New Delhi . Germany's luxury car manufacturer BMW has recalled 7,20,796 of its cars in the United States due to the risk of fire. There is a possibility of fire in these vehicles despite being parked and closed. Considering this problem as serious, America's National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has issued a special advisory for owners of affected cars. The agency has clarified that vehicles should not be parked inside a house, garage or any other building until repairs are completed.
According to the agency's advice, car owners should park their vehicles in open spaces. However, simply parking outside will not suffice. It is also important to keep the vehicle away from other vehicles and buildings to reduce the risk of damage to nearby property and other vehicles in the event of a potential fire. This warning is important because due to the related fault, there is still a risk of fire even after the car is turned off.
According to BMW, the affected vehicles have a problem with the electrical connector of the water pump. According to NHTSA information, water may enter the connector due to it not being properly sealed. There is a possibility of short-circuit in the electrical system due to contact with water. Due to this, there may be a risk of fire in the vehicle. The company has said that due to this defect, fire can occur even when the car is parked and the engine is off.
The special thing in this case is that these BMW vehicles were recalled in the year 2024 also due to the same problem related to the water pump. At that time, the company had taken corrective steps to fix the problem, but it later emerged that the earlier improvements were not completely effective. In such a situation, there is a need to recall the affected vehicles once again. The second recall makes it clear that the risk of the problem had not been completely eliminated despite earlier repairs.
According to NHTSA, about 10 incidents of fire related to this technical problem have been reported in America. However, no person has been reported injured in these incidents so far. Despite this, the agency has advised vehicle owners to exercise caution in view of the possible danger. Special emphasis has been laid on avoiding parking inside houses and buildings, so that in case of any unexpected incident, the possibility of loss of life and property is reduced.
Currently, BMW is preparing a permanent solution to this problem. Owners of affected cars have been advised to follow the safety instructions issued by the company until the repair process is completed. Those who own vehicles covered by this recall are required to park their vehicles in a safe, open location and away from buildings and other vehicles until repairs are completed.
The number of cars included in this recall is 7,20,796. Therefore, it is important for affected vehicle owners to know whether their car comes under the scope of this campaign or not. Following NHTSA's advisory is the most important safety step right now as the company prepares a solution.