BMW’s Latest Recall Is Bad News For Toyota Owners, Especially If They Park In A Garage
**“Fire Her Up!” Takes on a New Meaning as BMW Issues Massive Starter Motor Recall**
This week, the phrase *fire her up!* has taken on an urgent new meaning as BMW announced a recall affecting hundreds of thousands of vehicles worldwide. The recall stems from a starter motor fault that could potentially lead to a fire, prompting swift action from the automaker.
**Recall Scope: Hundreds of Thousands of Vehicles Worldwide**
In the United States alone, around 200,000 BMW models are included in the recall, while nearly 136,500 vehicles are affected in Germany. BMW has not disclosed a global total, but industry experts expect the true number to be much higher. The recall covers models built between September 2015 and September 2021 across Europe, Asia, and other regions.
Adding an interesting twist, almost 1,500 Toyota owners are also impacted due to a shared development program between the two automakers. Owners are being urged to park their vehicles outside and away from buildings until repairs are completed.
**Affected Models: From Coupes to SUVs**
In the U.S., a total of 194,886 BMWs built between 2019 and 2022 are affected. The range of models is diverse, including:
– 2-Series Coupe
– 3-Series Compact
– 4-Series Sporty Coupe
– 5-Series Mid-Size Sedan
– X3 and X4 SUVs
Additionally, the BMW Z4 is part of this recall. Due to the close engineering relationship, 1,469 examples of the Toyota Supra, which shares much of its platform and components with the Z4, are also included.
**Common Thread: The B58 3.0-Liter Turbocharged Inline Six-Cylinder Engine**
All the affected models share one key component under the hood—the B58 3.0-liter turbocharged inline six-cylinder engine. BMW discovered that water could potentially come into contact with the starter motor’s relay, causing corrosion over time. This corrosion, inside the Valeo-manufactured starter motor, can interfere with electrical connections.
The consequences of this corrosion range from the starter failing to operate to, in the worst-case scenario, a short circuit that could lead to a fire (referred to as a “thermal event” in recall terminology).
**Investigation and Root Cause**
While several starter-related issues have been reported by BMW dealers in the U.S., it took the company’s engineering teams some time to pinpoint the root cause of the problem. Early investigations on the 3-Series and 5-Series suggested that prior damage—either due to accidents or poor repair work—might have been responsible.
However, this theory was dismissed after further research showed that water ingress was the likely culprit leading to starter motor corrosion and failure.
**Toyota Supra Also Included**
Toyota has stated that it is not aware of any actual cases involving the Supra being affected by this issue. The low number of cars produced likely explains the absence of reported incidents, rather than any inherent quality improvement from the Toyota badge.
Nevertheless, Toyota is cooperating fully with the recall and will notify Supra owners to have their starter motors replaced as a precautionary measure.
**Next Steps for Owners**
BMW and Toyota will begin notifying affected vehicle owners starting mid-November. Until repairs are completed, drivers are strongly advised to park their cars outside and away from buildings or other structures as a safety precaution. The repair involves replacing the starter motor to eliminate the risk of fire.
—
*Image credit: Toyota/BMW*
—
For more updates on vehicle recalls and automotive news, stay tuned.
https://www.carscoops.com/2025/09/bmws-latest-recall-is-bad-news-for-toyota-owners-especially-if-they-park-in-a-garage/
