XSeries-forum

What a first post......

Glad all ok though.

[quote="Grommit"]
Blimey, that was serious, glad you were all Ok.

I must admit my first thought was similar to RAJ ,  Modded wiring. Did you buy it from a BMW dealer?
[/quote]

I'm that good I don't even have to say anything for peeps to agree with me LOL

[quote="Sanj"]
[quote="Grommit"]
I must admit my first thought was similar to RAJ ,  Modded wiring. Did you buy it from a BMW dealer?
[/quote]

Wanna slap!?! Raj my arse - he's the ugly one!  >:(
[/quote]

Jealousy is terrible LOL. You're only better looking than me after everyone is drunk.

Woah! Madness! Glad you are all safe!

Similar happened to my mates 530d M Sport.

Car was parked in his driveway and caught fire at 2am! They thought it was an arson attack but till day no clue as to why it happened.

I'll get him to email you his contacts at BMW.

Jeez buddy.

Firstly welcome,
Secondly thank god you all got out safely,
Thirdly hope the insurance company actually do the right thing by you

ATB


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Glad you all got out safely.

Gutting though


Finally Is this something that even Mr dpbayly cant polish out????

O:-) >:D

Thank heavens you are all ok.  Awful when a car goes up like this, chances of BMW doing anything probably not good, but hopefully insurance will pay a fair price.  Not that it covers the distress of a decent motor going up in flames, but at least your family and your dogs are safe.
In years gone by, I managed to avert a similar situation in a much more ancient car, in the 1970's, by pulling off the battery connections and thus removing all power before the car was well and truly alight, although the harness burnt out - just imagine trying to do that in an X with the battery under all the clobber in the boot- pretty poor battery placement for such safety reasons really! 

Hope you all recover soon and you are able to get a decent replacement motor via insurance payout.

[quote="CondorX5"]
Thank heavens you are all ok.  Awful when a car goes up like this, chances of BMW doing anything probably not good, but hopefully insurance will pay a fair price.  Not that it covers the distress of a decent motor going up in flames, but at least your family and your dogs are safe.
In years gone by, I managed to avert a similar situation in a much more ancient car, in the 1970's, by pulling off the battery connections and thus removing all power before the car was well and truly alight, although the harness burnt out - just imagine trying to do that in an X with the battery under all the clobber in the boot- pretty poor battery placement for such safety reasons really! 

Hope you all recover soon and you are able to get a decent replacement motor via insurance payout.
[/quote]Hope all goes well,way back in the sixties stopped at lights could smell something not right (FordConsul Mk2)opened bonnet battery terminal melting!another motorist disconnected battery,turned out to be starter motor!

Thanks all for the great replies.  Very scary and now I'm considering buying a new / nearly new car as I don't want anymore hassle (although the fire was a bit more than hassle!).

There were no modifications to the car at all.  Still the same head unit etc.

I had some info that BMW’s are well known to “catch on fire” even after being “shut off” and “parked” – whether for just a few minutes, or most often 2-10+ hours later – in the “wee hours” of the morning, i.e., 2-5 am.

They told me that you do NOT want to park them in your attached garage, or even too close to the outside of your home – as the intensity of the fire can set the side of your home on fire.

More than a few “accidents” (which reporters and the police STILL DON’T UNDERSTAND is):  When an owner/driver is traveling – especially at night and/or on a curvy road – the vehicle “catches on fire” and fills the cabin with dense, dark, toxic -- eye and throat burning -- smoke.  The driver “loses control” and “crashes” by running off the road and into a tree, etc.  The police arrive to find the driver dead and the vehicle “on-fire,”  not realizing “the fire” -- which “started” “earlier while driving” -- WAS THE ACTUAL CAUSE OF THE ACCIDENT – NOT A RESULT OF IT.

Apparently we were lucky it happened  (if it had to at all) during daylight.  In some cases the power windows and door locks cease to function as well -- making egress nearly impossible......

Some info I have seen relates to the aux fan...don't know my way around the car too well, but think this would go with the fact the fire started in the dash on the passenger side.

