BMW to recall over 55,000 cars sold in S. Korea

September 23, 2015
(Yonhap)

(Yonhap)

SEJONG (Yonhap) — BMW Korea, the local importer of the German luxury automobile brand, is recalling 55,737 cars sold in South Korea for problems found in timing belt tensioners, the transportation ministry said Wednesday.

According to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, a combined 24 BMW and MINI models have faulty tensioners that can cause the vehicles to lose power while being driven. MINI is part of BMW AG that specializes in small cars.

All of the affected cars were built between Nov. 13, 2007, and June 29, 2013.

In addition, BMW’s Active Tourer cars have been found to have problems in their front passenger seat belts that must be fixed. Authorities said some 24 Active Tourers made between Oct. 30 and Dec. 4 of last year have this problem.

The ministry said BMW Korea will start offering repairs free of charge Thursday.

Besides BMW, the government said Volvo Korea will recall 30 S60 compact executive cars for deficient stop and start systems that can cause the ignition to quit and not restart.

Cars with this problem were built between April 9 and Aug. 13 of this year, with the Swedish carmaker to start providing repairs Thursday.

The ministry also said that Kiheung Motors, the local importer of Harley-Davidson motorcycles, will recall 207 XG750 bikes made between Feb. 24, 2014, and July 15 of this year.

These bikes have substandard fuel pumps that can cause the engines to quit while they are on the road. Kiheung will exchange the pumps starting Thursday, the ministry said.