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Firefighters extinguish a fire after a BMW 520d model burst into flames on the Yeongdong Expressway near Wonju

A series of incidents involving fires during the operation of BMW vehicles subject to a recent recall has prompted the South Korean government to take the unusual step of issuing a statement recommending that owners refrain from driving them.

This marks the first time the government has recommended that owners refrain from driving a particular brand or model of car for safety reasons. With the government’s investigation into vehicle defects expected to last for around ten months before the cause of the fires is determined, the controversy over BMW vehicles appears set to continue for the time being.

“We would like to ask that South Korean citizens who own a BMW vehicle subject to a recall receive a safety inspection as soon as possible and avoid driving as much as possible until safety has been established,” the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport (MOLIT) announced on Aug. 3 at the Central Government Complex in Seoul in a statement credited to Minister Kim Hyun-mi.

Since July 26, BMW Korea has been recalling 106,000 vehicles from 42 BMW models, including the 520d, after a series of incidents involving fires while driving. But with several additional fires occurring as owners continue driving even after the recall without receiving safety inspections, the government has now taken action to recommend that they refrain from using the vehicles.

“We intend to thoroughly and transparently investigate the cause of these incidents and bring it to light in detail shortly so that there are no questions, and we will be taking stern action in response to any issues that are discovered,” Kim said, adding that MOLIT also plans to “work with government institutions to also review whether BMW’s response process has been appropriate.”

While nearly 30 cases of fires have taken place this year, the precise cause remains unknown. Although the recall was based on a presumed problem with the vehicles’ exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) module, BMW has added to the confusion by offering different explanations as to whether the problem involves a defect in the part itself, a software program issue, or a problem with the entire system. Recently, it was learned that four fires this year involving gasoline-powered vehicles were not subject to the recall.

MOLIT announced on Aug. 3 that it had begun a full-scale investigation based on technical evidence and other materials provided by BMW.

“While it normally takes about ten months for the government to complete a defect investigation, we will be shortening that time frame and moving as quickly as possible with the BMW investigation due to the threat that is still posed to citizen safety with the continued occurrence of fires,” explained Kim Chae-gyu, an automobile management official at the ministry.

Gangwon Province

In response to questions over whether BMW deliberately covered the incident up, MOLIT also announced plans to actively consider sharing the technical data provided by the automaker if necessary. Critics have accused BMW of dragging its feet with its response, implementing its recall only belatedly in response to MOLIT’s recommendation after doing nothing about the fires earlier this year.

Some have also alleged it was aware of the EGR defect as early as 2016, attempting improvements to the part that December which were subsequently covered up. The automaker could face around 70 billion won (US$62.4 million) in penalties if it is found to have deliberately concealed or downplayed a defect after becoming aware of its existence. Vehicle owners are also pursuing a legal response, with 13 BMW owners filing suit that day with Seoul Central District Court to demand damages from BMW Korea and five dealerships.

By Heo Seung and Hong Dae-seon, staff reporters

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