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German automaker BMW has announced a worldwide recall involving several hundred thousand vehicles due to a possible fire hazard linked to engine starters, a company representative confirmed on Wednesday.
The recall is expected to impact a mid-six-figure number of cars globally. BMW said affected vehicle owners will be contacted directly and arrangements will be made to replace the potentially defective starter units.
In an official statement, the company advised drivers not to leave their vehicles running unattended after starting the engine, particularly when using the remote start function.
According to BMW, investigations were launched after customer reports and routine inspections raised concerns. It was subsequently discovered that in certain vehicles, the engine starter could malfunction. The company explained that a short circuit within the starter’s electromagnet cannot be completely ruled out, which may cause localized overheating. In extreme cases, this could result in a vehicle catching fire while in operation.
The recall was first reported by industry outlet kfz-betrieb.
BMW previously faced significant financial impact in 2024 when it revised its earnings forecast after recalling approximately 1.5 million vehicles over brake defects supplied by Continental, resulting in costs running into hundreds of millions of euros.
However, a company spokesperson indicated that the current recall is not expected to have any meaningful effect on the automaker’s financial performance.
