BMW has announced what must be one of its smallest recalls ever in the United States. A grand total of four cars are headed back to the shop, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The issue stems from a faulty transmission impacting a single example of the 330i and 530i sedans. Additionally, the X3 xDrive30i and X4 xDrive40i crossovers are affected, one of each. These are all from the 2022 model year and pose a rollaway risk. Here is how you know if you’re among the four unlucky buyers.
The BMW 3 Series 330i was assembled on August 13, followed by the larger 5 Series 530i on November 3. BMW manufactured the crossovers in December, with the X3 xDrive30i on the 3rd and the X4 xDrive30i on the 14th. Therefore, a voluntary safety recall is necessary due to concerns of potential rollaway risk.
This is the official explanation included in the document published by the NHTSA: “There is a possibility that the screwing of the mechatronics of the automatic transmission was not carried out correctly.” “To fix this issue, the transmission mechatronics will need to be replaced”.
An Improperly ZF Automatic Transmission Is The Culprit
What do all these cars have in common? The eight-speed automatic transmission supplied by ZF. Indeed, the Baden-Württemberg-based company got in touch with BMW on January 13 to inform it about improperly assembled gearboxes. Consequently, an internal transmission leak can lead to a vehicle rollaway, thus increasing the risk of an accident. ZF might not have attached one or more bolts, thus causing an internal leak.
Accordingly, BMW will replace the faulty hardware free of charge. Owners of affected cars will receive a notification letter by mail on April 4. An automaker having to recall a brand-new car does not happen every day, but it’s not completely unheard of either. The four owners can see the glass half full as there are so many other things that could go wrong in a modern car, especially from a luxury brand.
[Source: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration]
