BMW and Toyota owners are facing troubling news: a hidden electrical defect has triggered a massive recall impacting nearly 200,000 vehicles in the US. At the center of the issue is the starter relay, which can corrode, overheat, and potentially short-circuit, creating a fire hazard.
Regulators are urging drivers to park their cars outdoors and away from buildings until the repairs are carried out. According to documents filed with the NHTSA campaign, a total of 196,355 vehicles are affected. The recall spans a wide range of popular BMW models, including the 330i (2019–2021), 530i (2020–2022), 430i and 430i Convertible (2021–2022), 230i (2022), as well as the X3 and X4 SUVs (2020–2022) and the Z4 (2019–2022). The Toyota Supra, built between 2020 and 2022 through a joint venture with BMW, is also part of the campaign.
BMW confirmed that dealers will replace the faulty relay at no cost to owners, but replacement parts are not yet available. Interim notification letters will be mailed on November 14, followed by a second notice once the necessary parts arrive. Until then, the only official guidance is to keep the cars parked outside.
This recall is particularly significant because it affects models that carry both prestige and everyday usability. The Supra and Z4 are designed for pure driving excitement, while the 3 Series and 5 Series embody BMW’s long-standing reputation as the “Ultimate Driving Machine”. The X3 and X4 transfer the same performance DNA into the SUV segment.
These cars are daily drivers as much as weekend fun machines, making the fire risk an especially disruptive issue for owners. The NHTSA estimates nearly 200,000 vehicles are impacted, underscoring the scale of the problem. VIN lookups will be available on NHTSA online website starting November 14, and BMW has also set up a dedicated customer hotline at 1-800-525-7417.
