BMW has announced a recall of 29,868 MINI models, due to an electrical fault which can cause a fire.
The recall, which affects MINI Cooper S and John Cooper Works models, applies to cars built between March 2006 and January 2011.
BMW will be contacting owners over the next few weeks to arrange the required repair work. Customers will have the potentially faulty water pump replaced for free at a MINI dealership, with the work taking around an hour to complete.
The company has stressed that there have been no reports of any injuries or accidents as a result of this issue, and that only one incident of fire has been recorded in the United Kingdom.
BMW has also reassured customers that they are fine to remain using their MINIs, even if the recall work has not been carried out, due to a very low chance of failure.
The problem stems from the electric water pump that is used to circulate coolant through the vehicle’s turbocharger, keeping it cool. The electronic control board that regulates it has, in some instances, been found to malfunction and overheat.
This, in some cases, has led to the circuit board catching fire. The problem was noticed after the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, in the United States, received reports of 12 MINIs suffering from an engine bay fire. BMW has also stated that the issue was picked up by internal quality control.
