BMW take 2 years to discover faulty brakes; Recall 1.5 million cars

BMW is expected to spend nearly $1.1 billion to fix the issue.

According to media reports, BMW took more than two years to discover the full extent of the fault in its car's braking system. Reports mention that the first faulty brake complaints came in June 2022. However, it wasn't until last month that BMW issued a recall.

The German carmaker finally issued a recall for as many as 1.5 million vehicles, all of whom might have the defective brake part issued by parts supplier Continental AG. Due to the extent of the recall, BMW is expected to spend nearly $1.1 billion to fix the issue. The recall includes cars across the various brands & models of BMW, including the flagship 7 Series, the XM, and even the Rolls Royce Spectre. BMW is already said to have recalled about 80,000 vehicles in the USA in February this year.

Reports state that the carmaker launched an in-depth review of its braking system in October 2023. The review found interference affecting electric signals sent through the brake system.

Ferdinand Dudenhoffer, Director of the Centre for Automotive Research in Bochum, stated, "This isn’t just an ordinary recall, this is a significant shock. What’s also noteworthy is that BMW has been stepping up quality control among suppliers with a taskforce, indicating they see risks more broadly." He further added, "BMW is usually very cautious, preferring stability over short-term peaks, which is reflected in their margins."

A BMW spokesperson even mentioned that the carmaker took time to gauge the scale and financial impact of the recall. As per reports, a recall notice was sent by Rolls Royce in March this year, indicating the carmaker knew about the problem. The Rolls Royce recall mentioned a halt in sales and deliveries of the Spectre built within a certain timeframe.

However, despite the huge recall numbers, no accidents or injuries have been reported as a result of the faulty brakes.

Source: Bloomberg