2014 BMW 335XI

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP

BMW of North America LLC (BMW) is recalling certain model year 2014 228i Coupe, M235i Coupe, 320i, 320xi, 328i, 328xi, 335i, 335xi, ActiveHybrid 3, 328xi Sports Wagon, 428i Coupe, 428xi Coupe, 435i Coupe, 435xi Coupe, 428i Convertible, 428xi Convertible, 435i Convertible, 328xi Gran Turismo, 335xi Gran Turismo, and 2015 428i Gran Coupe, 428xi Gran Coupe, and 435i Gran Coupe vehicles. Improper nickel plating of components within the fuel pump may result in the fuel pump failing.

Risk: If the fuel pump fails, the vehicle may stall without warning, increasing the risk of a crash.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

What happened: While driving, steering system malfunction warning appeared, power steering felt normal. Within 5 sec the HVAC blower quit, A/C shut off, and “Transmission not in Park” flashed although shifter was untouched (in Drive). All cluster gauges began sweeping randomly; iDrive screen flickered. Within 10 seconds, I heard a loud pop from passenger-side engine bay; voltage warnings continued. Pulled over immediately, switched ignition off, opened hood: active flames at passenger side of engine bay. Fire spread rapidly. Fire dept arrived within 5 min, but vehicle was fully engulfed. Total loss. No injuries. Suspected root cause: BMW’s PCV valve-heater (“blow-by heater”) or electric coolant-pump connector short-circuited, causing a massive current draw that browned out control modules (explaining the cascading warnings) and started the fire. These parts are the subjects of recalls 22V-119 (PCV heater, build cutoff 10 Oct 2013) and 24V-608 (water-pump connector, N20 engines only). My VIN shows NO open recalls, yet the failure sequence and fire origin perfectly match the defects acknowledged in those campaigns. Damage & consequences Complete destruction of vehicle forward of the firewall and significant damage to cabin. Towing, tow-yard and haz-mat cleanup fees incurred in excess of $1300 I only have liability coverage on the vehicle, so insurance will not get involved. Request to NHTSA Please investigate 2014 335i GT (N55) models excluded from 22V-119 and 24V-608. Evidence suggests the same defective components are present and can cause in-motion engine-bay fires. Please advise if I have any recourse on this matter.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

What happened: While driving, steering system malfunction warning appeared, power steering felt normal. Within 5 sec the HVAC blower quit, A/C shut off, and “Transmission not in Park” flashed although shifter was untouched (in Drive). All cluster gauges began sweeping randomly; iDrive screen flickered. Within 10 seconds, I heard a loud pop from passenger-side engine bay; voltage warnings continued. Pulled over immediately, switched ignition off, opened hood: active flames at passenger side of engine bay. Fire spread rapidly. Fire dept arrived within 5 min, but vehicle was fully engulfed. Total loss. No injuries. Suspected root cause: BMW’s PCV valve-heater (“blow-by heater”) or electric coolant-pump connector short-circuited, causing a massive current draw that browned out control modules (explaining the cascading warnings) and started the fire. These parts are the subjects of recalls 22V-119 (PCV heater, build cutoff 10 Oct 2013) and 24V-608 (water-pump connector, N20 engines only). My VIN shows NO open recalls, yet the failure sequence and fire origin perfectly match the defects acknowledged in those campaigns. Damage & consequences Complete destruction of vehicle forward of the firewall and significant damage to cabin. Towing, tow-yard and haz-mat cleanup fees incurred in excess of $1300 I only have liability coverage on the vehicle, so insurance will not get involved. Request to NHTSA Please investigate 2014 335i GT (N55) models excluded from 22V-119 and 24V-608. Evidence suggests the same defective components are present and can cause in-motion engine-bay fires. Please advise if I have any recourse on this matter.