Models affected by the recall and the cause of the issue
According to information published by China’s State Administration for Market Regulation, BMW will recall 499,539 locally produced vehicles and 188,371 imported cars. The issue involves faulty coolant pump plugs that may corrode, potentially causing short circuits and fire hazards.
Among the affected models are locally produced 3 Series and 5 Series cars, as well as certain imported X Series crossovers.
Decline in deliveries in a key market
The recall follows a significant drop in BMW vehicle deliveries in China. In the third quarter, deliveries of BMW and Mini vehicles in the country fell by 30 percent, the largest decline in more than four years. As China remains BMW’s largest market by revenue, this situation poses a major challenge for the automaker.
Global quality issues
BMW’s quality problems are not limited to China. In September, the company issued a profit warning linked to a global recall of 1.5 million vehicles due to defective braking systems supplied by Continental AG. The cost of repairing this defect has been estimated at nearly €1 billion, creating a significant financial burden for the company.
Repair schedule and further actions
BMW detected the issue with faulty coolant pumps in August and notified Chinese authorities during its investigation. Repairs are expected to take approximately three hours per vehicle, and European models are not affected by this recall. The recall in China will begin on March 1, 2025, but the company has not explained why repairs will start so late.
The recall of nearly 700,000 vehicles poses a major challenge for BMW, which is already struggling with global quality issues. For the Chinese market, a key area for the company, such problems could affect customer trust and future sales performance.
