Fire alarm! 235,000 Minis recalled worldwide

BMW has been forced to order a worldwide recall of 235,000 Minis after a faulty water pump was discovered to have the potential to set cars alight. The problem affects seven models of the car, built between 2006 and 2011, and includes the popular Mini Cooper S and John Cooper Works. Around 30,000 of the affected cars are in the UK. The majority – 89,000 - are in the United States.

According to the Los Angeles Times, the recall has been issued after US authorities ordered an independent investigation of all BMW cars to examine 12 fires reported in its vehicles, including Minis and some BMW models. Five of the 12 fires, being looked into by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, are said to have destroyed the vehicles involved.

Mini offcials has been keen to downplay the issue, insisting that there is a “very low incidence” of the fault and that no accidents or injuries have occurred as a result. However, a BMW spokesperson, Nathalie Bauters, did note that “for us, this is a pretty serious issue”, pointing out that the company rarely issues recalls. BMW did, in fact, order another major recall just 15 months ago when problems with braking systems led to 345,000 BMWs and Rolls Royces being called back.

BMW has refused to reveal the costs entailed in this new recall, which will see the company replace faulty parts in every affected model. Potentially more damaging, however is the cost to the company’s image as a quality car manufacturer. These negative headlines come just days after it was announced sales of Minis had gone up worldwide, with China seeing a 47.7 per cent sales hike on the previous year.

While it has the potential to damage sales growth, this recall is still a drop in the ocean in comparison to Toyota’s 2009-2010 nightmares when braking problems in its cars were alleged to be responsible for 37 deaths and eventually led to 10m cars being recalled. ·