If you have an older model BMW, you’ll want to pay attention to a new recall announcement from federal regulators about a potential fire risk.
BMW of North America has issued an urgent park-outside recall for 720,796 vehicles, according to a news release Friday, Nov. 13, from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
That’s because there’s a risk of fire while the vehicles are parked and turned off.
“If you have one of these vehicles, you should park your vehicle outside and away from buildings and other vehicles until the vehicle is repaired,” according to NHTSA.
The culprit?
“An improperly sealed electrical connector on the water pump may be exposed to water and short circuit, increasing the risk of a fire,” the NHTSA release said, noting
the vehicles were previously recalled in 2024 because of a water pump issue and must be repaired again.
The company is aware of about 10 incidents in the United States that could relate to the issue but isn’t aware of any crashes or injuries, the release said. The affected vehicles were repaired under the previous recall.
Alexander Schmuck, a BMW spokesman, said in an email that customer safety is a top priority and the company is working on a fix for the issue:
"At present, no remedy is yet available for this issue. We are working intensively to make one available as soon as possible. However, out of an abundance of caution, customers are already being informed about the issue and its possible consequences. As soon as the remedy becomes available, they will be notified again."
Here’s the list of vehicles, according to the NHTSA release:
- 2012-2016 BMW 3 Series
- 2012-2016 BMW 5 Series
- 2012–2015 BMW X1
- 2012-2016 BMW Z4
- 2013-2017 BMW X3
- 2014-2016 BMW 2 Series coupe
- 2014–2016 BMW 3 Series sportswagon
- 2014-2016 BMW 328xi Gran Turismo
- 2014-2016 BMW 4 Series convertible
- 2014-2016 BMW 4 Series coupe
- 2015-2016 BMW 2 Series convertible
- 2015-2016 BMW 4 Series gran coupe
- 2015-2018 BMW X4
- 2016-2018 BMW X5 xDrive40e
“Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed beginning Dec. 25, 2026. Affected vehicle identification numbers and license plate numbers will be searchable on NHTSA.gov/Recalls beginning Dec. 25, 2026,” the NHTSA release said. “Owners may contact BMW’s recall hotline at 800-525-7417 or NHTSA’s Vehicle Safety Hotline at 888-327-4236.”
Eric D. Lawrence is the senior car culture reporter at the Detroit Free Press, and he also writes about recreational vehicles, boats and bikes. Send your tips and suggestions to elawrence@freepress.com. Become a subscriber. Submit a letter to the editor at freep.com/letters.
"This story has been updated to add a video."
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: BMW recall affects more than 720K vehicles
