The National Consumer Commission (NCC) has issued a public alert regarding a widespread recall of several BMW models sold across South Africa, in a move to safeguard drivers and prevent potential vehicle fires.
The recall, initiated by BMW Group South Africa (BMW) on Tuesday, targets a defect in the starter motor of specific luxury vehicles, affecting a total of 12,491 units that hit South African roads starting from 2016.
The models in question include the BMW 3 Series (G20), 4 Series (G22), 5 Series (G30), Z4 (G29), X3 (G01), and X4 (G02).
According to the statement from the NCC, the issue comes from a vulnerability in the starter motor’s design.
Water leakage could cause fire
“According to BMW, their product controls and customer complaints have shown that in the identified vehicles, water can enter the starter motor at certain points and cause corrosion.”
This corrosion, BMW South Africa explains, could hinder the engine from starting properly, potentially leading to a short circuit.
In more severe scenarios, this malfunction might cause localised overheating within the starter motor itself, highlighting the danger even to stationary cars.
“The risks don’t stop there, in the worst case, this may result in a vehicle fire, which can occur even when the vehicle is parked,” the NCC statement warned.
To mitigate immediate threats, the commission has advised owners to steer clear of deep water crossings.
“In the unlikely event of a thermal event, damage to persons or property may occur,” the statement added.
Car owners must head to dealerships
BMW has pledged swift action for affected owners.
“Those with impacted vehicles are encouraged to visit their nearest authorised BMW dealership, where the starter motor will be replaced free of charge.”
The company emphasised that this recall is a proactive measure to ensure customer safety, with no reported incidents in South Africa to date.
This recall adds to a string of automotive safety alerts in recent months, where most German vehicles costing millions of rands reported an increasingly complex vehicle engineering, including the bolting of the steering coupling.
READ MORE: National Consumer Commission issues recalls for Mercedes-Benz vehicles
