Lyra Martin Auto 08.01.2022 00:Aug AM EDT

BMW Has Recalled 83 iX, i4 Models After Several Battery Fire Cases

BMW has recalled the 83 iX and i4 cars owing to battery fire instances but will provide repairs to the defective batteries at no extra charge to the owner.

BMW Will Replace Defected Batteries for Free

Following an investigation into many battery fire incidents involving the two EVs, BMW recalls 83 iX and i4 cars. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) advises owners of certain iX xDrive 50, iX M60, i4 eDrive40, and i4 M50 vehicles not to drive, charge, or park them inside, according to a notice seen by Autoblog.

BMW discovered a manufacturing flaw with specific Samsung SDI battery cells in iX models built between December 2, 2021, and June 30, 2022, and i4 models made between November 22, 2021, and June 13, 2022, after initially looking into an overseas incident involving 2022 i4 eDrive back in April.

Dealers have already been informed of the recall by BMW. The carmaker will replace the batteries in the impacted cars at no cost to the owner. BMW also states that it is unaware of any collisions or injuries caused by the battery issue.

By September 19, affected owners can anticipate a letter of notice. For further information, you may also contact BMW support beforehand.

It's crucial to remember that BMW purchases its iX and i4 EV batteries from CATL and Samsung SDI. Anyone worried about a potential recurrence of the problem Chevy Bolt owners had with GM should take note of this. But before declaring a worldwide recall in 2021, GM purchased the Bolt's battery entirely from LG Chem.

Tesla Drops Model 3 Battery Unlock Cost, but BMW's Heated Seat Fee Remains

While BMW wanted to sell vehicles with heated seats and charge a fee to use them, Tesla remotely locked a Model 3 owner's total battery capacity if they opted for the cheaper variant with a smaller battery. After criticism, especially on Twitter, Tesla waived the cost and handed the Model 3 owner the additional 80 kilometers. BMW was also compelled to explain its pay-to-play heated seat attempts.

BMW has used similar tricks in the past as it generated a similar uproar in 2018. When the service was first introduced, customers had to pay $80 a year to use wireless Apple CarPlay.

Shortly after, it updated the offer to encompass 240 months for just $300 to attract additional clients. While no other manufacturers were levying any membership charge at the time, it was referred to as a "lifetime" subscription. The application didn't go over as well as it should have, and owners came up with their workaround.

A John Hughes said one of his clients required Tesla service since US carriers discontinued 3G network services. Tesla authorities downgraded the battery charge to 60 kWh after discovering that the original 60 kWh battery pack had been replaced with a 90 kWh one. Tesla wanted $4,500 for the full range.

The car's owner complained about an unfair practice, generating Twitter fury. The next day, Tesla waived $4,500 for a Model S owner with bogus range constraints. Musk's attempt to purchase Twitter didn't change BMW's microtransaction business strategy since the firm still intended to provide subscription-based heated seats.