— BMW is recommending owners of nearly 48,000 vehicles should park their vehicles outdoors until the electric auxiliary water pumps are replaced.
The pumps can fail and cause the circuit boards to overheat and catch fire, a problem BMW has been trying to fix since a 2011 recall of 32,000 vehicles and a January 2012 recall of 90,000 vehicles.
The recalled vehicles include these 2011 and 2012 models.
- 2011-2012 BMW 550i
- 2011-2012 BMW 550i xDrive
- 2011-2012 BMW 550i Gran Turismo
- 2011-2012 BMW 550i Gran Turismo xDrive
- 2011-2012 BMW 750i
- 2011-2012 BMW 750Li
- 2011-2012 BMW 750i xDrive
- 2011-2012 BMW 750Li xDrive
- 2011-2012 BMW 760Li
- 2011-2012 BMW X5 xDrive50i
- 2011-2012 BMW X5 M
- 2011-2012 BMW X6 xDrive50i
- 2011-2012 BMW X6 M
- 2011-2012 BMW ActiveHybrid7
- 2011-2012 MINI Cooper S Convertible
- 2011-2012 MINI John Cooper Works Convertible
- 2011-2012 MINI Cooper S Countryman
- 2011-2012 MINI Cooper S Countryman ALL4
- 2011-2012 MINI Cooper S, JCW
- 2011-2012 MINI Cooper S Clubman
- 2011-2012 MINI JCW Clubman
- 2011-2012 MINI Cooper S Roadster
- 2011-2012 MINI JCW Roadster
- 2011-2012 MINI Cooper S Coupe
- 2011-2012 MINI JCW Coupe
- 2011-2012 Rolls-Royce Ghost
- 2011 BMW X6 Hybrid
- 2012 BMW 650i Coupe
- 2012 BMW 650i xDrive Coupe
- 2012 BMW 650i Convertible
- 2012 BMW 650i xDrive Convertible
Although recalls were issued in 2011 and 2012, BMW received a report in October 2017 about a 2011 MINI Cooper S that suffered from a failed electric auxiliary water pump, causing engineers to review field data. Another report arrived in December 2017 when a pump failed on a 2011 550i xDrive, a vehicle that hadn't been recalled previously.
BMW concluded the newly designed electric auxiliary water pumps supplied by Pierburg were exhibiting similar failures to the water pumps that were previously recalled even though the pump design had changed.
Affected owners who have paid to replace the auxiliary water pumps should ask BMW about reimbursement.
BMW dealers will replace the water pumps when the recall begins, but the automaker doesn't have replacement water pumps and doesn't know when the recall will get off the ground.
Owners will be notified in June 2018 about the recall and will receive second notices when replacement pumps are available. Until then, park away from anything flammable.
Owners may contact BMW at 800-525-7417, MINI at 866-825-1525 or Rolls-Royce at 877-877-3735.