Over 720K BMW vehicles recalled over fire risk

BMW of North America has recalled 720,796 vehicles in the United States over a defect that could cause a fire even when a vehicle is parked and switched off. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) issued an alert on 13 November urging owners to park affected vehicles outdoors, away from buildings and other vehicles, until they are repaired.

“If you have one of these vehicles, you should park your vehicle outside and away from buildings and other vehicles until the vehicle is repaired,” the agency said.

The defect involves an improperly sealed electrical connector on the water pump. BMW’s recall filing said the material around the connector can degrade over time, allowing moisture to enter the pump. That can cause a short circuit and, in rare cases, a fire.

The affected vehicles were previously recalled in 2024 over a water pump issue and now need another repair. BMW is aware of about 10 incidents in the US that may be linked to the defect, all involving vehicles repaired under the earlier recall. The company said it was unaware of any related crashes or injuries.

The recall covers certain 2012 to 2016 BMW 3 Series, 5 Series and Z4 vehicles, as well as 2012 to 2015 X1s and 2013 to 2017 X3s. It also includes certain 2014 to 2016 2 Series coupés, 3 Series Sports Wagons, 328xi Gran Turismos, and 4 Series coupés and convertibles. Other affected models include certain 2015 to 2016 2 Series convertibles and 4 Series Gran Coupés, 2015 to 2018 X4s and 2016 to 2018 X5 xDrive40e vehicles.

BMW’s filing listed 4 November as the planned date for notifying dealers. The company is still developing a fix and will carry out repairs free of charge at authorised BMW dealerships once it is available.

BMW expects to begin mailing notices to owners on 25 December 2026. From that date, owners will also be able to check whether their vehicle is affected by entering its vehicle identification number or registration plate on the NHTSA recall website.