- Affected models include domestically produced and imported 5 Series, 7 Series, and M5.
- Domestically produced 5 Series cars accounted for the majority, totaling 133,849 units.
BMW is recalling nearly 180,000 vehicles in China, involving domestically produced and imported 5 Series, 7 Series, and M5 models, due to improperly routed air conditioning wiring harnesses that pose a fire risk.
China's State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) announced the recall on Tuesday, which totals 179,527 vehicles.
Domestically produced 5 Series cars account for the majority of the recall, with 133,849 units manufactured between December 5, 2023, and April 12, 2025.
The recall also includes 8,978 imported 5 Series cars produced between October 17, 2023, and April 8, 2025.
Additionally, it covers 36,527 imported 7 Series cars manufactured between June 9, 2022, and April 3, 2025.
Another 173 M5 vehicles are included in the recall; these were produced between July 4, 2024, and April 2, 2025.
The issue lies in the routing of the front cabin's air conditioning wiring harness, which could be damaged during aftermarket replacements of the air filter element. In extreme cases, this could lead to a short circuit in the wiring harness and cause a fire.
BMW will inspect and re-secure the wiring harnesses for the affected vehicles free of charge. If a harness is already damaged, it will be replaced.
Some vehicles have already been repaired previously and will not require further action.
This is one of the latest recalls for BMW in China. Last November, BMW recalled 7,740 electric vehicles due to a software issue.
That recall involved EV models including the i3, i5, iX1, iX, and i7, where a software glitch could cause the vehicle's high-voltage system to shut down incorrectly.
The air conditioning wiring harness recall is the latest quality challenge the company is facing in China, BMW's largest single market globally.
BMW operates a joint venture with Brilliance Auto to manufacture domestically produced models such as the 5 Series.
