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BMW Recalls 720,000 Vehicles for Fire Risk

NHTSA recalls 720,796 BMW vehicles, including X1, X3, X4, and X5 models.

Published August 21, 2024 at 2:32pm by Ahjané Forbes

BMW Recalls Over 720,000 Vehicles Due to Fire Risk

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has issued a recall notification for over 720,000 BMW vehicles due to a water pump malfunction that may cause a fire.

BMW is recalling 720,796 of its 2012-2018 vehicles, including some models of the BMW X1, X3, X4, and X5. In the NHTSA report released on Aug. 19, the luxury vehicle company stated, “an improperly sealed electrical connector on the water pump may be exposed to water and short circuit.” An electrical short increases the risk of a fire, the NHTSA report said.

To address the issue, BMW dealers will inspect and replace the water pump and plug connector as necessary and install a protective shield for free. Recall notification letters are expected to be sent on Oct. 4. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.

Recalled BMW vehicles:

2014-2016 228i
2014-2016 228xi
2012-2016 328i
2012-2016 328xi
2014-2016 428i
2015-2016 428xi
2012-2016 528i
2012-2015 X1
2013-2017 X3
2015-2018 X4
2016-2018 X5
2012-2016 Z4

Check car recalls here: Ford, General Motors among 221,000 vehicles recalled

BMW Recalls Over 100,000 Cars Due to Overheating Motor

Earlier this month, BMW issued a recall for over 105,588 crossovers and sedans due to an increased risk of fire, the NHTSA report said.

According to the report posted on Aug. 7, issues with the starter motor can prevent the car from starting, cause electrical overload, and lead to overheating, which may catch other engine components on fire.

Some of the affected vehicles may experience issues starting up due to a failure of the starter motor. Repeated attempts at starting the vehicle can cause the motor to overheat due to an electrical overload, potentially catching combustible materials in the engine compartment and increasing the risk of fire.

For free, BMW dealers will update the vehicle software. Recall notification letters are expected to be delivered by Sept. 23. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.

Recalled BMW vehicles:

2020 340xi
2020-2021 740i
2020-2021 740xi
2020 840i
2020 840xi
2020 M340i
2019-2020 X5
2020 X6
2019-2020 X7

Contributing: Mary Walrath-Holdridge, USA TODAY.

Ahjané Forbes is a reporter on the National Trending Team at USA TODAY. Ahjané covers breaking news, car recalls, crime, health, lottery, and public policy stories. Email her at aforbes@gannett.com. Follow her on Instagram, Threads, and X (Twitter) @forbesfineest.