BMW Pulls Cars from Market Due to Starter System Fire Hazard

(MENAFN) BMW announced a worldwide recall of hundreds of thousands of vehicles produced between July 2020 and 2022 due to a technical defect in the starter system that could trigger a fire.

The Munich-based automaker said 28,582 vehicles will be recalled in Germany, but it has not yet provided figures for the total global recall or the expected costs.

BMW explained that excessive wear on the starter motor solenoid can occur after heavy use, potentially preventing the engine from starting and creating a short circuit that may cause localized overheating. In the worst-case scenario, this defect could ignite a fire while the vehicle is in motion.

Owners of affected vehicles are advised not to leave their cars unattended while the engine is running.

The recall impacts multiple models, including the 2 Series Coupe, 3, 4, 5, and 7 Series sedans, as well as the 6 Series Gran Turismo, X4, X5, X6, and Z4. Vehicles with starter relays produced between July 2020 and July 2022 are particularly at risk, along with cars fitted with faulty starter motors during repairs.

This follows a previous large-scale recall in September for vehicles produced from September 2015 to 2021 due to starter system faults. While that recall was linked to water leaks causing corrosion and posed a risk even when the engine was off, the current recall is caused by physical wear and presents a fire hazard primarily when the engine is running.

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