BMW recalls over 720,000 vehicles due to water pump malfunction that may cause a fire

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) issued a recall notification for over 720,000 BMW vehicles over a water pump malfunction that may cause a fire. 

BMW is recalling 720,796 of its 2012-2018 vehicles. Some of the recalled vehicles include the BMW X1, X3, X4 and X5. In the NHTSA report released on Aug. 19, the luxury vehicle company said, “an improperly sealed electrical connector on the water pump may be exposed to water and short circuit.” An electrical short increases the risk of a fire, the NHTSA report said. 

To fix the issue, BMW dealers will inspect and replace the water pump and plug connector as necessary and install a protective shield for free. Recall notification letters are expected to be sent on Oct. 4. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417. 

Recalled BMW vehicles:  

• 2014-2016 228i 
• 2014-2016 228xi 
• 2012-2016 328i 
• 2012-2016 328xi 
• 2014-2016 428i 
• 2015-2016 428xi 
• 2012-2016 528i 
• 2012-2015 X1 
• 2013-2017 X3 
• 2015-2018 X4 
• 2016-2018 X5 
• 2012-2016 Z4 

Check car recalls here:Ford, General Motors among 221,000 vehicles recalled

BMW recalls more than 100,000 cars due to overheating motor 

Earlier this month, BMW issued a recall for over 105,588 crossovers and sedans due to increased risk of fire, the NHTSA report said.  

According to the report that was posted on Aug. 7, issues with the starter motor can prevent the car from starting, cause electrical overload and lead to overheating which may catch other engine components on fire. 

Some of the affected vehicles may experience issues starting up due to a failure of the starter motor. Repeated attempts at stating the vehicle can cause the motor to overheat due to an electrical overload, potentially catching combustible materials in the engine compartment and increasing the risk of fire. 

For free, BMW dealers will update the vehicle software. Recall notification letters are expected to be deeliveered by Sept. 23. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417. 

Recalled BMW vehicles:  

• 2020 340xi
• 2020-2021 740i
• 2020-2021 740xi
• 2020 840i
• 2020 840xi
• 2020 M340i
• 2019-2020 X5 
• 2020 X6 
• 2019-2020 X7 

Contributing: Mary Walrath-Holdridge , USA TODAY.

Ahjané Forbes is a reporter on the National Trending Team at USA TODAY. Ahjané covers breaking news, car recalls, crime, health, lottery and public policy stories. Email her at aforbes@gannett.com. Follow her on Instagram, Threads and X (Twitter) @forbesfineest.