X5M up in flames

[MilehighM3]

Glad you're okay but the source of the fire looks external and well below the tail light. Curious what the outcome is. BMW has a special team to investigate fires like this

[Aftermath]

Originally Posted by MilehighM3

Glad you're okay but the source of the fire looks external and well below the tail light. Curious what the outcome is. BMW has a special team to investigate fires like this

Could have to do with the exhaust being faulty due to bad installation I.E lack of heat shield or something along those lines . Fires go up not down and it looks from those pictures right above your exhaust .

Glad your save and rest up

[AlterZgo]

All this stuff about window punches and failsafes. How about BMW and all the other mfgs just go back to door locks that can be easily opened manually? Why do they have to round off that door actuator that goes up and down? All cars use to have a lip on the top of the door actuator that you can physically pull up to mechanically unlock the door. Now, all of them use the rounded off actuator.

Sometimes, there are very simple, old school solutions to a problem that requires zero engineering or tech.

[infamousdiz]

Originally Posted by Kash

No. All cars DON'T go up in flames. It is like saying all airplanes fall one day. This is a serious issue.

It's only my profession with 11 year experience but then again what do I know

[AlexLou1222]

Originally Posted by RENT-A-GOAT

This is crazy but always remember if you ever get stuck inside a car and need to break the glass, just pull one of the head restraints all of the way out of the seats, you will notice the metal legs have a slight point (chamfer) to them this is designed in this way both for them to locate easy but also for them to be used to break the glass in an emergency situation.

X5M and X6M don't have head restraints :/ it's one piece and the rear is not moveable as well.

Buy glad to know this can break the glass!

[rallycobra]

http://www.wcpo.com/money/consumer/d...nna-diehttp://

http://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/...locked-n100881

I'm not one for extra government regulation, but there should be a mechanical override on the front seat doors. If you pull the door handle open twice it needs to open. There have already been deaths due to this engineering error.

[Pictor]

Originally Posted by rallycobra

I'm not one for extra government regulation, but there should be a mechanical override on the front seat doors. If you pull the door handle open twice it needs to open. There have already been deaths due to this engineering error.

It's by design. Not an error. If the 'deadbolt' is activated then pulling the handle won't work. I don't know how far back but I've had cars going back to the E34 that worked this way. Now, getting into a situation where the deadbolt is active may be an error.

From the F10 manual:

Locking from the outside
Do not lock the vehicle from the outside if there are people in it, as the vehicle cannot be unlocked from inside without special knowl‐ edge.◀
Anti-theft protection is switched on. It pre‐ vents the doors from being unlocked using the lock buttons or the door openers.

[Bluesummer]

After nearly a month later of my original suggestion post, this article finally made it to the bimmerpost front page...

I guess better late than never?

[pz619]

Wow. Just read this. Thrilled the OP got out alive. No one should be trapped in the car because there is no power. Bmw needs to fix this.

[MarkM5]

Originally Posted by AlexLou1222

X5M and X6M don't have head restraints :/ it's one piece and the rear is not moveable as well.

Buy glad to know this can break the glass!

Never tried but have seen videos on using the seat belt buckle. Sliding in between the window and door and pulling on it. Hope this is helpful, maybe someone has better insight into this method.

Glad to hear you made it out, get better.

[raysspl]

Yikes!!! Glad you're fine!

[Speed-NYC]

I keep a life hammer in each door and I haven't seen it mentioned here but its important to strike the corner of the window, thats where the glass is most vulnerable.

[ajob]

About the probable cause of the fire, I would bet on a short circuit due to insulation damage of the large red battery cable in that area, the very high current could rapidly cause a fire and explain the transient malfunction warnings.

Rat chewing (they seem to love the plastic taste) or damage while drilling for a tow hitch installation could have compromised that cable insulation.

In case of the tow hitch you may find a telling hole, but rat chewing may be unrecognizable after a fire, unless you find corroborating traces elsewhere.

[infamousq]

Man thank God you are ok. That is crazy you couldn't get out.

[onfireX5]

I wonder what the "special knowledge " is ?

[Roundown]

Originally Posted by onfireX5

I wonder what the "special knowledge " is ?

Was thinking the same thing.

[rking117]

Originally Posted by Neuera09

That is crazy! Glad you are safe. I carry one of this all the time. One for every key fobs. It's a glass punch and seatbelt cutter. Best lifesaving tool I have in my pocket.

This tool doesnt work well on windows that are not factory tinted. The film keeps the window in tact.

[Crashnbrn5]

Originally Posted by heat'n'cool

Driving to work. Car started to malfunction saying the airbag failure and all other lights. Started filling with smoke. Stopped the car to get out. Car shut off. Locked me in. Smoke completely filled the cabin. I couldn't get out. Luckily the ignition came back on after 15-30 seconds. Scariest thing I have ever experienced.

Jeez man, you got me thinking, what if kids were involved (not sure if someone mentioned that already) but I have 2 kids. scary.

Glad you're okay (somewhat) Long term effects though

[Thescout13]

Originally Posted by heat'n'cool

Yes thankfully I was able to get out.

Defiantly an electrical issue. BMW NA already has a few people coming to look at it. However I'm in he hospital because of smoke inhalation and elevated carbon monoxide in my blood. Have me on 100% oxygen and have to be on it most of the day to get my levels to normal. The kicker is they know about it an NO ONE has reached out to see if I was ok.

Never driving a BMW again unfortunately this scared me so badly I probably will have nightmares for a while. And I don't get scared easily.

They haven't reached out to see if you are okay because it's against their policy to do so. Their in house counsel, actually all in house counsels for all major brands, tell their execs etc never to reach out and "see how people are" or "give them our sympathies" when their product has a catastrophic failure. The reason is that in certain jurisdictions around the US and abroad, such a call of apology or "checking in" can be admissible hearsay that can be used against them for guilt/culpability (at least in the minds of jurors). So if they stay away, they can preserve their "innocence" or argument and try and blame it on you if it comes to that.

Don't mean to be a downer, just trying to say I'm not surprised they didn't reach out.

[pz619]

Originally Posted by onfireX5

I wonder what the "special knowledge " is ?

It doesn't say in the manual. Could be a sequence of events that unlocks the doors or complete removal of the door as far as I know.

[Anthony235]

For those saying to shoot the windshield towards the sky. That will not work. The windshield will not shatter since it is laminated. It will stay in one piece and you still won't be able to get out.

The side windows or rear window would be better for this, but depending on where your vehicle is you might not have a safe shot. I would hit the glass with the muzzle or even your front site (since it has more of a point) before reverting to shooting out the side windows. If you do have to shoot them out then aim up at the highest angle possible. A falling bullet at free fall has little chance of killing anyone.

Along with the headrest trick you can also try the metal seat belt. Though the headrest is probably a better option since it comes to more of a point.

[Thermobaric]

Originally Posted by rking117

This tool doesnt work well on windows that are not factory tinted. The film keeps the window in tact.

It would still shatter it into small pieces though. Just the extra film would hold it as one piece. It could then be punched/kicked out.

And yeah, you don't want to shoot through a windscreen ideally. As said, you'd just end up with a small hole and cracks in your screen. Not to mention all the fine glass particle dust you're now breathing as the bullet vaporized some on it's way out.