BMW recalls 25,000 cars across UK due to fire risk
Thousands of BMW drivers have been advised not to leave their car unattended with the engine running due to a potential fire risk...
BMW has issued a safety recall for 25,000 of its cars across the UK due to faulty starter motors that could overheat and catch fire if the engine is left running unattended.
The company issued a global notice to drivers of BMW cars manufactured between July 2020 and July 2022 after it found defects in their starter motor switches during internal quality controls.
The notice affects 24,732 cars in the UK and 197 cars in Ireland, our sister title Autocar was told. It hasn’t been confirmed how many cars are affected globally, but German media sources have suggested the total figure could reach up to 575,000.
Cars impacted in the UK include the 2 Series (G42), 3 Series (G21), 4 Series (G22/G23), 4 Series Gran Coupé (G26), 5 Series (G30/G31), 6 Series GT (G32), 7 Series (G11/G12), X3 (G01), X4 (G02), X5 (G05), X6 (G06) and Z4 (G29).
In a statement, BMW said: “The magnetic switch in the starter establishes the electrical connection during the starting process. Due to a manufacturing defect, after a very high number of start cycles, increased wear may occur in the magnetic switch. This leads to a deterioration in the ability of engine starting. As a result, the vehicle’s engine may no longer be able to start at all. In addition, a short circuit in the magnetic switch cannot be ruled out.
“Consequently, this may cause local overheating in the starter. In the worst case, this can lead to a vehicle fire during vehicle operation. In such a case, smoke may be seen or smelled during driving or when exiting the vehicle.”
The company advised drivers not to leave the vehicle unattended with the engine running. It also confirmed it is working to contact affected drivers via post to explain the next steps. Impacted cars will be fixed in dealerships, though BMW has not given a timeframe on how long this will take.
BMW customers who are concerned they may have been affected can use a recall checker available on BMW.co.uk. You can read more about car recalls and what to do if your car is impacted by one in our dedicated feature.
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