MUNICH (Germany), Sept 26 (Bernama-dpa) — BMW is recalling hundreds of thousands of cars worldwide to fix a problem with the starter motor that could lead to a fire in the worst-case scenario, German Press Agency (dpa) reported Friday.
In Germany, some 136,500 vehicles are affected, according to the company. In the United States (US), a further 195,000 cars are affected.
BMW is not giving a worldwide figure. However, it is likely to be significantly higher, as numerous models from the production period from September 2015 to September 2021 are affected, including in Asia and other European countries.
According to BMW, water can penetrate the starter motor at certain points in the affected vehicles and cause corrosion. It may then no longer be possible to start the engine.
It could also lead to a short circuit and consequently to localised overheating of the starter. In the worst-case scenario, this could lead to a vehicle fire, the company said.
BMW stated that this can also occur when the car is parked. The US federal road safety regulator said that “owners are advised to park their vehicle outside and away from structures until the remedy is complete.”
BMW did not comment on the costs of the recall. As the starter motor has to be replaced and a more powerful battery installed in some cars, these costs are likely to add up.
— BERNAMA-dpa