BMW has issued a recall for a limited number of models of the 2022 4 sedan and iX SUV due to the risk of battery fire. According to the recall notice, there may be internal damage to the high-voltage battery, and this could lead to an electrical short circuit.
The recall involves only 83 cars sold in the U.S. BMW advises owners not to drive the cars, park them outside or away from other vehicles and buildings where they could catch fire, and not charge them. BMW dealers will replace the batteries free of charge.
BMW issued a recall last April after becoming aware of a non-U.S. site incident involving a 2022 BMW i4 eDrive40. Two more “incidents” were reported in June – one in the U.S. involving a 2022 iX xDrive50 and one abroad involving a 2022 iX M60 – both of which were found to have debris in the battery cells, supplied by Samsung SDI. The battery cells were supplied by Samsung SDI.
BMW said it has not received any reports of accidents or injuries caused by the defective batteries. “Fortunately, the number of vehicles affected by this recall is very small,” BMW spokesman Jay Anson said in an email to The Verge, “and our customer relations team has reached out to all owners of affected vehicles to provide information and assistance. “
The BMW i4 and iX are the latest electric cars to be recalled. Earlier this summer, Ford recalled 49,000 Mustang Mach-E SUVs over concerns that a safety defect could render the vehicles immobile. The Toyota bZ4X was recalled because loose wheel bolts were found that could cause the wheels to fall off while driving. Other electric vehicles have been recalled for various software defects and other minor issues.
Battery fires, while rare, are still a serious problem for electric vehicle manufacturers. While more data is needed, researchers have determined that the vast majority of electric vehicles have a low risk of battery fires. Although when a fire occurs, electric vehicles with lithium-ion batteries burn hotter and faster, requiring more water to extinguish – a fact that has led some towns to retrain their emergency personnel to respond to such incidents.
