Posted on 10/02/2025 11:21:29 AM PDT by Red Badger
BMW is recalling over 145,000 vehicles due to a potential fire risk from an overheated starter.
“This safety recall involves the engine starter. In certain cases, the engine starter may not start the vehicle properly. These improper starting attempts could result in local overheating of the engine starter,” a recall notice read.
Reuters has more:
The issue affects vehicles across 2020 340I, X7, and X5 models, the auto safety regulator said.
BMW dealers will replace the engine starter, free of charge, NHTSA said in the notice.
Earlier this week, NHTSA said that BMW would recall over 196,000 vehicles in the U.S. over an engine starter issue that could lead to overheating and short circuit.
“BMW is issuing a park outside recall for nearly 200,000 vehicles from model years 2019–2022 due to a risk of fire when parked or driving,” the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) wrote last week.
The Hill noted:
NHTSA said that in some cases, the engine starter might not start the car properly, which could lead to the local overheating of the engine starter.
“If the starter overheats, locally, during these starting situations, the engine acoustic protection material can be ignited if contaminated,” NHTSA said. “In rare cases, this could lead to a thermal event while driving or shortly after parking, if the vehicle had a starting event shortly before being parked.”
The engine starter will be swapped with a new one with a different design. Owners will be notified by mail and instructed to take their cars to an authorized BMW dealer to address the issue.
In related news, Kia recalled nearly 40,000 vehicles after discovering a faulty HVAC system that could increase the risk of fire.
“Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2021-2023 Sorento vehicles. The heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) blower motor wiring harness may be inadequate, which can result in a fire,” a recall notice stated.
Given my experiences with Mercedes, EE and German cars are not friends.
Is that one of those “engine restarts after every stop light” models?
Probably.............
Payback for WWII...............
Given my experiences with BMW and Porsche, German cars are the only cars I drive when not using my truck (Toyota) for work/business.
Nothing made in America or Japan touches them. Not even close.
A man goes house to house asking people if they needed any work done as a way to earn money.
He goes to a man and woman’s house and asks if they need any work done
“Yah sure!” the man says. “you can paint our porch for us. Here is the paint. I will give you fifty dollars for the job.”
“okay” the guy says.
He goes outside and starts painting. The man closes the door.
“Do you think we are paying him enough?” the woman asks the man. “He probably doesn’t know the porch goes all the way around the house. Maybe we should pay him more?”
“Oh, its fine, if he does really well maybe I will give him a little more. But, it will take a long time before he is done.”
The guy comes back only 10 minutes later.
“I am finished painting.” the girl tells the owners of the house.
“Already?” asked the homeowner.
“Oh, yeah, and by the way your car is a BMW not a Porsche.” the guy says.
Includes Toyota Supras…which used BMW components.
There was a fire at the Jax airport parking garage a few months ago. A portion of the garage was destroyed in what will cost over 50 million to repair. I believe a BMW was the vehicle that ignited the fire. First some thought it was an EV but it was not.
I keep hoping my BMW will self immolate, but it’s not cooperating....................
The self starter has been around for a century, just how can any manufacturer screw that up?
BMW quality has steadily dropped over the past 20 years. Their target market of metrosexuals and awfuls who won’t question the $1500 repair bills every 6 months.
It sounds like the acoustic material eat the starter can ignite “if it’s contaminated “. Sounds like one hell of a long shot.
Cheap materials, shady vendors with no QA plans in place and friends in high places................
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