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A BMW car caught on fire on July 30 while traveling on a highway that connects Incheon to Gimpo. (provided by Incheon Seobu Fire Station)
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Includes free rentals for customers during safety assessments
BMW has announced additional measures in response to vehicle fires that have continued even after its recent announcement of a recall. In particular, the automaker plans to provide free rental car support while safety assessments are being carried out. Amid growing consumer fears after recent fires involving BMW vehicles, the South Korean Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport (MOLIT) announced on Aug. 1 that it had consulted with BMW Korea on additional measures. In response to a series of incidents in which BMW vehicles caught fire on the road, BMW Korea announced a recall on July 27 for 106,000 vehicles from 42 models, including the 520d. Sixty-one BMW service centers around South Korea are conducting safety assessments for defective parts as part of the recall. But with fires continuing to occur even after the recall plan’s announcement on July 26, consumer worries have been growing. BMW Korea plans to provide free rental car support to customers who request it during their emergency safety assessment service period. “We will be consulting with major rental car companies throughout South Korea to develop a system to provide cars to the 106,000 customers subject to emergency safety assessments,” it said. With immediate safety assessments complicated by the large numbers of customers visiting service centers to receive them, the measures are a gesture toward customers who are worried about driving until their assessments are complete. BMW Korea also announced plans to more than double its call center staffing to respond swiftly to the rapid rise in telephone inquiries and calls to book safety assessments. MOLIT has also announced proactive measures to ensure safety and allay fears, including real-time checkups on BMW Korea’s emergency safety diagnostic review situation, with additional measures to be adopted as needed. The ministry plans to monitor progress to ensure that the automaker completes all of its safety inspections by Aug. 14 as initially planned. In connection with the cause of the fires, MOLIT received a report from BMW Korea attributing it to defects with the diesel engine’s exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) device. The ministry said it plans to order technical evidence to be submitted to BMW by Aug. 3, while conducting an investigation into the vehicles actually affected by the fires as it examines the data. By Heo Seung, staff reporter Please direct comments or questions to [english@hani.co.kr]
