BMW Says Park These Plug-In Hybrids Outside Now
Article Summary
- BMW is recalling 29,119 330e, 530e, and 740Le xDrive plug-in hybrids from 2016-2020 over a starter fire risk.
- The issue stems from a corroded starter relay that can short circuit, expanding on a recall from last September.
- Owners get a free starter replacement, with notification letters going out August 28.
BMW is recalling 29,119 plug-in hybrid sedans built between 2016 and 2020 because water can seep into the starter’s electrical relay, corrode it, and cause a short circuit. In the worst case, BMW says in its filing with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, that short circuit can trigger a thermal event, BMW’s term for a fire, whether the car is running or parked with the ignition off.
The affected models are the 2016-2018 330e iPerformance (F30), the 2018-2020 530e and 530e xDrive iPerformance (G30), and the 2017-2019 740Le xDrive iPerformance (G12). All three share a version of the B48 turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder, but BMW notes they don’t all use the same starter motor, which is why the fix varies by model.
This isn’t a new problem so much as a bigger one. BMW issued a related recall last September covering roughly 196,000 conventionally-powered 3, 4, X3, and X4 Series models, along with the B48-powered Toyota Supra, for the same starter relay corrosion issue. That campaign didn’t touch the plug-in hybrids. BMW says it kept monitoring service data after that recall and found the same failure mode showing up in cars that hadn’t been included the first time. Testing 150 field-return starters early this year, combined with two additional incident reports, was enough to trigger this second, PHEV-specific expansion.
Two field incidents pushed the timeline: a November case involving a 2019 5 Series and a May case involving a 2017 3 Series in the U.S. BMW says it isn’t aware of any accidents or injuries tied to the issue, and estimates fewer than 0.1% of the recalled cars will actually experience it. That’s a small number applied to 29,119 vehicles, not a guarantee, which is presumably why BMW is still telling owners to park outside rather than wait for the dealer visit.
The fix is a redesigned starter, installed for free. Owners who already paid to replace a failed starter out of pocket can seek reimbursement through BMW customer service. Notification letters go out August 28, and that’s also when the VIN lookup tool on BMW’s site and NHTSA’s recalls page will start returning results for these cars. Until then, owners of a 330e, 530e, or 740Le xDrive from these model years won’t be able to confirm their status online, only that the recall exists and that the safest move is to park outdoors and away from the house. Owners can also contact BMW at 800-525-7417, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration vehicle safety hotline at 888-327-4236.
- 2018-2020 BMW 530e xDrive (5,803 vehicles)
- 2017-2019 BMW 740Le xDrive (1,058 vehicles)
- 2018-2020 BMW 530e iPerformance (14,406 vehicles)
- 2016-2018 BMW 330e iPerformance (7,852 vehicles)
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