German luxury carmaker BMW has announced a voluntary recall of electric vehicles (EVs) in China due to safety concerns. The recall, which began on June 2, affects a total of 99 EVs, including locally produced models such as the i3 and iX3, as well as imported models like the i4, i7, and iX. The recall was issued in accordance with the guidelines of China’s State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR).
BMW Brilliance, the joint venture between BMW and a Chinese partner, will oversee the recall of the domestically manufactured EVs. Among these are 42 i3 EVs produced in China between May 3, 2022, and April 12, 2023, and 47 iX3 EVs manufactured between September 22, 2021, and March 2, 2023. BMW China Automotive Trading Ltd. will handle the recall of the imported vehicles, which consist of five i4 EVs produced between December 15, 2021, and October 6, 2022, one imported i7 EV manufactured on September 20, 2022, and four imported iX EVs produced between February 4, 2022, and September 27, 2022.
The reason for the recall is a potential issue with the cable bridge of the high-voltage battery monitoring electronics cell supervision circuits (CSC) in the affected vehicles. It has been found that the cable bridge may not be securely locked into place, resulting in the CSC’s inability to effectively monitor the high-voltage battery. In extreme cases, this could lead to a power interruption in the moving vehicle, posing a safety risk.
To address this concern, BMW Brilliance and BMW China will replace the high-voltage battery monitoring electronics in the recalled vehicles free of charge. By rectifying this issue, the companies aim to eliminate the potential safety hazard and ensure the continued reliability and performance of the affected EVs.
This is not the first time BMW has issued a recall for its EVs in China. In a previous recall on March 29, one domestically produced i3 and 136 imported i4 EVs were involved. The company’s proactive approach to addressing safety concerns demonstrates its commitment to delivering high-quality and safe electric vehicles to its customers in China.
