BMW has issued a recall for 270 vehicles in the United States due to faulty welding on braking systems supplied by Continental AG, adding to previous global recall. The problem, discovered at BMW’s Shenyang, China, plant during routine quality checks in July 2024, highlights the growing complications surrounding Continental’s brake-by-wire technology.
The defect involves the welding of a key component in the brake system, which could result in emergency braking systems malfunctioning, increasing the risk of crashes. This recall follows an earlier BMW campaign in February 2024, affecting over 76,000 vehicles, in which faulty parts had to be replaced. Since, BMW of North America recalled an additional 278,000 vehicles.
Now, it seems the replacement parts used at the time were insufficient, forcing BMW to expand the recall once more. The announcement may involve just a few hundred vehicles in the U.S. for now, but globally, it has affected a much larger number. Just earlier this month, the automaker was forced to recall 1.5 million vehicles over a separate electric component issue, a fix estimated to cost BMW nearly €1 billion ($1.11 billion). Continental maintains that the parts were delivered according to BMW’s specifications, but the automaker’s recent testing reveals these standards were insufficient, particularly in the brake system’s electronic control unit. The issue with the braking system in question—the brake-by-wire mechanism—has contributed to BMW’s recent financial cuts, including lowered profit guidance for 2024.
The brake-by-wire system, which utilizes electronic impulses to control braking rather than traditional hydraulic methods, is designed to improve braking performance and efficiency. However, the latest recall reveals potential weaknesses, as the welding on a servomotor, which controls the force applied to the brake pads, might not hold up under real-world driving conditions.
The initial recall covered popular models such as the 2023-2025 5 Series and i5, 7 Series and i7, X1, X2, X5, X6, X7, and the flagship XM. If the braking system encounters an issue, a warning message will alert the driver, and the vehicle will switch to a default “safe mode.” While the car remains operable, drivers may notice increased resistance on the brake pedal, and stopping distances may be longer than normal. BMW emphasized that drivers should schedule service immediately upon receiving the recall notice to have the brake system inspected and, if necessary, have the faulty components replaced.
[Source: Bloomberg]
