BMW has issued an urgent fire-risk warning covering 720,796 cars in the US to owners saying they must park their vehicles outdoors and away from buildings until repairs are done.
The recall follows a new one announced yesterday after potential electrical fault was found in the water pump systems of the cars.
The US NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) issued a consumer alert on November 13, 2026 telling owners of the affected BMW models to keep their vehicles away from buildings and other cars because the defect could cause fire even when vehicle is parked and engine turned off.
The problem is an improperly sealed electrical connector on the water pump. If moisture gets into that connector, it could cause an electrical short circuit increasing the possibility of overheating and fire.
The latest recall involves several BMW models made between 2012 and 2018. These include the BMW 3 Series, 5 Series X1, X3, X4, X5 xDrive40e and Z4 as well as some versions of the 2 Series and 4 Series.
The vehicles had been previously recalled in 2024 due to a water pump problem but the earlier repair didn’t solve the issue completely so BMW issued another recall. Vehicles that received repairs under the previous recall will also need to get the new repair when it becomes available.
The NHTSA said BMW was aware of about 10 incidents in the US that may be related to the defect. Vehicles involved were reportedly already repaired under an earlier recall but the agency said it wasn’t aware of any crashes or injuries from the issue.
One of the biggest worries owners have is that there isn’t an immediate repair available yet. BMW are working on a solution which will be free through authorised dealers once it is ready.
Until then, the NHTSA has told owners of affected vehicles to park outdoors away from buildings, structures and other vehicles because if a fire breaks out it will be less likely to damage those things.
Owner notification letters should be sent starting December 25, 2026. VINs and licence plate numbers should also become searchable on NHTSA’s official recall database from that date as well.
The latest warning reminds people to check vehicle recall information and follow safety instructions issued by manufacturers and regulatory agencies.
BMW owners in the US with vehicles from the affected model years should check recall status and parking precautions until new repair is complete.
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