Safety Recalls & Notices
Requires attention
Issue: On certain vehicles, the tire and loading information label does not list that there is no spare tire in both official languages. The label reads as "NONE" when it should read as "NONE / AUCUN". Canadian regulations require the information to be listed on the label in both English and French. Safety Risk: This error does not affect vehicle safety. Corrective Actions: This is not a recall. The company has corrected the tire and loading information label for all new vehicles.
Issue: On certain vehicles, the variable camshaft timing (VANOS) adjustment unit housing bolts could loosen or break. As a result, the camshaft could become incorrectly adjusted and cause the engine to enter a reduced power mode (limp mode) or to stall while driving. Safety Risk: A sudden loss of engine power could increase the risk of a crash. Corrective Actions: BMW will notify owners by mail and advise you to take your vehicle to a dealership to replace the VANOS bolts.
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2010-2012 1 Series Coupe, 1 Series Convertible, 3 Series Sedan, 3 Series Convertible, 2010-2011 3 Series Sportswagon, 3 Series Coupe, 5 Series Sedan, X3 xDrive 28i, X3 xDrive 30i, X5 xDrive30i, and Z4 sDrive30i vehicles. The aluminum bolts that secure the housing for the variable camshaft timing adjustment (VANOS) unit can loosen over time and possibly break.
Loose or broken VANOS unit bolts can result in an engine stall, increasing the risk of a crash.
Dealers will replace the four VANOS bolts, free of charge. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk are expected to be mailed December 18, 2023. Owner notification letters were mailed June 19, 2024. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
Issue: On certain vehicles equipped with an N52 or N52K 6-cylinder engine, a manufacturing problem could cause the PCV valve heater (blow-by heater) to short circuit and overheat. Note: This replaces Transport Canada recalls 2017-470 and 2019-170. Only vehicles equipped with an N52 or N52K engine require this repair. Safety Risk: An overheated engine PCV valve heater could create the risk of a fire, even while the vehicle is parked and turned off. Corrective Actions: BMW will notify owners by mail and instruct you to take your vehicle to a dealer to install a wire harness repair kit. BMW recommends that you should park your vehicle outdoors until the recall repairs have been completed.
Issue: On certain vehicles, the connector for the blower motor regulator may corrode. If this happens, the wiring could overheat and melt. Potential warnings include a blower motor that does not work, a burning smell, or smoke in the cabin. Safety Risk: Wiring that overheats could create a risk of a fire. Corrective Actions: BMW will notify owners by mail and instruct them to take their vehicle to a dealer to replace the blower regulator wiring harness. Other components will be inspected for damage, and replaced as necessary.
On certain vehicles equipped with the N52 6-cylinder engine, an electrical short could occur in the PCV valve heater due to manufacturing irregularities. If this occurs, the surrounding plastics could overheat, melt and potentially cause a fire, which could increase the risk of injury and/or damage to property. Correction: Dealers will replace the PCV valve heater.
On certain vehicles, the driver frontal airbag inflator could produce excessive internal pressure during airbag deployment. Increased pressure may cause the inflator to rupture, which could allow fragments to be propelled toward vehicle occupants, increasing the risk of injury. This could also damage the airbag module, which could prevent proper deployment. Failure of the airbag to fully deploy during a crash (where deployment is warranted) could increase the risk of personal injury to the seat occupant. Correction: Dealers will replace the front driver air bag inflator or air bag module, depending on the vehicle model.
On certain vehicles, housing bolts for the variable camshaft timing system could break, allowing camshaft timing to deviate. If this occurs, the engine would revert to "limp home mode", limiting available engine power. In rare instances the engine could stall, increasing the risk of a collision causing injury and/or damage to property. Correction: Dealers will replace housing bolts that break and perform associated repairs for 10 years/unlimited mileage from the vehicle's in-service date. Note: This applies only to vehicles not covered by recall 2014-127.
On certain vehicles, housing bolts for the variable camshaft timing system could break, allowing camshaft timing to deviate. If this occurs, the engine would revert to "limp home mode", limiting available engine power. This could increase the risk of a collision causing injury and/or damage to property. Correction: Dealers will replace affected bolts.
On certain vehicles, the positive battery cable connection to the fuse box could fail while the vehicle is being driven. This could interrupt the vehicle’s electrical system, resulting in engine stalling, loss of vehicle propulsion and a loss of function of various vehicle systems, such as lights. A loss of vehicle propulsion and electrical vehicle systems, in conjunction with traffic and road conditions, and the driver’s reactions, could increase the risk of a crash causing property damage and/or personal injury. Correction: Dealers will replace the positive battery cable connector with an updated version.
This recall involves aftermarket parts sold by Valeo. Valeo is recalling certain engine cooling fans, part numbers 696121, 696273, and 696275, used as service replacement parts for model year 2008-2011 BMW 1-Series, 2006-2011 BMW 3-Series, 2000-2009 BMW 5-Series, 2004-2005 BMW 6-Series, and 2006-2007 BMW 7-Series vehicles. A metal-oxide semiconductor may overheat due to insufficient screwing of the semiconductor on the aluminum heat sink. This primary failure could cause adjacent components on the fan assembly motor circuit board to overheat and short.
This condition could cause the fan motor to become inoperative, or cause the motor circuit board in the assembly to overheat, potentially leading to a fire in the engine compartment.
Valeo will notify owners and replace the fans free of charge. The safety recall began on August 22, 2012. This recall is being conducted by Valeo, not by BMW. For further information, owners may contact Valeo at 1-888-718-2536.
On certain vehicles, the sound insulation in the "B" pillar (around the seatbelt pre-tensioner) may ignite during a crash severe enough to deploy the pre-tensioner. This could result in additional property damage and/or personal injury. Correction: Dealers will replace the front upper seatbelt and repair the "B" pillar sound insulation on both driver and passenger sides.
BMW IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2008-2011 1-SERIES VEHICLES. IN A CRASH OF SUFFICIENT SEVERITY, DEPLOYMENT OF THE FRONT PRE-TENSIONER AND LOAD-LIMITER OCCURS.
THE INSULATION AROUND THE PRE-TENSIONER COULD IGNITE.
VEHICLES PRODUCED UP THROUGH DECEMBER 2009 WILL RECEIVE NEW FRONT SAFETY BELT RETRACTOR UNITS AND A MODIFICATION TO THE SOUND INSULATION NEAR THE UNITS, WHILE VEHICLES PRODUCED BETWEEN JANUARY 2010 AND MAY 2010 WILL RECEIVE A MODIFICATION TO THE SOUND INSULATION NEAR THE UNITS. THIS SERVICE WILL BE PERFORMED FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON AUGUST 23, 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT BMW AT 1-800-525-7417.
Generated by Cardog • December 15, 2025
Safety Recalls & Notices
Requires attention