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BMW is set to recall around 10,000 Irish cars to have a potentially faulty power cable replaced, following a larger recall in the UK, where more than 300,000 cars are going to be recalled.
The recall currently affects 1 Series, 3 Series, Z4, and X1 models built between March 2007 and September 2011, and BMW Ireland will be writing directly to owners in the coming days to arrange for them to bring their cars in, and is working on the problem with the Department of Transport.
The faulty part is a connector for the main power supply cable, where it feeds into the vehicle's electrical system distribution box. That connection can apparently fail, thanks to corrosion caused by friction, and the vibrations from the engine and suspension.
BMW had issued a 'technical action' for the problem in 2016 (which is an advisory to have the issue dealt with at the next available service), which turned into a recall, for a smaller number of vehicles, in 2017. That recall has now widened to ten times the original number.
A spokesperson for BMW Group Ireland told CompleteCar.ie that: "We will be contacting all affected customers by post advising them of how they can book their car in to have the work carried out. We will commence contacting affected customers in the next three weeks. The work should take no more than two hours. There will be no cost to the customer. Any customers with any concerns or requiring assistance should contact their local Retail Centre or our Customer Care Team on 1890 719 421."
Following a BBC Watchdog investigation, a BMW spokesperson told the BBC that: "We now recognise that there may have been some cases of similar power-supply issues in vehicles not covered by the original recall. In order to reassure customers with concerns about the safety of their vehicles, we are voluntarily extending the recall. We are therefore announcing today that we will take the proactive step of expanding the existing UK recall to cover all vehicles potentially affected by the power-supply issue."