{"id":83830,"date":"2025-09-26T15:22:24","date_gmt":"2025-09-26T19:22:24","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/autosector.com\/?p=83830"},"modified":"2025-09-26T15:22:24","modified_gmt":"2025-09-26T19:22:24","slug":"bmw-recall-starter-motor-fire-risk-2025","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/autosector.com\/?p=83830","title":{"rendered":"BMW Recalls 196,000 Cars in U.S. Over Fire Risk \u2014 Starter Motor Defect"},"content":{"rendered":"

BMW is facing another major recall, with more than 196,000 vehicles in the United States and at least 136,500 in Germany being pulled back due to a defect in the starter motor that poses a potential fire risk. The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) announced the campaign on Friday, warning owners not to park their vehicles inside garages or near buildings until the repair has been completed.<\/p>\n

The Defect: Corrosion, Short Circuits, and Fire Risk<\/h3>\n

At the center of the issue is the engine starter relay, which may corrode when exposed to moisture. In unfavorable conditions, this corrosion can lead to overheating and even a short circuit. While at first the defect may only prevent the engine from starting, NHTSA and BMW have confirmed that overheating in the starter motor can escalate into a fire hazard. Particularly troubling is the fact that such fires can ignite hours after the vehicle was last driven, raising the stakes for owners and regulators alike.<\/p>\n

According to BMW\u2019s internal testing and customer reports, water can penetrate certain starter motor units built between late 2015 and 2021. The company identified the risk after ongoing product testing and complaints from the field revealed repeated failures in affected models.<\/p>\n

Models Impacted<\/h3>\n

The recall covers a wide range of BMW vehicles, along with the Toyota Supra<\/a>, which shares components with the BMW Z4. In the U.S., the list of affected vehicles includes:<\/p>\n