BMW of North America is recalling 720,796 older vehicles in the United States after federal safety officials warned that an electrical connector near the water pump can short-circuit and create a fire risk. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) says owners should park affected vehicles outside and away from buildings and other vehicles until repairs are completed.

Why NHTSA issued a park-outside warning

The recall covers vehicles with a water-pump electrical connector that may not be adequately sealed. Water can reach the connector and cause a short circuit, according to NHTSA. The agency said it was aware of about 10 incidents that relate or may relate to the issue, with no crashes or injuries reported in its notice.

This is a new repair campaign for vehicles that were included in a 2024 recall involving the water pump. NHTSA says the latest campaign addresses a connector problem that still needs to be corrected, so owners should check their vehicle’s recall status rather than assume an earlier repair resolves the current notice.

Which BMW model years are included?

The affected group includes selected 2012–2016 3 Series and 5 Series vehicles; 2012–2015 X1; 2012–2016 Z4; 2013–2017 X3; selected 2014–2016 2 Series, 3 Series Sports Wagon, 328xi Gran Turismo and 4 Series vehicles; 2015–2018 X4; and 2016–2018 X5 xDrive40e. The recall covers specific configurations, so model and year alone may not determine whether an individual vehicle is affected.

How owners can check and what happens next

NHTSA says owners can check a vehicle identification number (VIN) or license plate through its recall lookup beginning Dec. 25, 2026. BMW expects to begin mailing owner notification letters that day. The company is still developing a remedy; once available, the repair will be provided at a BMW dealer at no cost.

Until the repair is completed, follow NHTSA’s direction to park outside and away from structures and other vehicles. The agency lists BMW at 800-525-7417 and its vehicle-safety hotline at 888-327-4236 for questions.

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Sources

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration recall notice · Reuters report on NHTSA’s warning