New Delhi: BMW have asked owners of nearly 2,00,000 vehicles not to park them in the garage as they might short-circuit and catch fire. The fire risk is related to a problem with the engine starter, which can affect cars that are both parked and in motion, according to a notice issued by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
NHTSA has advised owners to park their vehicles outside and away from structures until a solution is found. BMW have studied ten vehicles that caught fire, which triggered a recall, though there are no reports of injury or accidents.
Around 196,355 BMW vehicles, manufactured between 2019 and 2022, are being recalled due to the engine starter relay, which might corrode, causing overheating and a short circuit, as said by NHTSA in a press release. The recall even includes 1,469 Toyota Supras as well, which are made by German luxury brand NHTSA noted.
BMW dealers will be replacing the starter without charge, though the recall will take place in phases due to the limited availability of the part. Interim letters are scheduled to be mailed to owners on November 14th, with a second letter noting the details when replacements are available. The models to recall are, 2019-2022 BMW Z4, 2019-2021 BMW 330i, 2020-2022 BMW X3, 2020-2022 BMW X4, 2020-2022 BMW 530i, 2021-2022 BMW 430i standard and convertible, 2022 BMW 230i and 2020 – 2022 Toyota Supra.
This won’t be the first time, though, that the German brand has had issues with their vehicles. Back in 2018, BMW was fined $10 million by the South Korean government following 50 vehicles from the brand catching fire in one year.
The country’s transport ministry had found that BMW had tried to brush the issue under the carpet and had delayed the recall of 172,000 vehicles.
FAQ
Why is BMW recalling their vehicles?
BMW has identified a potential fire risk due to corrosion in the engine starter relay, which results in the component overheating and short-circuiting. This can happen even if the vehicle is parked.
Which BMW and Toyota vehicles are going to be recalled?
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) have said the vehicles are BMW Z4 (2019–2022), BMW 330i (2019–2021), BMW X3 (2020–2022), BMW X4 (2020–2022), BMW 530i (2020–2022), BMW 430i (Standard and Convertible, 2021–2022), BMW 230i (2022), Toyota Supra (2020–2022) – manufactured by BMW
How will BMW fix the issue?
BMW dealers are going to replace the faulty starter relay free of charge. The recall will be phased due to the limited availability of parts.