BMW Recall: BMW Recalls 1.3 Million Cars Worldwide

(AP Photo/Matthias Schrader,File)

BMW AG announced Monday that it is recalling about 1.3 million cars worldwide for a possible battery cable cover problem that could start a fire.

The carmaker said that the battery cable cover inside the trunk of some of its 5- and 6-Series vehicles may be incorrectly mount. The models affected are listed as the 5 Series Sedans and Sport Wagons produced between June 1, 2003, and March 31, 2010, and 6 Series Coupes and Convertibles made between Sept. 1, 2003 and July 31, 2010. and 6-Series BMWs built between 2003 and 2010.

“This can result in the electrical system malfunctioning, the vehicle failing to start and, in some cases, to charring or fire,” the company said in a statement. It added that a fire could start even when the car is not being driven.

View full list of recalled BMWs

According to BMW there have been no reports of accidents or injuries to people because of the problem and fewer than 1 percent of the cars that the company have inspected so far have had the defect.

The recall affects about 368,000 cars in the United States, around 293,000 cars in Germany, 109,000 cars in Britain and another 102,000 in China. It is one of the largest recalls BMW has had in recent years, according to the Wall Street Journal.

This comes a month after the company agreed with U.S. safety regulators to pay $3 million in civil penalties for failing to report safety defects in a timely fashion. Auto makers are required to report defects within five days.

BMW said it will be writing letters to car owners starting in April. The repair procedure should take about 30 minutes to an hour and would be free of charge to customers.

With Associated Press