More than 70 thousand electric vehicles recalled due to software error causing vehicles to suddenly turn off

BMW has just announced a recall of 70,852 electric vehicles in the US due to the risk that the high voltage system can automatically shut off while the vehicle is in operation, causing the vehicle to lose power, decelerate suddenly, and increase the risk of accidents.

Affected models include: BMW i4 manufactured from 2022-2025, iX manufactured from 2022–2024, i7 manufactured from 2023–2024 and 4,674 i5s from 2024 are also subject to recall.

According to a report from the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the cause of this situation comes from a software error on the electric motor. Specifically, the software can "mistakenly detect a double insulation condition", which leads to the entire high-voltage system being disconnected about 15-20 seconds after the warning appears. Although the steering and brakes are still working, the vehicle will fall into a free-floating state, posing a danger to the driver.

BMW said it began investigating the issue in 2021, initially suspecting debris getting into the electric motor. However, after extensive analysis, it determined that the software was unable to accurately distinguish between a true double insulation fault (which requires power to be disconnected to prevent the risk of electric shock or fire) and a single insulation fault.

The German automaker confirmed it has received about 43 warranty cases involving vehicles losing power while traveling at speeds above 20 mph. However, there have been no reports of accidents or injuries related to the defect to date.

To fix the issue, BMW will update the new electric motor control software via OTA (over-the-air update). Owners can also bring their vehicles to the dealer for inspection and update. Official notices will be sent to customers from August 5.