BMW will recall 105,558 cars and SUVs in the U.S. to fix a problem with a starter motor that can overheat, said the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the equivalent of Transport Canada.
The company will release a software update to fix the problem, which affects several models:
- - 2019-2020 X5
- - 2020 X6
- - 2019-2020 X7
- - 2020 3 Series
- - 2020-2021 7 Series
- - 2020 8 Series (coupe, convertible and Grand Coupe configurations)
According to NHTSA documents, the recall concerns the engine starter motor, which could be mechanically faulty in some cases. As a result, the engine may not start. If the driver makes several excessively long attempts to start the engine, the starter motor may be electrically overloaded.
“If the engine acoustic protection material is contaminated by, e.g. oil, then in an extreme case, the proximity of the starter to the acoustic protection material could lead to a thermal event,” says the recall notice. It doesn't mention fire, but we can guess that a thermal problem represents a risk in this respect.
According to NHTSA, dealers will update the vehicle's software free of charge. Owner notification letters should be sent out in September.
We contacted BMW Canada to find out how many models were affected here; we will update this news when we receive the information.