Many car makers hope that their new models “catch fire” among the consumer public. Obviously, they mean this in a figurative sense. But numerous BMWs in the US and in the world seem to be catching fire, literally.
The BMW Fire Reports
The reports of BMWs suddenly self-igniting was uncovered by an investigation conducted by ABC News. The investigation revealed numerous reports involving BMWs that weren’t even in a car crash. Several owners made car accident claims and testified that they just parked their luxury cars and turned them off, only to find out that their vehicles were on fire moments later.
One of the vehicle owners that the ABC news team talked to was Bill Macko. He is a self-proclaimed BMW fan, and he said that his BMW ignited on its own. The incident occurred on December 1, 2015. The car wasn’t running when it happened. When it burst into flames, the fire also burned his home. Fortunately, no one was hurt.
Macko reported that when he did his own investigation, he found that he wasn’t the only one who had experienced this strange fire problem. The ABC News team confirmed this when they discovered reports of a similar nature in numerous cities in the US. These reports of BMW fires came from different cities including New York, Chicago, San Francisco, and Los Angeles. ABC compiled more than 40 reports of fires involving BMWs.
The BMW Reaction to the Accidents and Injuries
At first, BMW officials said they weren’t aware of any such incidents and reports. Later, an official spokesman for the car company admitted that they did look at the reports of fires that were brought to their attention by the ABC News report. The BMW investigators, however, didn’t see any sort of pattern that may indicate a real car component defect.
BMW officials emphasized that they would not issue any formal apology and that they would not ask for a recall. Their official position is that there’s nothing wrong with their cars.
If any such fires did happen, says the spokesman, then it could be the result of other external factors that have nothing to do with any sort of car defect. The causes can be anything, including improper maintenance and the use of aftermarket modifications. Rodents that have nested in the car may have caused the fire, and it could even have been arson.
The NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) has started its own investigation, and it has received the evidence compiled by the ABC News team. However, similar reports have been issued in many more countries outside the US. It has happened in South Korea, and there the safety officials are investigating the matter. The reports in that country involve BMWs that have caught fire while parked or while running.
If your car suddenly catches fire for no apparent reason, we encourage you to contact our legal team so that we can conduct a proper investigation. A San Diego Personal Injury Attorney can help you in your time of need. Our product liability lawyers can make sure that you have an experienced team by your side who can capably represent you if the fire warrants the filing of a civil suit.