In September of 2025, BMW issued a recall of nearly 200,000 vehicles to address a potential fire risk traced to the engine starter. Last week the German automaker’s North American division issued a new recall of 87,394 additional vehicles, including 6,958 in Canada, to address the same issue.
Over half of the vehicles recalled this go around are 3 Series sedans in the new recall. The recall targets nine different car and SUV models in all:
- - 2023 2 Series
- - 2021-2024 3 Series
- - 2021-2023 4 Series (Coupe, Gran Coupe, Convertible)
- - 2021-2023 5 Series
- - 2021-2023 X3
- - 2021-2023 X4
- - 2021-2022 Z4
Note that a tiny number of Toyota GR Supra vehicles - three units to be exact - may also have the issue, since that model shares a number of components with the Z4.
Transport Canada’s recall number is 2026-040. For the three Toyota units, the recall number is 2026-041.
The problem
Transport Canada explains that “on certain vehicles, the engine starter may not have been manufactured properly. As a result, the starter could overheat.” BMW itself goes into further detail, stating that its tests carried out since the first recall helped determine that “wear on an internal component of the engine starter could result in starter overheating and a potential fire. A buildup of metallic material because of abrasion in the electrical relay chamber was also discovered.”
The solution
BMW North America will mail out letters to owners of affected vehicles starting on March 24th. Dealerships will replace the engine starter, free of charge.
To owners of the affected BMW and Toyota Transport Canada recommends “not using the remote start function and not leaving the vehicle unattended with the engine running until the recall repairs have been completed.”