BMW recalls almost 7 lakh cars over defective coolant pump
BMW is recalling almost 700,000 vehicles in China over a defect in the coolant pump. The recall affects both locally produced and imported models, and will start from March 1, 2025. The decision was announced by China's State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR). The faulty coolant pump plugs fitted in some models could potentially corrode or rust, causing short circuits and even fires in extreme cases.
Models affected by the recall
The recall impacts a total of 499,539 locally produced cars and 188,371 imported vehicles. The affected models include the locally-made 3 Series and 5 Series vehicles, along with a number of imported X Series SUVs. Notably, this comes after a major slump in the company's deliveries in China, its biggest market by revenue.
Market struggles and previous recalls
In the third quarter, shipments of BMW and MINI brand cars in China dropped by 30%, the steepest decline in more than four years. This recall follows an international recall of 1.5 million cars because of defective braking systems supplied by Continental AG, which is expected to cost BMW almost $1.1 billion to fix.
BMW's response and repair timeline
The coolant pump defect was detected in August, and BMW immediately alerted the Chinese authorities as it carried out its investigation. A company spokesperson said the required repairs should take some three hours per vehicle. The spokesperson also clarified that vehicles in Europe aren't affected by this issue, but didn't immediately explain why the recall won't start until March.
