BERLIN, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- German carmaker BMW is recalling hundreds of thousands of vehicles worldwide due to a technical defect that could pose a fire risk, the company said Wednesday.
The Munich-based automaker did not disclose the exact global figure but said 28,582 vehicles are affected in Germany. Industry publication kfz-betrieb reported Tuesday that up to 575,000 units could be involved globally.
The company traced the issue to the starter system, noting that a high volume of engine starts could cause excessive wear in the switch, potentially leading to a short circuit. In rare cases, this malfunction could trigger a vehicle fire while the car is in operation.
The recall affects several models, including the BMW 2, 3, 4, and 5 series produced between July 2020 and July 2022.
The latest action follows a recall in September, when BMW withdrew more than 130,000 vehicles in Germany and 200,000 in the United States over a similar starter-related fire risk, along with additional units in other markets. ■