BMW Faces Scrutiny As Old Diesel Models Goes Up In Flames In Europe

Harsh calls are coming at BMW due to problems with fires in older diesel cars. Despite the millions of recalled cars, diesel cars still have a problem with fires.

45 BMW diesel cars were burnt in Finland. BMW has been accused of sending recalls that look like advertisements.

What starts as white smoke under the hood of a diesel car often turns into flames within minutes. The problem lies in the car’s EGR (exhaust gas recirculation) system, a component that should reduce harmful gas emissions but that became the cause of the fire.

Two public services have investigated BMW’s handling of recalls. Belgium’s VRT and Finland’s YLE published reports strongly criticizing BMW. According to investigations from South Korea, where the affected cars were banned from the road in 2018, BMW was aware of the defect as early as 2015. Despite this, it wasn’t until 2018 that a major recall was launched. The recall covers more than 4 million vehicles worldwide, but the cars continue to catch fire. In Belgium, Cindy Haenegriffs says her 2019 BMW caught fire in 15 minutes in 2024. She never received the revocation letter. Many fires occur during acceleration, for example, at highway entrances.

One of the most serious accusations against BMW is about communication. Belgian consumer protection minister Rob Beenders is now strongly criticizing the recall design.

– It can look like a flyer or an invoice. ‘You don’t feel that it is important information that you have to read,’ says Beenders for VRT.

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