The affected models include the locally-made 3 Series and 5 Series, as well as imported X Series SUVs
BMW AG is set to recall nearly 700,000 vehicles in China due to a defect in the coolant pump that could lead to short circuits or, in extreme cases, fires. The recall, announced by China’s State Administration for Market Regulation on Friday, affects 499,539 locally-produced cars and 188,371 imported vehicles, with the process scheduled to begin on March 1, 2025.
The affected models include the locally-made 3 Series and 5 Series, as well as imported X Series SUVs. According to the regulator, faulty coolant pump plugs in certain models may be prone to corrosion, leading to potential safety hazards.
This recall comes at a challenging time for the German automaker, which is already grappling with declining sales in China, its largest market by revenue. In the third quarter, deliveries of BMW and Mini brand vehicles in China plummeted by 30 per cent , marking the steepest decline in over four years. Last month, BMW issued a profit warning due to a global recall of 1.5 million vehicles over defective braking systems supplied by Continental AG, a fault expected to cost the company around €1 billion ($1.1 billion) to resolve.
BMW detected the coolant pump issue in August and notified Chinese authorities as it conducted an investigation. “The fault was detected in August, and BMW alerted the Chinese authorities as it investigated,” a company spokesperson said. “The relevant repairs should take around three hours, and vehicles in Europe aren’t affected.”
In a separate statement, BMW confirmed that the recall would require the installation of newly added components, and the process will begin in March next year. The company emphasized that the recall adheres to national laws and regulations and has been approved by Chinese authorities.
This marks another setback for BMW as it continues to face challenges in maintaining its market share and managing the financial impacts of large-scale recalls. However, the company remains committed to resolving the issues and ensuring the safety of its vehicles.
