Almost 25,000 BMWs have been recalled in the UK following concerns that starter motor defects could cause fires.
The German manufacturer contacted 24,732 BMW owners of vehicles built between July 2020 and July 2022. The affected models are the 2 Series, 3 Series, 4 Series, 5 Series, 6 Series Gran Turismo, 7 Series, X3, X4, X5, X6 and Z4.
Safety first
While there have been no reports of vehicles catching fire as a result of the identified defect, BMW is taking no chances and has issued the recall of all affected vehicles built during that period.
Fleet News reports that the issue centres on starter motors that could short-circuit, “potentially leading the unit to overheat and, in rare cases, cause a fire”.
It added: “BMW said drivers may first notice a problem through a smell of smoke while driving or after parking and walking away from the vehicle and advises owners not to leave affected cars unattended with the engine running.”
In a statement, BMW said: “BMW Group issued a safety-related recall following quality controls which have shown that in the identified vehicles, the starter motor could become defective.”
Reassurance
By recalling the vehicles, BMW is reassuring motor traders and vehicle owners that the issue has been identified and is being addressed with alterations to the starter motors which will prevent the defect occurring.
It gives dealers peace of mind that in the event a starter motor in a vehicle they sold was damaged and caused a major issue, they won’t have to claim on their motor trade insurance.
It also reassures potential customers, including fleet operators and managers, that BMW is putting safety first, with its vehicles popular as company cars and rental vehicles.
And having identified the potential hazard, changes have been made to starter motors on vehicles built after July, 2022.
Testing
The issue was identified once vehicles were three to five years old – typically the timeframes many people look to trade in for a newer model.
What started as a few apparently isolated incidents escalated into a full recall following an engineering investigation which began in September, 2025, after owners reported incidents “involving starters with indications of thermal damage”.
Fleet News added: “The company then moved into endurance bench testing meant to simulate large numbers of start attempts, combined with tear-down analysis of returned parts and reviews of assembly and service data.
“By late November and early December, BMW describes findings pointing to a build-up of metallic material in the electrical relay chamber, tied to increased abrasion — a detail that helps explain the overheating pathway regulators are now flagging.”
First signs of trouble
As is often the case with issues with new and improving technology, Fleet News reports that problems were first spotted by owners who posted on the BMWBlog to see if anyone else was experiencing the same issues.
While components and systems are rigorously tested before cars are sold, nothing compares to real-world driving and the use and abuse vehicles can endure.
Wear and tear on start-stop or hybrid technologies during testing cannot exactly replicate every driver in every situation, which is why it is not uncommon for manufacturers to issue recalls for issues ranging from starter motors, as in this case, to catastrophic engine failure, faulty seatbelt mechanisms or battery drain.
BMW is writing to owners of affected vehicles who will be offered a full starter motor replacement.
