BMW is recalling 29,119 plug-in hybrid vehicles in the United States after identifying a potential fire risk associated with the engine starter system.
The recall covers selected model-year 2016-2018 BMW 330e iPerformance, 2018-2020 BMW 530e iPerformance, 2018-2020 BMW 530e xDrive iPerformance and 2017-2019 BMW 740Le xDrive iPerformance vehicles.
Engine starter fault prompts recall
According to documents filed with the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the issue is unrelated to the vehicles’ high-voltage battery systems.
Instead, BMW identified a potential defect involving the electrical relay integrated into the engine starter. Water intrusion may lead to corrosion inside the relay, affecting its electrical connection and potentially preventing the combustion engine from starting.
In certain cases, the corrosion could cause the relay to overheat and create an electrical short circuit.
According to the NHTSA, this overheating could, in rare instances, result in a thermal event while the vehicle is being driven or when it is parked with the ignition switched off.
Owners advised to park outside
Until repairs are completed, BMW has advised owners of affected vehicles to park outdoors and away from buildings or other structures as a precaution.
The company will replace the engine starter assembly free of charge.
Owner notification letters are scheduled to be mailed on 28 August 2026, with affected vehicle identification numbers (VINs) becoming searchable through the NHTSA recall database on the same date.
BMW said it is not aware of any crashes or injuries linked to the issue. However, the company determined that the possibility of overheating and fire presents a sufficient safety risk to warrant the voluntary recall.