BMW Electric Cars Are Too Quiet, Prompting Recall

Some electric BMW vehicles have a problem: they do not make enough noise.

The German automaker is calling back roughly 3,500 iX and i4 models whose noise generators are not working, Jalopnik reports. 

“Under normal conditions, the sound generator would emit a beep or humming noise when the car reverses,” Owen Bellwood writes for Jalopnik. “But, in the 3,431 cars affected by the recall, the ‘control unit may, sporadically, experience a fault condition.’ As such, the sound generator may, under ‘certain vehicle operating conditions,’ not emit correct warning sounds.”

The devices are a safety measure required on many electric vehicles. They are designed to alert pedestrians and others of the vehicles' presence.

BMW told NHTSA it first became aware of the problem during quality control checks late last year. It described the issue in documents filed with the regulatory agency and said it was not aware of any accidents or injuries caused by the defect.

The recall covers certain i4 models and iX models produced between January 13th and December 21st, 2022. BMW said it plans to notify owners by about the middle of March. It will ask owners to bring vehicles to nearby dealers for a software update, free of charge.

This is not the first time that BMW has had to call back electric cars over serious defects.

Last year, the company recalled certain i4 vehicles in Denmark because they were missing battery pads. The lack of safety devices puts recalled cars at risk of bursting into flames in the event of an accident, BMW acknowledged at the time.

Like other major auto manufacturers, BMW calls back slews of vehicles around the globe every year. They cite a wide range of malfunctions and defects that pose serious safety risks.

Last summer, for example, the company recalled some 62,000 vehicles over a software problem that it told German regulators could cause the cars to lose power suddenly and without warning. The recalled vehicles included certain BMW X3, X4, and X5 cars produced between 2016 and 2022. 

Just months earlier, BMW announced it was recalling more than 60,000 vehicles over a software snafu that could cause sunroofs to malfunction and pose a trapping risk.

The California Lemon Law

One of the problems with these recalls is that they often come long after the defective cars have been sold to unsuspecting buyers. The good news for BMW and other car owners in California is that you do not need to wait around for a recall in order to get faulty vehicles fixed.

The California lemon law requires automakers to perform a variety of repairs on vehicles while the cars are under warranty. It also forces those companies to buy back or replace cars that they cannot or simply refuse to properly fix.   

Talk with a California Lemon Law Attorney

If you have been stuck with a defective or malfunctioning vehicle, a California lemon law attorney at Bickel Sannipoli APC can help you fight back.  

Call us at (888) 800-1983 or contact us online to speak with a California lemon law attorney.