Vehicle recall R/2021/015

BMW 5 Series and others recall: The battery cables on the 48v starter generator may not have been sufficiently secured during production

DVSA recall R/2021/015 names the BMW 5 Series, BMW X5, BMW X4, BMW 4 Series, BMW X3, BMW X7 and 2 more BMW models. It was launched 25 January 2021. It covers vehicles built 7 November 2019 to 5 January 2021.

Recall data updated 22 September 2026

Recall: R/2021/015
Launched: 25 January 2021
Issued by: BMW
Manufacturer reference: 0012490500 0012560500
Vehicles: DVSA lists 388 on each model line

What can go wrong

The battery cables on the 48V starter generator may not have been sufficiently secured during the production process.

The fix

Check the screw connection of the 48V positive / negative battery cables on the starter generator and rework if necessary.

Models and build dates

As listed in the DVSA recall file. DVSA lists the same vehicle number on each line: 388. It may be a figure per line or for the whole recall.
Model	Built	Vehicles
BMW 3 Series	24 February 2020 to 26 October 2020	388
BMW 3 Series	3 March 2020 to 26 October 2020	388
BMW 4 Series	17 August 2020 to 25 September 2020	388
BMW 5 Series	7 November 2019 to 27 August 2020	388
BMW 5 Series	28 November 2019 to 24 September 2020	388
BMW X3	10 June 2020 to 25 November 2020	388
BMW X4	2 June 2020 to 11 November 2020	388
BMW X5	5 June 2020 to 3 December 2020	388
BMW X6	5 July 2020 to 17 November 2020	388
BMW X7	5 August 2020 to 5 January 2021	388

Is a specific car affected? A recall lists models and build dates, not individual vehicles, so these pages cannot tell you whether one car is included. Enter the registration on the DVSA vehicle recall checker on GOV.UK, or give the vehicle identification number (VIN) to the manufacturer or one of its dealers. Buying used? Ask the seller for proof that any recall work was done.

Other recalls for these models

R/2021/037 The exhaust gas recirculation cooler could leak over time 9 February 2021, BMW 7 Series, BMW 1 Series, BMW X4 and others
R/2021/067 Some 22 continental tyres were produced out of specification 19 February 2021, BMW X5
R/2021/054 The integrated brake system hydraulic unit may have been produced incorrectly 22 February 2021, BMW 8 Series, BMW M8, BMW X7 and others
R/2020/283 Remaining particles in the cells of the high voltage battery can cause a short circuit 14 December 2020, BMW 5 Series, BMW 3 Series, BMW X1 and others
R/2021/085 Affected vehicles may be fitted with brake discs which are not to specification 15 March 2021, BMW 5 Series, BMW 4 Series, BMW 3 Series and others
R/2020/346 On affected vehicles seat belt mounting bolts may not be securely attached 26 November 2020, BMW X3

Found one you might buy?

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Source

Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: DVSA vehicle recall records (RecallsFile.csv), recalls launched 1992 to 2026. Recall data updated 22 September 2026.

Recall wording is DVSA's, with capitals and punctuation tidied and American spellings such as tire, center and windshield given in British English. We list a recall when its make and model match a car or van family with at least 1,000 DVSA MOT tests from 2022 to 2025, and when the maker of the vehicle issued it.

Not affiliated with or endorsed by DVSA. Methodology · Data sources