BMW dealers will replace the positive battery cable connector.
BMW is recalling more than 500,000 of its cars because a defective electrical connector can cause the vehicles to stall suddenly. Affected are 2008-2012 model 1-Series coupes and convertibles, 2007-2011 3-Series coupes, convertibles, sedans and wagons, as well as 2009-2011 Z4 sports cars.
In the required filing with NHTSA, the German automaker said that the connector for the positive battery cable and the terminal on the fuse box may “degrade over time,” leading to the loss of electrical power to the vehicle. As a result, the vehicle may unexpectedly stall, increasing the risk of a crash. The recall was prompted by an inquiry from Transport Canada about engine stalling and a BMW service bulletin dealing with the problem.
BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the positive battery cable connector and secure it with an improved method, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin in March 2013. Owners may call BMW at 1-800-525-7417 or email BMW at CustomerRelations@bmwusa.com. Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 or go to www.safercar.gov.
Read AutoInformed on BMW Follows Toyota by Paying $3 Million Fine for not Reporting Known Safety Defects within Five Days to NHTSA
About Ken Zino
Ken Zino, editor and publisher of AutoInformed, is a versatile auto industry participant with global experience spanning decades in print and broadcast journalism, as well as social media. He has automobile testing, marketing, public relations and communications experience. He is past president of The International Motor Press Assn, the Detroit Press Club, founding member and first President of the Automotive Press Assn. He is a member of APA, IMPA and the Midwest Automotive Press Assn.
He also brings an historical perspective while citing their contemporary relevance of the work of legendary auto writers such as Ken Purdy, Jim Dunne or Jerry Flint, or writers such as Red Smith, Mark Twain, Thomas Jefferson – all to bring perspective to a chaotic automotive universe.
Above all, decades after he first drove a car, Zino still revels in the sound of the exhaust as the throttle is blipped during a downshift and the driver’s rush that occurs when the entry, apex and exit points of a turn are smoothly and swiftly crossed. It’s the beginning of a perfect lap.
AutoInformed has an editorial philosophy that loves transportation machines of all kinds while promoting critical thinking about the future use of cars and trucks.
Zino builds AutoInformed from his background in automotive journalism starting at Hearst Publishing in New York City on Motor and MotorTech Magazines and car testing where he reviewed hundreds of vehicles in his decade-long stint as the Detroit Bureau Chief of Road & Track magazine. Zino has also worked in Europe, and Asia – now the largest automotive market in the world with China at its center.
