BMW faces another major recall, with more than 196,000 vehicles in the USA and at least 136,500 in Germany due to a defect in the starter motor that represents a potential fire risk. The US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) announced the campaign on Friday and warned the owners not to park their vehicles in garages or near buildings until the repair is complete.
The defect: corrosion, short circuit and fire risk
At the center of the problem is the motor starter relay, which can corrode in the event of moisture. In unfavorable conditions, this corrosion can lead to overheating and even a short circuit. While the defect can initially only prevent the engine from starting, NHTSA and BMW have confirmed that overheating in the starter engine can escalate to a fire. The fact that such fires can ignite hours after the last driving of the vehicle is particularly worrying, which increases the operations for owners and supervisory authorities alike.
According to the internal test and customer reports from BMW, water can penetrate certain starter engine units that were built between the end of 2015 and 2021. The company identified the risk based on ongoing product tests and symptoms from the field repeated errors in affected models.
Models affected
Together with the Toyota Supra, the recall covers a wide range of BMW vehicles that share components with the BMW Z4. In the United States, the list of affected vehicles includes:
- 2019–2021 BMW 330i
- 2019–2022 BMW Z4
- 2020–2022 BMW 530i, X3, X4
- 2021–2022 BMW 430i, 430i convertible
- 2022 BMW 230i
- 2020–2022 Toyota Supra
The problem affects almost all BMW model lines worldwide that were manufactured between September 28, 2015 and September 7, 2021, with the exception of some compact models with cross -motors and M performance models in which starter motors from other suppliers were used.
In Germany, the recall list contains:
- BMW 1 series (F20, F21)
- 2 series Coupé (G42)
- 3 Series (G20, G21, G28)
- 4 series (G22, G23, G26)
- 5 Series (G30, G31)
- 6 Series GT (G32)
- 7 series (G11, G12)
- X3 (G01)
- X4 (G02)
- X5 (G05)
- X6 (G06)
- X7 (G07)
- Z4 Roadster (G29)
Security warnings
Due to the potential fire risk, BMW and US supervisory authorities have asked customers not to park their vehicles indoors or near structures. This precaution reflects warnings from previous recalls in the auto industry in which a fire risk was involved.
NHTSA has also published a message in which it is emphasized that “owners are recommended to park their vehicles outside and from the structures until the means is complete.”
Commercial remedies and next steps
The owners in the United States will receive official recalls from November 14, 2025. At this point, you can check whether your specific vehicle is contained by entering your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
BMW has confirmed that affected vehicles receive a replacement starter engine free of charge, with some models also requiring a new battery. Repairs are carried out by authorized BMW dealers in the USA and worldwide. Customers can also contact BMW’s US service line under 1-800-525-7417 in order to obtain further information.
