BMW recalls Toyota Supra and 27,000 BMW cars for brake assist problem

Westwood, NJ – September 4, 2021 – BMW (OTCMKTS:BMWYY) has recalled 50,024 vehicles that may lose the brake assist function due to a software issue. The recall includes 2020 – 2021 Toyota Supra sports cars made with BMW engines and the following BMW models:

  • 2020 BMW 540i sedans
  • 2020 BMW M340i sports sedans
  • 2020 BMW X3 crossovers
  • 2020 – 2021 BMW X4 crossovers
  • 2019 – 2021 BMW Z4 roadsters
  • 2020 – 2021 BMW 745Le sedans

The faulty component is the Engine Management software.

Recall summary  

The recall addresses problems with the cars’ brake assist function, which helps stop the car faster in an emergency. The brake assist uses the force of a vacuum to boost the brakes’ power, giving them more stopping force when a driver slams on the brakes in an emergency. Normally, the car uses the tandem oil/vacuum pump to suck all the air out of the brake assist’s booster, creating a vacuum. 

However, if the driver presses the start button twice in rapid succession or only lightly presses the brake pedal when starting the car, the software may cause the pump to become damaged, causing the booster to lose its power.

Risks

With the loss of brake assist, the car will have “mechanical braking” but will have a longer stopping distance, increasing the risk of a crash. You can read more about the signs and dangers of brake assist failure in this article about a similar General Motors recall.

Safety tips

According to recall documents, drivers can avoid damaging the tandem oil/vacuum pump by:

  • Firmly pressing and holding the brake pedal when starting the engine.
  • Pressing the “start” button only once. (Don’t quickly turn the car on and off). 

The repair

Dealers will update recalled vehicles’ engine management software for free. Owner notification letters with more information about when and how to get this repair will be sent out by October 1, though BMW has said the remedy is already available.

Is your vehicle part of this recall?

Over 50,000 vehicles are included in this BMW recall. To do a BMW recall check, use MotorSafety’s free vehicle lookup tool.

Rebecca RandBMW recalls Toyota Supra and 27,000 BMW cars for brake assist problem

BMW Recalls SUVs for Faulty Steering Pinion

Laguna Hills, CA – November 8, 2019 – BMW of North America recently determined that it will need to recall 20 of its 2020 light SUV models due to concerns over a defect in the production process for a steering pinion gear, which could lead to increased crash risk.

Of the vehicles in the recall, all but one are 2020 BMW X3 M40i crossover SUVs, and the other is a 2020 BMW X3 M40i. All those light SUVs are expected to have this issue.

The defect

The affected X3 and X4 SUVs likely contain a steering pinion gear that is suspected to have been produced outside specification, and were made within a two-day span – September 27 and 28, 2019.

During the manufacturing process for these components, a supplier likely did not produce the gears with a proper mixing ratio in the quenching bath.

Consequently, the teeth of the pinion gears would not be hard enough to withstand certain driving conditions, and have the potential to break under pressure. That would likely lead to a loss of steering and, consequently, control of the vehicle.

These conditions, in turn, greatly increase the risk of a crash. The recall population was determined based on supplier production data that was then checked against vehicle assembly information on BMW’s end.

Timeline of events

On October 1, just a few days after these vehicles were produced, BMW of North America received word from the components’ supplier – based in Greenville, South Carolina – that a specific production lot may have contained the steering pinion gears that were not hard enough to meet specification.

The auto maker then issued a hold on vehicles that may have been affected, and conducted a review to see if these gears may have been delivered and used in the assembly of any vehicles.

Within a few days, the company found that some vehicles had likely been affected, and identified which ones fell into this population.

A little more than a week after receiving the report from the supplier, BMW issued the voluntary recall on October 9, but had not received any reports of accidents or injuries related to the problem in question.

The company notified dealers of the recall on October 16, and notified one likely affected owner on October 9.

The solution

To date, only one of the vehicles in the recall had an owner. That person was reached by phone and told not to drive the vehicle until it could be repaired by having the steering pinion gear replaced. The vehicle was transported to a nearby dealership for the remedy shortly thereafter.

Because this was essentially a single-vehicle recall at that point, BMW did not anticipate having to notify any other drivers via first class mail as it normally would in a recall situation.

However, if any more of these issues come to light, the repairs would fall under the BMW New Vehicle Limited Warranty, as the affected light SUVs are all from the 2020 model year. Reimbursement would, therefore, not be necessary.

Check your car’s recall status using MotorSafety’s free vehicle lookup tool.

Sean ReyesBMW Recalls SUVs for Faulty Steering Pinion