Earlier this month, Germany-based BMW began recalling around 1 million automobiles because of the potential for dangerous fires, even when a car is not in use.
BMW acknowledged that several fires had been linked to defective parts, including three that resulted in injuries. However, an investigative report that aired on ABC News in May exposed dozens of additional BMW fires, including many that involved now-recalled vehicles.
ABC News Uncovered 43 “Mystery Fires” Involving Parked BMWs
The ABC News investigation uncovered 43 instances in the past five years where a parked BMW mysteriously burst into flames.
In one particularly harrowing case, a 2008 BMW X5 suddenly and inexplicably caught fire while it was parked in a garage in Olney, Maryland. The fire quickly engulfed the garage and spread to both floors of the owner’s home.
In another incident just outside of New York City, a 2003 BMW caught fire after having been parked for several days.
“The owner told us that the car had been parked for at least four, three or four days,” Mamaroneck Fire Chief Tracey Schmaling told the local ABC affiliate. “Which we thought was a little peculiar.”
Just a month before ABC News aired its investigation, a 2011 BMW parked overnight caught fire in Los Angeles.
BMW Denied There Was a Problem, Required Vehicle Owners to Sign Non-Disclosure Agreements
After the fires, BMW paid cash settlements to some vehicle owners and offered discounts on new cars to others. However, the company issued a statement to ABC News denying the existence of any problems, with a spokesperson insisting that the fires could have had various causes, including maintenance issues, aftermarket modifications, rodent nesting and even arson.
BMW owners who accepted any type of settlement from the company were required to sign non-disclosure agreements.
It now turns out that 12 of the vehicles identified in the ABC News investigation are subject to the recently-announced BMW recalls.
BMW Recalls 1 Million Vehicles 6 Months After ABC News Exposes Unexplained Fires
ABC News reported its finding to the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
Nearly six months later, BMW informed the NHTSA of its intention to recall approximately 1 million cars in two separate actions:
- 672,000 2006-2011 Model Year 3-series BMW with wiring for the air conditioning and heating system that may overheat
- 740,000 vehicles with a defective positive crankcase ventilation (PCV) valve heater
Either of these problems could cause a fire under the hood, even when the vehicle is not in use.
Some of the affected BMWs are included in both recalls. Nearly all were sold in the United States, while 15,000 were sold in Canada.
BMW Owners Advised to Park Outdoors Until Repairs are Made
The BMW recalls will officially get underway on December 18th, when the company begins notifying affected owners.
Those who do not wish to wait can visit BMW’s website to determine if their automobile has been recalled.
BMW dealers will be replacing the defective parts free of charge starting next month. Until repairs are made, owners of recalled automobiles are being advised to park their vehicles outdoors as a precaution.
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