Urgent BMW Recall: Nearly 200,000 Cars Face Fire Risk, Owners Told to Park Outside
Washington D.C. – BMW of North America has issued an urgent recall for 196,355 vehicles in the United States, including models from Toyota Supra, over a potentially dangerous defect in the engine starter relay. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is warning owners of the affected vehicles to park them outdoors and away from structures until necessary repairs are completed due to the risk of fire.
The Cause: Corrosion and Short Circuits
The recall targets the engine starter relay, which, in affected vehicles, is susceptible to corrosion when water enters the component. This corrosion can cause the relay to overheat and short-circuit, leading to a fire risk even when the vehicle is parked and the ignition is off. The issue primarily affects cars equipped with BMW’s B48 turbocharged four-cylinder engine.
Wide Range of Models Affected
The recall covers a broad range of BMW and Toyota vehicles across multiple model years. Notably, the Toyota Supra is included because it is manufactured by BMW and uses the same starter relay.
Here is a list of the models and years affected:
| Make | Model | Model Years Affected |
| BMW | Z4 | 2019-2022 |
| BMW | 330i | 2019-2021 |
| BMW | X3 | 2020-2022 |
| BMW | X4 | 2020-2022 |
| BMW | 530i | 2020-2022 |
| BMW | 430i | 2021-2022 |
| BMW | 230i | 2022 |
| Toyota | Supra | 2020-2022 |
| Total Units | 196,355 |
The Remedy: Free Replacement
BMW has committed to replacing the defective starter relay with a redesigned unit completely free of charge. NHTSA has advised owners of the safety risk, and official owner notification letters are scheduled to be mailed starting November 14, 2025. Owners are urged to check the NHTSA recall database using their VIN (Vehicle Identification Number) starting on the same date to confirm if their vehicle is affected.
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