Topline
BMW is recalling more than 720,000 vehicles over a water pump connector that may short circuit, increasing the risk of a fire, according to a regulatory filing on Tuesday, the latest notice by the automaker after hundreds of thousands of other cars were recalled last month.
The automaker investigated the defect after being contacted by Korean officials.
Key Facts
The recall affects some cars manufactured between 2012 and 2017, including BMW X1 xDrive28i, Gran Turismo, X3 sDrive28i and X4 xDrive28i vehicles, among others, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said.
The cars are equipped with a water pump that, because of insufficient sealing, could be susceptible to leaking fluid onto an electrical plug connector, potentially causing a short circuit and increasing the risk of a fire.
BMW said it was contacted by the Korean Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport in March about a “thermal event” involving the defect, adding it became aware of one “incident” that occurred in the U.S. in January, though the automaker did not clarify what the incident was.
The NHTSA said BMW was aware of about 18 customer complaints, concerns or field instances that may be related to the defect in the U.S., but the automaker had not received any reports of accidents or injuries.
BMW said it will notify affected drivers starting Oct. 4, and dealers will inspect and replace the water pump and plug connector for free if necessary.
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Big Number
1,606,083. That’s how many cars BMW has recalled across 21 notices this year, according to NHTSA data.
Key Background
BMW recalled 105,000 vehicles earlier this month, including some 2020 3 Series Sedans, for a starter motor that can overheat and ignite nearby combustible material in the engine, increasing the risk of a fire. The automaker said it was not aware of any accidents or injuries caused by the defect. Last month, BMW recalled more than 681,000 vehicles across two recalls. About 390,000 cars were equipped with recalled bag inflators, which have an increased risk of exploding in a crash. Another 291,000 vehicles were installed with a rear cargo rail—a bar on the car roof—that could become damaged in a rear crash, causing the rail to detach.
