Vehicle is 100% BMW Serviced for it's history, showroom to present. Vehicle had been smoking after sitting 2-3 days and driving. We'd park and see wisps of smoke coming from the wheelwells and engine bay. Alarming! Never witnessed open flame, but as the saying goes, if there's smoke... Questionable component: 328xd Fuel Sensor Probe (BMW part #13-53-8-594-893 Fuel Feed Line 135040 ) Complaint/Report pertains to Fuel Sensor Probe failure and resultant fuel propagation(backfeeding/leaking fuel from sensor connection) into adjacent wiring/engine bay foils. Diagnostic System did not report sensor failure until extensive damage and hazard was realized. BMW USA responded to report as NOT COVERED BY WARRANTY(high mile vehicle) and therefore not of responsibility of BMW. According to local BMW Service team the event is NOT UNUSUAL and that several vehicles with same fail/error codes have exhibited similar fuel leakage/propagation/damages. VERY PROBABLE FIRE HAZARD Costly repairs; if system had detected failure when sensor failed we would have had it fixed. We reported the smoking several times but the service department didn't isolate the problem. We continued to drive the vehicle cross-country for 6+ months; each time the problem got worse. WE GOT LUCKY Repair bills came to almost $10k by the time we added all visits and the entire wiring bundle that had to be replaced due to fuel damage. Failed Sensor repair is around $750? BMW needs to implement a way to mitigate this problem to keep from having some potentially catastrophic/lethal endings. Similar problems that have contributed to vehicle fires in these BMW vehicles: 1) HEATER BOX malfunctions 2) PCV VALVE 3) COOLANT LEAK
NHTSA ODI 11532089