Warn all – at the “first hint” of smoke and/or fire in a BMW vehicle, one MUST STOP and EXIT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE; as you often may have only a few tens of seconds to get out in time

Here's the link that describes loads of fires just like mine:

http://www.topix.com/forum/autos/bmw-x5 ... 2Q79QUHKB8

BMW Fire on 101 Freeway
sdog1973  Published on Jun 13, 2013
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9DFJtHfLePU
(1:53 min video)  (X5)

http://townhall-talk.edmunds.com/direct/view/.f22516e

Got a load more links. 

Called BMW and they told me that if the Insurance company had an issue they would expect to hear directly from them.  Get the feeling they just wash their hands of things and no-one can prove it was a fault of the vehicle.

To be fair, millions of cars out there do not catch fire, not that that helps your current situation, given that yours did!    And every make has had its problems - I recall passing a brand new Range Rover ablaze a year or two back, while the stunned family stood watching at a safe distance awaiting collection. And a few Saabs in recent years too.  Doesn't mean all Range Rovers or all models of any other car, have problems of the same ilk.  As with all other motor issues, though, the internet is a great place for negative reviews as people are quick to post issues, but generally don't pop in every few weeks to post about how pleased they are their car hasn't burnt out / broken down recently.

Modern cars with all the toys we like have complex electronic circuits which can sometimes cause big issues and fires - I recall there being a Watchdog program on Volvo Xc90s a few years back, as well.  If its outside of the factory warranty, the manufacturer is always going to deny liability, thats a given. A lot of people cannot afford brand new cars, at least not of the luxury type, and bing brand new doesn't mean you do not end up with a lemon either - there was a guy on the old x drivers forum, I think, who had amazing issues with a brand new X5 for which he had paid about £70K - it was rejected in the end, after a huge argument involving solicitors etc. after major engine failure and a host of other issues.  Even used cars have to be fit for purpose and if within 6 months of buying them there is a major fault, you do have recourse against the selling dealer.  Private sales much more difficult of course, but reflected by prices too.

Personally, I will be happy to buy a used BMW if it is an AUC only, and I will keep its warranty up while I own it - they are complex cars when they go wrong. But loads of satisfied punters buy privately or from independents and do not suffer major failures, or, horrible fires like you did. 

The trauma is actually more than you think, initially, and can fully understand losing confidence in a marque when a major life threatening incident like this occurs.

i just did a random search

AUDIs catch fire

mercs catch fire

toyotas catch fire

the list goes on mate, thing is, the amount of cars out there for any model is prob in billions, as said, the internet is a wonderful tool for all publicity, the amount of information out there is mind-boggling!

i feel for you Tumphy, but personally i'm yet to be convinced that bmws catch fire more than other brands..  believe me i'm not biased. sorry i know this is not helping given your situ.. 

Tumphy - I have never prior heard of the website you 1st linked to. The site is very very cookie and advert  heavy & for some might ring some gentle alarm bells.The total number of bmw x5 related posts there is negligible compared to our site or indeed other widelh used sites. The majority of content there seems to be disproportionately negative and somewhat lacking in balance or verifiable facts.

Hmm..

I am not sure I'd agree that BMW's are 'well known' for spontaneously bursting into flames.  Like anything there will always be the odd exception here and there.  But I wouldn't say they have an inherent history of it...  and if they do they have done a bloody good job of covering it up.

On occasion I used to spank my 335i on a cross country route home, by the time I got home it was so hot the manifold was glowing, and it never missed a beat!

I remember there being a problem with a "hedgehog resistor" in some BMW's, its behind the dash and the hedgehog part is a heat sink. Its for the heater controls.

These have been known to go faulty and drain the battery, its highly plausible that it could overheat and catch alight.

The insurance assessor might be able to determine the cause if the fire.

The main thing is you got out okay. Those pictures are quick shocking nonetheless.

Here's a how to on changing it, might give you an idea where the fire could have started

http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/showpo ... ostcount=1