Photo: BMW
On May 25th, BMW initiated an investigation into a 320e xDrive Touring that experienced a thermal event in Finland. Preliminary info suggested that debris may have gotten inside the battery during production, but for the sake of due diligence, more analyses were required.
BMW has already experienced this uncanny condition two years back. NHTSA campaign number 20V-601 refers to 4,509 PHEVs ranging from the MINI Countryman to the 7 Series, all of them suspected of having debris in the battery cells. The debris could lead to a short circuit, resulting in a thermal event which could increase the risk of injury to the occupants. The suspect battery modules were supplied by Samsung SDI.
Turning our attention back to the 320e xDrive Touring that went up in flames, BMW gained access to the vehicle in July 2022. In conjunction with Samsung SDI, the German automaker determined that the root cause of the field incident was a damaged electrode. The South Korean supplier confirmed this issue with “production records in which certain electrodes may not have been properly sized during the laser cutting process.” Reading between the lines, the peeps at Samsung SDI haven’t been honest with BMW in regard to the battery cells used in certain plug-in hybrid models.
The Bavarians worked together with the increasingly despicable battery supplier to identify vehicles in the field that may have been fitted with suspect batteries. Campaign number 22V-683 lists one such vehicle in the guise of a plug-in 7 Series, namely a 745e produced on August 23rd, 2021.
Documents filed with the federal watchdog reveal that BMW of North America will contact the affected owner by home, and – if necessary – a mailed notification will be sent with instructions to bring the car in for a brand-new battery. The planned notification date is listed as November 7th.
The suspect vehicle bears chassis number WBA7W4C06NCH89356.
Turning our attention back to the 320e xDrive Touring that went up in flames, BMW gained access to the vehicle in July 2022. In conjunction with Samsung SDI, the German automaker determined that the root cause of the field incident was a damaged electrode. The South Korean supplier confirmed this issue with “production records in which certain electrodes may not have been properly sized during the laser cutting process.” Reading between the lines, the peeps at Samsung SDI haven’t been honest with BMW in regard to the battery cells used in certain plug-in hybrid models.
The Bavarians worked together with the increasingly despicable battery supplier to identify vehicles in the field that may have been fitted with suspect batteries. Campaign number 22V-683 lists one such vehicle in the guise of a plug-in 7 Series, namely a 745e produced on August 23rd, 2021.
Documents filed with the federal watchdog reveal that BMW of North America will contact the affected owner by home, and – if necessary – a mailed notification will be sent with instructions to bring the car in for a brand-new battery. The planned notification date is listed as November 7th.
The suspect vehicle bears chassis number WBA7W4C06NCH89356.
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