Exclusive: A global stop-sale of most BMW model lines is affecting Australian (and potentially global) dealers, resulting in tens of thousands of new and used vehicles being unable to be delivered to customers.
CarExpert understands the stop-sale – where deliveries are paused but cars are not yet recalled – affects up to 30,000 vehicles in Australia, and is impacting hundreds of thousands globally until BMW can work out which cars require rectification.
The delivery pause was communicated to Australian BMW dealers two weeks ago but hasn’t yet been lifted, one dealership employee told CarExpert.
“BMW Group undertakes rigorous quality control inspections on all its models to ensure that our new vehicles meet the highest standards before delivery to customers,” a spokesperson for BMW Australia told CarExpert.
“We work closely with our head office in Munich and local authorities on technical matters to ensure that appropriate measures are taken before BMW vehicles are handed over to customers. ”
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BMW X5
A BMW dealer canvassed by CarExpert said model lines including – but not limited to – the X1, X2, X3, X5, X6, X7 and 5 Series are impacted in Australia, with the official reason being communicated as a ‘brake campaign’.
The staff member said they expect to receive a list of affected vehicle identification numbers (VINs) within the coming days, at which point the cars will be checked to ascertain which examples are affected by the fault.
It’s not yet known whether the potential fault also impacts Mini vehicles, which are also built by BMW.
According to US-based owners forums, BMW customers in the US have been told the delay is due to a malfunction with their new vehicle’s integrated brake system (IBS).
The IBS uses an electric actuator to maintain consistent brake pressure, with the fault understood to result in drivers needing to apply greater force on the brake pedal.
BMW X1
An IBS failure can also result in the malfunction of the anti-lock brakes (ABS) and stability control systems.
A fault with identical symptoms resulted in the recall of 7168 BMW vehicles – the 5 Series, i5, 7 Series, i7, X1, iX1, X5, X6, X7 and XM – in March this year.
“Due to a manufacturing defect, signal interference may occur within the electronics of the brake system,” the company said in its March recall notice.
“If this occurs, a higher pedal force may be required for braking.
“The anti-lock braking system and dynamic stability control will not be available.
BMW i5
“The vehicle remains controllable; however, a higher pedal force may be required for braking and in certain conditions, braking distance may be extended.
“A reduction in braking performance could increase the risk of an accident resulting in injury to the vehicle occupants, pedestrians, and other road users.”
At the time, BMW Australia said it was contacting owners of affected vehicles, though it didn’t yet have the necessary parts to fix the fault.
“When the necessary parts are available, all vehicle owners will be asked to bring their vehicle to a BMW dealership to have the electronic brake system controller replaced at no cost,” the carmaker added to its March recall.
CarExpert will update this story when more information becomes available.
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