BMW is recalling 12,535 all-electric Mini Cooper SE cars because the batteries in them may have been produced without meeting production standards. According to the documents explaining the recall, a defect may occur in the battery or high-voltage system of the cars concerned, which could cause a fire.
Documents filed with the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the equivalent of Transport Canada, show that said defects can lead to battery overheating. Thermal problems can occur even when the vehicle is stopped and parked.
The campaign targets 2020-2024 models.
Owners will be asked to bring their vehicle to a dealer for a software update. This includes a diagnostic procedure that can detect a malfunction in the high-voltage system and discharge the battery below the emergency mode of 30 percent of the battery's state of charge.
BMW informed dealers of the problem in mid-August, and owners should be contacted starting October 7. Should their vehicle's battery short-circuit before the recall, they will be protected by Mini's new vehicle limited warranty program.