On Tuesday, BMW announced a recall of 720,796 vehicles in North America due to a potential fire hazard caused by an electric water pump that may short circuit due to improper installation.
According to documents posted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the issue stems from an improperly sealed electrical connector on the water pump, which could be exposed to water and short circuit.
Specifically, blowby-liquid from the positive crankcase ventilation system may accumulate on the intake air hose and eventually drip onto the plug connector, potentially causing an electrical short.
The recall notice states that this defect “could increase the risk of a thermal event and, in rare cases, a fire.”
The recall affects the following BMW models:
– BMW 228i (2014-2016)
– BMW 228xi (2014-2016)
– BMW 328i (2012-2016)
– BMW 328xi (2012-2016)
– BMW 428i (2014-2016)
– BMW 428xi (2015-2016)
– BMW 528i (2012-2016)
– BMW X1 (2012-2015)
– BMW X3 (2013-2017)
– BMW X4 (2015-2018)
– BMW X5 (2016-2018)
– BMW Z4 (2012-2016)
BMW dealers will replace the water pump and plug connector and install a protective shield at no cost to the owners.
Notification letters will be sent to vehicle owners starting on October 4.
For more information, owners can contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417, refer to the recall number “24V-608,” or reach out to NHTSA’s safety hotline at 1-888-327-4236 or visit www.nhtsa.gov.
As of this month, BMW has received around 18 customer complaints related to the faulty pump but has reported no accidents or injuries associated with the recall.
This marks BMW’s third recall since July.
On July 24, the automaker recalled over 290,000 vehicles in North America due to faulty bolts that could cause the interior cargo rail to detach during a rear-end collision.
Earlier, on July 10, BMW recalled over 394,000 vehicles in North America due to Takata airbag inflators that could explode upon deployment, potentially sending sharp metal fragments towards drivers and passengers.
