud pop. As a result, the contact reported extensive smoke damage to the interior of the garage. The local fire department arrived and extinguished the fire, and a fire report was filed. A police report was also filed, and no injuries were reported. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or an independent mechanic; instead, the contact has stored the vehicle at his home. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, and a case was opened. The failure mileage was 120,000.
THE SHIFTER ON THE CONSOLE WILL HANG UP GET STUCK OFTEN WHEN I PUT IT IN REVERSE THEN FROM REVERSE TO DRIVE IT WON'T SHIFT ALL THE WAY TO DRIVE IT KEEPS STOPPING IN NEUTRAL NOW WHILE IT'S IN NEUTRAL I CAN PULL BACK ON THE SHIFTER AND HOLD IT IT WILL CATCH DRIVE PARTIALLY BUT U HAVE TO KEEP PULLING BACK ON THE SHIFTER AND HOLD IT BUT IT DOESN'T GO ALL THE WAY IN DRIVE IT'S JUST ON THE FRONT EDGE AND IF U LET GO OF THE SHIFTER IT DROPS BACK INTO NEUTRAL IT'S A SAFETY HAZARD CAUSE U CANT GO FORWARD TO GET OUT OF THE WAY OF OTHER MOTORISTS ESPECIALLY IN AN EMERGENCY IT TAKES A FEW MINUTES OF PUSHING THE SHIFTER FORWARD INTO PARK AND THEN PULLING THE SHIFTER BACK TO DRIVE AFTER A COUPLE MINUTES OF DOING THIS IT WILL EVENTUALLY GO INTO DRIVE AND IT SEEMS TO BE GETTING WORSE AT TIMES AND SOMETIMES IT WON'T EVEN SHIFT OUT OF PARK WITHOUT HAVING TO WIGGLE THE SHIFTER BACK AND FORTH AND THEN PULLING THE SHIFTER BACK WITH TWICE THE FORCE THAT U WOULD NORMALLY USE TO SHIFT IT OUT OF PARK THIS HAS HAPPENED MULTIPLE TIMES BACKING OUT OF MY DRIVEWAY AND DIRECTLY ONTO A MAIN ROAD I LIVE ON AND ITS HAPPENED IN PARKING LOTS WHEN TRYING TO LEAVE A RESTAURANT OR GAS STATION ETC.
No injuries · No fire · No crash
WENT ON DATA BASE NHTSA THAT SAYS MY VEHICLE HAS 3 RECALLS . WHAT DO I DO N GO TO FIX THESE PROBLEMS
No injuries · No fire · No crash
AS I WAS DRIVING MY BELOVED 2000 BMW 528I ON 11/9/2018 AT 2:15 PM, ON ROUTE 12 SOUTH IN DUCK, NC, TRAVELING AT APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, SMOKE BEGAN POURING FROM THE UNDERSIDE OF THE DRIVER'S SEAT. THE HEATED SEATS WERE NOT TURNED ON. NO DASHBOARD WARNING LIGHTS WERE ON, EXCEPT FOR A REAR TAIL LIGHT INDICATOR THAT HAD APPEARED WITHIN THE LAST WEEK. I HAD JUST DRIVEN THROUGH A RAIN SHOWER, SO THE HEADLIGHTS WERE ON, BUT I HAD TURNED THE WIPERS OFF. I PULLED THE CAR OVER AND IMMEDIATELY TURNED THE IGNITION OFF. I GOT OUT TO LOOK UNDER THE FRONT SEAT BUT THERE WAS NOTHING UNDER THE SEAT THAT WAS CAUSING A PROBLEM. WHEN I WAS ON THE PHONE WITH THE 911 OPERATOR, FLAMES STARTED COMING FROM UNDER THE SEAT. THE DUCK NC POLICE WERE ON THE SCENE ALMOST IMMEDIATELY AND ATTEMPTED TO US A FIRE EXTINGUISHER, BUT THE SEAT KEPT BURNING. THE DUCK NC FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS JUST A FEW HUNDRED YARDS DOWN THE ROAD AND WHEN THE ARRIVED THEY FILLED THE FRONT SEAT WITH WATER. AS I WAS CLEARING MY POSSESSIONS OUT OF THE CAR, I NOTICE THE HEADLIGHTS WERE STILL ON, SO I TURNED THEM OFF. ALTHOUGH THE CAR HAD APPROXIMATELY 145,000 MILES ON IT, I WAS THE ORIGINAL OWNER AND I HAD KEPT IT IN MINT CONDITION. I HAD A PROFESSIONAL MECHANIC PERFORM THE MAINTENANCE WORK. IN SEPTEMBER OF 2018, THE BATTERY HAD BEEN REPLACED WITH A NEW BMW BATTERY. OTHER THAN MAINTENANCE WORK, THE CAR HAD NEVER HAD ANY ENGINE COMPONENTS FAIL OR ELECTRICAL ISSUES. IT WAS A GREAT VEHICLE. PICTURES OF THE BURNT SEAT AND THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR ARE INCLUDED.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 BMW 528I. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING AND CAME TO A STOP, WHEN SMOKE WAS SEEN COMING FROM THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE HOOD. THERE WAS A CRACKING SOUND THEN FLAMES WAS SEEN COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. THE CONTACT AND THE PASSENGER EXITED THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED ATTEMPTED TO EXTINGUISH THE FLAMES BUT COULD NOT. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CALLED AND WAS ABLE TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE. THERE WERE NO INJURIE. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A TOW LOT AND DEEMED A TOTAL LOSS. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 283,000.