BMW Warns 29,000 Plug-In Hybrid Owners: Park Outside Due to Fire Risk

If you own a BMW plug-in hybrid sedan from the 2016 to 2020 model years, the automaker has a simple but urgent request: park it outside. A recall affecting nearly 30,000 vehicles, including the 3, 5, and 7-Series with the iPerformance system, has been issued over a potential short circuit that could lead to a fire.

The culprit isn't the hybrid battery or electric motor. It's the conventional starter motor, the same kind found in cars for over a century. BMW is advising owners to keep their cars away from garages and structures until the fix is applied.

The problem stems from possible corrosion in the starter relay, according to documents filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Water can seep into the relay, causing a short circuit inside the starter and eventual overheating. That overheating. BMW warns, could trigger a thermal event, a fire, whether the car is being driven or parked with the engine off.

0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine. Affected models this time include the 2016-2018 330e, 2018-2020 530e and 530e xDrive, and 2017-2019 740Le xDrive.

BMW says it discovered the issue while monitoring vehicles and service reports after the original recall. In early 2026, the company tested 150 starters returned from in-service cars and learned of two additional field incidents before deciding to act. 1% of vehicles will actually experience it.

Still, the company is urging owners to park outside until repairs are done. The remedy is a redesigned starter motor, installed free of charge. Owners who already paid for a fix may be eligible for reimbursement by contacting BMW customer service. Notification letters go out August 28, and owners can check their VIN on BMW's recall site after that date.