BMW has issued a safety recall for four of its electric vehicles in the United States due to a battery welding problem affecting the i4 and i5 models. The recall affects three i4s, including the i4 xDrive40 and i4 M50, along with a single i5 eDrive40, all from the 2024 model year.
Despite the small number of vehicles involved, BMW has taken proactive measures to address the issue. The company reached out to the owner of one affected vehicle on February 16, while the other three vehicles are being repaired before being delivered to their owners. The remedy involves replacing the high-voltage battery modules with new ones.
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The problem was discovered during an internal quality check on February 1, 2024, when BMW engineers noticed inadequate welding in the battery module of one vehicle. This prompted an immediate investigation, which revealed that the laser welding process between the battery cell contacting system and the terminal had not been performed correctly.
According to BMW, the faulty welding could cause the two parts to disconnect, potentially leading to overheating and, in rare cases, a fire. However, the company has not received any reports of accidents or injuries related to this issue.
