- The plaintiff says the recall will cost owners tens of thousands of hours and dollars.
- BMW‘s widespread recall impacts models, including the X1, Z4, 3-Series, and 4-Series.
- Blow-by-liquid from the positive crankcase ventilation system may collect on the intake air hose of impacted models.
Not only is BMW facing the headache of recalling over 720,000 vehicles in the United States due to a faulty water pump, but the automaker also has the joy of contending with a proposed class action lawsuit as a direct consequence of this recall.
The lawsuit, filed in New Jersey, seeks a jury trial and argues that despite BMW’s offer to cover the cost of all recall-related repairs, owners are still left to bear the burden of their time, inconvenience, and additional expenses.
Read: BMW Recalls 720,000 Cars In The US After Korean Authorities Flag Potential Fire Risk
According to the plaintiff, a BMW X5 owner, she will need to pay out of pocket to have her vehicle towed to a BMW dealership. The lawsuit notes that with towing costs averaging $4.75 per mile, it will cost the driver $28.97 to transport her car 6.1 miles to the nearest dealer. Yes, you read that right—just under $30.
However, it’s not about the price. The plaintiff also contends that she will likely spend about 30 minutes waiting for the tow truck. Multiply that by 720,000 affected owners, and according to the lawsuit, you’re looking at tens of thousands of collective hours and dollars lost, all thanks to BMW’s generous recall.
BMW’s recall notice states that blow-by-liquid from the positive crankcase ventilation system may collect on the intake air hose. This could cause liquid to drop onto the plug connector and over time, this may lead to a short circuit, increasing the risk of a fire.
The recall affects a wide range of models, including certain 2012-2015 X1 sDrive28i and X1 xDrive28i, 2012-2016 Z4 sDrive28i, 528i, 528i xDrive, 328i, 328xi, 2016-2018 X5 xDrive40e, 2014-2016 228i, 228xi, 428i, 428i xDrive, 328xi Gran Turismo, 2013-2017 X3 sDrive28i and X3 xDrive28i, 2015-2018 X4 xDrive28i, and 2015-2016 428xi models. In total, the recall impacts an impressive 720,796 vehicles.
BMW has assured that its dealers will inspect the water pump and plug connector and, if necessary, replace both parts. Evidently, that’s not enough for the plaintiff, who is pushing for more than just repairs; she is seeking a jury trial and wants to be awarded “all actual, general, special, incidental, statutory, and consequential damages,” as well as “costs including reasonable attorneys’ fees, court costs, and other litigation expenses.”