BMW 1 Series Recalled for Fire Risk

Aug. 28, 2019—BMW is recalling thousands of BMW Series 1 for bad wiring that may cause a fire, according to a report by CNET.

Per the documents filed with NHTSA, the affected 1 Series cars come from the 2008-12 model years.

The issue is a blower-regulator wiring harness that may have connectors at the end of the harness covered in tin rather than silver. If the car features tin connectors, corrosion may occur at the blower-regulator connection. The blower-regulator system is responsible for controlling fan speed in the 1 Series' heating and air conditioning system, according to the report.

If the wiring corrodes, high electrical currents could increase the temperature and cause damage to additional wiring, lead to short circuits and potentially cause enough heat to melt the plastic blower-regulator and start a fire. Owners may notice a plastic and burning smell inside the car if overheating occurs. Additionally, the heat or air conditioning may stop working.