Stop That: BMW Recalls Vehicles for Brake Issues
Pursuant to federal law (we’ve always wanted to start a post in that manner), BMW is recalling approximately 80,000 machines from the 2023 and 2024 model years for vexing problems with braking systems.
Models run the gamut, including some 5- and 7-Series sedans plus their electric i5 and i7 counterparts. On the crossover and SUV side of the ledger, the company has identified certain copies of the X1, X5, X6, X7, and the strange-looking XM as requiring attention. Even the Rolls Royce Spectre is mentioned in the campaign. A full list can be found here.
At issue is the so-called integrated brake system, a unit which may malfunction and result in a loss of power brake assist or cause the antilock brake and dynamic stability control systems to not function properly. In one of the most obvious statements ever put forth by a large agency (which is saying a lot), the NHTSA says a loss of power brake assist “can extend the distance required to stop the vehicle.” You don’t say.
Most drivers on the road have not had the misfortune of driving anything without power brakes; those who have, like numerous of you lot in the comments, know it requires stomping on the pedal like a vintner stomps grapes in order for anything meaningful to happen. They also point out malfunctioning ABS and haywire stability control can cause heartburn, though anyone who’s still driving a GM W-body from the ‘90s has those skills down pat. Other clues to calamity apparently include a warning lamp and message displayed in the instrument cluster and, in some cases, the vehicle may refuse to start.
As a remedy, BMW says dealers will replace the integrated brake system, a task which will surely add many hours of work orders to this brand’s service departments nationwide. According to a copy of the recall note found on a fan forum, the integrated brake system may not have been produced by its supplier according to BMW specifications.
Letters about this issue won’t go out until sometime in April. With that in mind, it’s never a bad idea to hit up the NHTSA website to check for recalls.
[Image: BMW]
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Matthew buys, sells, fixes, & races cars. As a human index of auto & auction knowledge, he is fond of making money and offering loud opinions.
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- Tassos Under incompetent, affirmative action hire Mary Barra, GM has been shooting itself in the foot on a daily basis.Whether the Malibu cancellation has been one of these shootings is NOT obvious at all.GM should be run as a PROFITABLE BUSINESS and NOT as an outfit that satisfies everybody and his mother in law's pet preferences.IF the Malibu was UNPROFITABLE, it SHOULD be canceled.More generally, if its SEGMENT is Unprofitable, and HALF the makers cancel their midsize sedans, not only will it lead to the SURVIVAL OF THE FITTEST ones, but the survivors will obviously be more profitable if the LOSERS were kept being produced and the SMALL PIE of midsize sedans would yield slim pickings for every participant.SO NO, I APPROVE of the demise of the unprofitable Malibu, and hope Nissan does the same to the Altima, Hyundai with the SOnata, Mazda with the Mazda 6, and as many others as it takes to make the REMAINING players, like the Excellent, sporty Accord and the Bulletproof Reliable, cheap to maintain CAMRY, more profitable and affordable.
- GregLocock Car companies can only really sell cars that people who are new car buyers will pay a profitable price for. As it turns out fewer and fewer new car buyers want sedans. Large sedans can be nice to drive, certainly, but the number of new car buyers (the only ones that matter in this discussion) are prepared to sacrifice steering and handling for more obvious things like passenger and cargo space, or even some attempt at off roading. We know US new car buyers don't really care about handling because they fell for FWD in large cars.
- Slavuta Why is everybody sweating? Like sedans? - go buy one. Better - 2. Let CRV/RAV rust on the dealer lot. I have 3 sedans on the driveway. My neighbor - 2. Neighbors on each of our other side - 8 SUVs.
- Theflyersfan With sedans, especially, I wonder how many of those sales are to rental fleets. With the exception of the Civic and Accord, there are still rows of sedans mixed in with the RAV4s at every airport rental lot. I doubt the breakdown in sales is publicly published, so who knows... GM isn't out of the sedan business - Cadillac exists and I can't believe I'm typing this but they are actually decent - and I think they are making a huge mistake, especially if there's an extended oil price hike (cough...Iran...cough) and people want smaller and hybrids. But if one is only tied to the quarterly shareholder reports and not trends and the big picture, bad decisions like this get made.
- Wjtinfwb Not proud of what Stellantis is rolling out?
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Recall notices in April? No instruction to "Park it outside in an open field, and don't drive it until it's fixed" notice? I thought safety recalls were more stringent, but I guess dragging a foot will get the job done.
Looking forward to buying 2 of these with all of those Rubles we have been earning lately.