15 August 2018•Update: 15 August 2018
By Alex Jensen
SEOUL
South Korea reported its 40th BMW car fire of the year Wednesday, a day after the government ordered a driving suspension for thousands of vehicles that have not yet been checked for their safety.
The German automaker said recently it would perform emergency inspections on all models subject to a scheduled recall, but Seoul's transport ministry stepped in with its driving ban as it revealed that more than 27,000 cars were still unchecked by midnight Monday.
The models in question feature a potentially faulty exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) module that is a standard feature in diesel vehicles. While South Korea's series of fires has been unique, BMW has voluntarily recalled cars elsewhere, including hundreds of thousands in Europe.
However, the latest fire reported by emergency responders involved a BMW X1 SUV, which was not part of the recall.
According to Yonhap News Agency, "smoke was seen coming from the front part of the car when the driver stopped after hearing a rattling sound."
Some local BMW owners have demanded action against the automaker, with joint lawsuits seeking compensation already being filed.
