BMW X5 control unit can overheat and catch fire
critical How serious is it? About this label
Very serious — the stated risk is a fire, so if you own one of these vehicles do not put off the repair and park away from buildings until it is done.
What's wrong, in plain English
Small electrical parts inside a main control box in the body of the vehicle can short out and get very hot. That heat can spread to other parts nearby and start a fire. Every affected 2019 X5 xDrive40i was still sitting on a dealer lot, so BMW did not mail owner letters. Dealers replace the control unit free of charge. The recall began October 17, 2018.
What you should do
1. Enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls — no letters were mailed, so checking yourself matters here.
2. Contact a BMW dealer, or BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417, right away if your VIN comes up.
3. Have the control unit replaced — the repair is free.
2. Contact a BMW dealer, or BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417, right away if your VIN comes up.
3. Have the control unit replaced — the repair is free.
Affected vehicles (1)
Who to contact
BMW — official BMW recall lookup
Customer service: 1-800-525-7417
The bigger picture
- Why do BMW batteries and starters keep catching fire? · all 28 BMW recalls in this area
Official notice
- Component
- ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
- Summary
- BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2019 BMW X5 xDrive40i vehicles. The capacitors within the Body Domain Controller (BDC) may short circuit and overheat.
- Safety risk
- If the BDC short circuits, other nearby components may also overheat, increasing the risk of a fire.
- Remedy
- All affected vehicles remain on dealer lots, therefore owner letters will not be mailed. BMW dealers will replace the BDC control unit, free of charge. The recall began on October 17, 2018. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
Verify your specific vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov. Recall repairs are free of charge by law.