BMW Recalls 318,000 Vehicles, Says Overheated Starter Could Cause Engine Fire

BMW North America is recalling 318,495 vehicles over wear issues with the vehicles’ starters that could cause them to fail to start and, in extreme cases, lead to a fire in the engine compartment.The recall population includes some 2023–2024 Toyota Supra sports coupes (270), along with 2021–2025 model years BMW 2 Series Coupes (11,479), 5 Series (11,991), Z4 (2,177), 4 Series Grand Coupe (9,552), 4 Series Convertibles (8,048), 4 Series Coupe (5,270), 3 Series (32,094), X4 (26,866), and X3 (210,748).The recall was announced on July 24 on the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration’s (NHTSA) X account.According to the NHTSA, the recalled vehicles all have engine starters with a unique configuration that could cause unexpected wear.In modest instances of starter failure, vehicles in the recall population may fail to start. More serious complications are possible while turning the key to start the vehicle or while the automobile is running, the government agency noted.“In an extreme case, this could cause a thermal event or fire when starting the engine, or while the engine is running,” the recall report stated.The faulty starters, which over time cause a buildup of metallic material in the starter’s electrical relay chamber due to abrasion, were manufactured by the auto parts manufacturer Valeo of Cergy, France.The recall extends an earlier NHTSA recall issued on Jan. 30 that involved faulty engine starters in 87,394 automobiles, including 803 Toyota Supras model years 2021–2023 and 86,591 BMWs model years 2021–2024.BMW said ongoing engineering investigations and quality screening led the German automaker to expand the recall for additional vehicles made with four-cylinder engines.In February, BMW engineers initiated a parts-collection campaign for vehicles in use and for automobiles for which no complaints had been filed. That same month, BMW said, there were three recorded incidents involving the starters in BMW vehicles.Between March and June, engineers disassembled, tested, and analyzed vehicle starters that had been in operation and determined that engine starters produced at a different facility from the original January recall could also exhibit metallic buildup inside the starter housing, caused by a large number of starting attempts over time.To date, BMW said it has not received any reports of accidents or injuries associated with the faulty starters.BMW said it will remedy the problem with vehicles in the recall population by installing new starters of a different design at no cost to owners at licensed BMW or Toyota dealerships.Vehicle owners will be notified of the recall beginning on August 28, the same date BMW and Toyota Supra owners can search the NHTSA’s online recall portal to determine if their vehicles are part of the recall. Concerned vehicle owners can contact BMW at 800-525-7417 or Toyota at 800-331-4331.