BMW recalls 5000 X5's in SA
2012-12-07 10:01
FAULTY BOLT: BMW is recalling 5000 X5's in South Africa. Customers will be contacted to have their vehicles fixed.
DETROIT, Michigan - BMW South Africa is recalling about 5000 X5's as part of a huge world-wide correction for a bolt that could fail and affect the power-assisted steering.
"I can confirm that BMW South Africa is affected by the technical campaign," a BMW spokesman said. "This affects BMW X5 xDrive35d vehicles produced between June 2006 and November 2012 as well as BMW X6 xDrive35d vehicles produced between July 2007 and March 2010.
"About 240 000 vehicles are affected worldwide and 5034 in South Africa."
The recall is for a bolt which could break and cause the loss of power-assisted steering which may increase the risk of a crash but there have been no incidents or injuries involving the problem in North America, Canada or South Africa.
BREAKING BOLTS
The US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said a bolt holding a belt pulley could loosen and break. "If that happens the car can lose power-assisted steering, making it difficult to steer."
Customers in SA are being contacted to have the bolt for the deflection pulley replaced by a more robust version and locking agent.
The trouble was discovered in 2011 in Canada. Dealers will replace the bolt and tighten it to the proper specification. They'll also add a coating to keep the bolt from coming loose.
