BMW’s South Korean unit apologized over a spate of engine fires, estimated by the country’s transport ministry at 27 over January to July, that has prompted a government probe and a major backlash from consumers.
SEOUL (Reuters) — BMW’s ( BMWG. DE) South Korean unit apologized over a spate of engine fires, estimated by the country’s transport ministry at 27 over January to July, that has prompted a government probe and a major backlash from consumers.
BMW said it will launch a recall of 106,000 diesel vehicles, including the 520d, starting from Aug. 20, citing defects in the exhaust gas recirculation system as the root cause of the fires.
“For the recent series of fire incidents happened in the country, we sincerely apologize for causing worry and anxiety among people and government authorities,” BMW Korea Chairman Kim Hyo-joon said at a press conference on Monday.
BMW, the second-most popular foreign carmaker in South Korea, said it had learned of the problems in 2016, but it identified the root cause of the problem in June this year.
The automaker has announced a “technical campaign” in Europe, followed by recalls in South Korea, citing similar failure rates of the system in both regions.
