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BMW X5, X6, X7 and sedans risk starter motor fire

NHTSA campaign 24V576000 · Reported 2024-08-01 · BMW of North America, LLC

critical How serious is it? About this label

This is a fire risk, so treat it as serious; BMW has not told owners to stop driving or to park outside, but get the update soon and do not keep cranking an engine that will not start.

What's wrong, in plain English

If the starter motor fails, repeatedly trying to start the engine can push too much electricity through it and make it overheat. A starter that gets that hot can set fire to nearby flammable parts in the engine compartment. The risk builds up when you keep cranking a car that will not start. A dealer will update the vehicle's software free of charge so the starter cannot be overloaded this way. BMW mailed owner letters on September 27, 2024.

What you should do

1. Enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether your BMW is on the list.
2. Book the software update with your BMW dealer, or call BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
3. Have the free software update installed; until then, avoid repeated start attempts if the engine does not fire up.

Affected vehicles (6)

Who to contact

BMW — official BMW recall lookup

Customer service: 1-800-525-7417

Any franchised dealer for the brand can do the repair. Phone numbers are taken from manufacturer sites and recent NHTSA notices; if one has changed, the number in your own recall letter is the one to use.

The bigger picture

Official notice

Component
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:STARTER ASSEMBLY
Summary
BMW of North America, LLC is recalling certain 2019-2020 X5, X7, 2020 3 Series Sedan, X6, 2020-2021 7 Series Sedan, 2020 8 Series Convertible, 8 Series Coupe, and 2020 8 Series Gran Coupe vehicles. Please see the recall report for the complete list of models. In the event the starter motor fails, repeated attempts to start the vehicle can cause the starter motor to overheat from an electrical overload.
Safety risk
A starter motor that overheats can ignite nearby combustible material in the engine compartment, increasing the risk of a fire.
Remedy
Dealers will update the vehicle software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 27, 2024. 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.