BMW recalls over 70K EVs for an issue that ‘increases the risk of a crash’
BMW is recalling tens of thousands of EVs for an issue that could leave the impacted vehicles without power while driving. While the percentage of vehicles included in the BMW recalls that exhibit the fault is low, the electric drive motor software issue could increase the risk of a crash for drivers and passengers.
BMW recalls 70,852 EVs built between 2022 and 2025 for electric drive motor software
BMW of North America recently released a recall for 70,852 electric vehicles from the i4, i5, i7, and iX model lineups. The culprit? A software fault may sap the power output of electric drive motors and lead to a loss of power while driving.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), “The electric drive motor software may shut down the high-voltage system, causing a loss of drive power.” Unsurprisingly, the loss of power is a very real concern for the safety regulator, one that suggests the issue “increases the risk of a crash.”
As for a remedy, the German luxury brand will update the electric drive motor software with an over-the-air (OTA) software update. BMW service centers will also cater to affected vehicles in the recall at no cost to owners.
| BMW recall models | Model years | Number impacted |
|---|---|---|
| i4 | 2022-2025 | 35,414 |
| i5 | 2024 | 4,674 |
| i7 | 2023-2024 | 5,484 |
| iX | 2022-2024 | 25,280 |
So, how do you find out if your vehicle is one of the ones listed in the recall? For starters, you can look up your vehicle using the NHTSA’s VIN lookup tool. Other than that, owners can contact BMW by calling 1-800-525-7417. BMW says it will mail notification letters of the recall by August 5, 2025. However, the NHTSA recall suggests that only 0.1% of recalled models will exhibit the defect.
