BMW has announced a recall for 3,431 of its electric vehicles due to a problem with the noise-generating device that is required by law in the US. The sound generator, which is supposed to activate when the car is reversing, may malfunction and fail to make a sound, potentially putting pedestrians at risk.
The recall affects 1,988 i4 eDrive40 vehicles manufactured between 2022-2023 and 1,442 iX xDrive50 SUVs manufactured between 2022-2023. BMW discovered the issue during a routine quality control check at one of its factories and after further analysis found that only specific models were affected. Owners of the i4 M50 and iX M60 need not worry as their vehicles are not included in the recall.
BMW will send out notifications to owners of specific vehicles, requesting them to schedule a service appointment for an update of the artificial sound generator software.
See also: Tesla recalls 817,143 electric cars over faulty seat belt chimes
The BMW i4 eDrive40 is equipped with a powerful single rear-mounted electric motor producing 335 horsepower and a range of around 300 miles, while the iX xDrive50 SUV features dual-motor all-wheel drive and up to 516 horsepower, as well as a 111.5 kWh battery with a projected range of 324 miles (EPA estimate).
BMW Group, including Mini and Rolls-Royce, sold over 170,000 EVs globally in 2022 and aims to triple that number in 2023 after doubling their sales this year.
