BMW recalls 1m cars over fire risk

BMW is recalling more than one million vehicles worldwide over potential fire risks, its third recall over the problem since 2017, with a number of models in New Zealand affected by the move.

The latest action covers some cars built between 2006 and 2013, including 1 Series, 3 Series, X3, 5 Series, X5 and Z4 models.

The German company says the heater for the positive crankcase ventilation valve (PCV) in affected vehicles may short-circuit and in rare cases increase the risk of a fire.

BMW adds the recall affects 917,106 vehicles in the United States, 98,000 in Canada and 18,000 in South Korea but has not detailed how many exactly in New Zealand.

“There are a number of vehicles imported into New Zealand that have potential to be affected,” says BMW Group. “The owners will be contacted.”

The move follows recalls in 2017 and 2019 that respectively involved 740,000 and 184,000 vehicles in the US alone, reports Reuters.

Many vehicles repaired under those previous recalls will require a new fix and the marque says it hopes to have an adequate number of parts to carry out the work by the middle of this year.

A number of fire reports in BMW vehicles that had been previously recalled and repaired has prompted the latest recall.