The country’s regulator has said water may enter starter motor creating a risk of possible vehicle fires
BMW and South Africa’s consumer regulator have announced a recall of more than 12,000 vehicles across several of the German automaker’s production lines, the second major recall by the brand in the region in recent months.
The National Consumer Commission (NCC) said the recall involves the 3 Series (G20), 4 Series (G22), 5 Series (G30), Z4 (G29), X3 (G01), and X4 (G02) models.
According to BMW Group South Africa, there is a risk of water entering the starter motor in these models, causing corrosion, which could prevent engine start, lead to a short circuit and “in the worst case, this may result in a vehicle fire.”
“BMW has submitted that 12,491 vehicles are affected by the recall, and these vehicles were made available in South Africa from 2016,” the NCC stated. The regulator advised owners to avoid driving through deep water that could submerge the starter motor.
BMW sold 12,057 premium cars units in South Africa in 2024, making it the top seller among premium brands. In the first quarter of 2025 about 3,200 BMWs were sold, representing a 40.6% share of the premium segment, according to IOL.
According to Sowetan Live, vehicle defects have been reported across all major manufacturers in South Africa, with Ford, Toyota and Land Rover leading this year’s recalls. Ford’s 2021–2022 Mustang was found to have a faulty low-pressure fuel pump, while BMW’s X3 models had rear headrests that could fail in a crash. Volkswagen recalled Polos built between 19 and 23 May 2025 over rear axles that could detach.
In July, Ford recalled over 1,000 Ranger and Everest vehicles in the region due to engine stalling and related issues, with most of the units in South Africa.
