If you’re one of the few people who managed to snag a four-cylinder Supra before Toyota ended production last year, lucky you! While I don’t think it’s any more fun to drive than the six-cylinder, the four-pot Supra is a lot rarer, which means it’s a lot more special (even if you couldn’t get it with a stick shift).
When you get home tonight from enjoying your better fuel economy and lighter front end, you should probably park your car outside tonight. BMW—the company that builds the Supra on behalf of Toyota—just recalled nearly 200,000 cars equipped with that car’s 2.0-liter turbocharged engine over an issue with the starter that could start a fire.
According to the NHTSA, a relay on the engine starter might corrode. In rare cases, it can result in an overheating scenario and a short-circuit, which could cause a fire. That’s pretty scary! The starter in question was supplied to BMW by a French company called Valeo, and going by pictures of used models on eBay, it looks to be pretty normal-looking, as far as starters go.
In addition to the 2020-2022 Toyota Supra, the recall also affects a host of BMW models that use the same four-cylinder engine. The 2019-2021 BMW 330i, the 2019-2022 BMW Z4, the 2020-2022 BMW 530i, X3, and X4, the 2021-2022 BMW 430i and 430i Convertible, and the 2022 BMW 230i are all affected. In all, BMW is recalling a whopping 196,355 vehicles that are potentially at risk.
Interestingly, when BMW first discovered the fires were happening, the company chalked it up to damage caused by prior accidents. From the recall timeline:
On July 2, 2024, an engineering investigation was initiated based upon continuous field monitoring, and field cases involving vehicles that had experienced a thermal event, which included a Model Year 2021 BMW 5 Series on November 1, 2023, and a Model Year 2020 BMW 3 Series on March 10, 2024. Preliminary information noted that these vehicles were equipped with the same engine type. The information also indicated that the positive battery cable connection to the engine starter was either damaged or not connected.
Between September and November, additional analyses indicated that noticeable damage to the vehicles was likely to have occurred prior to the thermal event, either by an accident, or an improper repair. It was suggested that external influences that damaged the engine starter could be a root cause, although it had yet to be determined.
But “thermal events” kept happening, which eventually led investigators to discover that water was making its way into the starter, corroding one of its connections and causing the issue.
Despite the wide-reaching recall campaign, BMW suspects that just 0.1% (fewer than 200 cars) are actually affected. The company’s just being overly cautious, which, in this case, is probably the right course of action. If your car is subject to the recall, BMW (or Toyota, if you have a Supra) will replace your starter free of charge with an updated unit. Until then, BMW is advising owners to park outside. This way, in case your car self-immolates the next time you go to start it, you won’t accidentally burn your house or garage down.
There’s no warning on the recall notice not to drive your car, though I’d advise keeping a fire extinguisher handy just in case. You never know.
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“Hmpf. Ze Americains ‘ave no appreciation for Sieupraux Brulee. Unculturede.”
Its cuz’ they used one of those Franch starters. Stupid French… I thought all they made was fancy mustard and wine.
Just proving more… the new Supra ain’t a Toyota.
Valeo is probably the world’s third biggest car parts supplier. Expect millions of recalls and legal cases from people whose family members were burnt to a crisp.
Unlikely the starter was a BMW special.
Remember Takana anyone?
In a new twist the French government has ordered that from next year, any vehicle taken for the two year controle technique which, should have had the airbag changed and did not, be taken off the road if the airbag is not changed straight away.
Tens of thousands if not hundreds of thousands of vehicles with the dodgy air bags have just dropped off the official recall radar screens.
There are thousands of Citroens in the UK currently undriveable because of the airbag recall, you don’t have to wait for the yearly MOT, they’ve already been banned from being used.
Same in France, but guess what — people ignore the ban. And the recall system, has, as I said, lost an awful lot of vehicles, from around 10 different makers. Those are the ones that will be nabbed.
Oh great. Another French part that just gives up.
If your car’s starter is starting something besides the engine, talk to your Doctor since you might have BMW.
A starter solenoid once arced and welded itself connected/closed. That was on a 69 Chev. It kept cranking the engine until I hit it with a tire iron. Easy peasy, except for burning myself on the exhaust manifold.
Another minute and the battery cable would have had a meltdown,
I can imagine that would be a larger problem on a new car.
Maybe, just maybe, Toyota shoulda just built their own Supra?
They could have used a cut down Lexus IS platform.
They could have done that for the 86 too, and platform shared that with the Supra like the old Celica/Supra. And then maybe I wouldn’t have had to replace a wheel bearing last week at 80,000 miles.
they even could have fast-tracked the development of the G16 I3 engine, and stuck two together into a ~3.2L I6, capable of roughly 600hp.
Excellent point Captain.
Of course, and I bet they could have sold it for $15k, too.
Get the recall done folks! I wonder if these cars were actual pure Toyota products I would see more in the wild..
I love actual pure Toyota products.
Actual pure Toyota products–such as Camry, Corolla, and Highlander–have also been equipped with Valeo starters. Maybe Toyota pays extra for better supplier product?
If they were a pure BMW product I’d be more likely to buy one, I’m on my second E86 Z4 Coupe, but it’s the only model Z4 with a real roof.
I couldn’t live with the styling of the Supra. It’s all the fake vents.
A Toyota loving friend of mine has one and says the moment you drive it, all the BMW is forgiven.
Hmm… I have a 2020 Mini Cooper Clubman JCW, which has the same B48 but even higher strung thatn the Supra’s (300hp vs the 250hp of the Supra). Hopefully mine’s not affected!
RealOEM is your friend here! It’s a great website to look up any part on a BMW/Mini. Looks like the 2020 Clubman JCW does not use a Valeo starter from what I can see.
Yours will be affected by many other issues since its a Mini and they aren’t renown for staying together.
5 years and 72K miles, 50K with a JB4 box, bigger FMIC, intake, downpipe, exhaust and zero issues other than a wheel bearing (car is lowered on coilovers with aftermarket upper and lower rear control arms, so… I don’t blame Mini for that)
I thought this was going to be about The Rapture.
Wait, it’s an ICE vehicle being blamed for burning itself to a crisp? Not an EV? But, but, but…..noooooooooooooo………….(head metaphorically explodes). /s
I hope nobody’s BMW turns into Burning Metal Wreckage over this. Concentrating any kind of energy, chemical or electrical, can make fires happen.
I wonder if the 2.0 in my 2021 M235i is also included? It’s not in the list but the timeframe and motor size makes me wonder.
Probably not… if you pop onto RealOEM and look up your starter vs. the affected year/models in the article, it looks like your OEM starter is part number 12418580390 or 12418676405, which are not VALEO starters, while the affected cars are using VALEO-supplied starters.
That site’s awfully handy. Thank you!
If you have a 2.0 in your M235i you might have other issues unrelated to the starter.
For others wondering about recalls, the manufacturer will normally notify you by mail; they track you via the title.
Some BMVs (Ohio does) may also have access to recalls for your vehicle on their site.