Exclusive: Kilcullen BMW Fire Draws Attention Amid Separate Recall Notice Over Fire Issues

Thursday, 22 August 2024 17:26

By Martin Osborne

A local told Kfm that their car was recalled after their car caught fire on a busy motorway.

This is the dramatic image of a BMW that went up in flames at the busy Mart coffee truck in Kilcullen today.

The incident unfolded at lunch time, with local first year secondary school pupils looking on.

Image by Brian Byrne

Meanwhile, unrelated to the Kilcullen incident, Kfm has seen a letter sent to one local after their car caught fire on a busy motorway.

In a recall letter issued to the local, the letter, from BMW Group Ireland, urged the owner whose car went on fire to contact their local BMW centre for an essential software update related to the Diesel Control (DDE) unit.

The letter said the action is in response to potential issues identified with the Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) cooler in certain vehicles.

Excerpt from letter sent to Kfm

According to the recall notice, a software enhancement is necessary to improve the vehicle's ability to detect problems with the EGR cooler, a component that monitors and regulates the exhaust gas recirculation process.

During quality controls, it was discovered that deposits from a leaking EGR cooler could accumulate over time in the engine intake, potentially leading to localised overheating and, in rare cases, a vehicle fire.

The owner was advised to schedule an appointment to have the protective software update installed.

The letter stated that in some cases, additional tests may be conducted to ensure that the EGR cooler and associated sensors are functioning correctly.

Excerpt of letter sent to one local

Kfm has contacted BMW Ireland for comment.

Meanwhile, in the US, BMW is recalling 720,796 vehicles across various models due to a potential fire risk.

The issue arises from a defective water pump seal.

This recall affects a broad range of BMW's cars and SUVs produced between 2012 and 2018.

The affected models include the Z4 convertible, as well as select 2-, 3-, 4-

In the NHTSA report released on Aug. 19, the luxury vehicle company said, “an improperly sealed electrical connector on the water pump may be exposed to water and short circuit.”

An electrical short increases the risk of a fire, the NHTSA report said.