Premium carmaker BMW has recalled nearly 11,000 vehicles that have been on South Africa’s roads for almost a decade over safety concerns.The growing number of recalls by legacy manufacturers — more than 22,000 vehicles this year — comes as they face mounting pressure from cheaper imports from China and India, which have disrupted the local market.The National Consumer Commission on Thursday issued a safety recall affecting 10,961 BMW 3 Series, 4 Series, 5 Series, 7 Series, X3 and X4 vehicles sold in South Africa from 2016 which are fitted with the pinion starter.“According to the supplier, due to production-related factors, the affected vehicles may experience increased wear of the solenoid switch after a high number of start operations. As a result, the engine’s starting capability deteriorates,” the commission said.“Under certain circumstances, the engine may no longer be able to start. In addition, a short circuit in the solenoid switch cannot be ruled out, which may lead to local overheating at the starter.“In such a case, smoke may be visible or noticeable while driving or when leaving the vehicle. BMW AG therefore recommends that the vehicle should not be left unattended after the engine has been started.”A pinion starter is an electric starter motor fitted with a small sliding gear, known as the pinion. When the driver turns the ignition, an electromagnetic switch (the solenoid) pushes the pinion into the engine’s flywheel ring gear, spinning the engine to start the combustion process.The Motor Industry Staff Association (Misa), which represents over 79,000 members in the retail motor industry, raised concerns over the spate of vehicle recalls.The association called on manufacturers, workers and consumers to work together to ensure that South Africa’s roads are safer and its motor industry remains resilient and trusted.“Any defect that compromises road safety must be treated with urgency. Misa believes that every recall is a reminder of the vital role workers play in maintaining safety standards. Every technician who performs a recall repair is contributing to safer roads and stronger public confidence in our sector,” says Misa executive Martlé Keyter.The BMW recall takes the number of passenger and commercial vehicles recalled in South Africa this year to more than 20,000. The recalls have affected most major car manufacturers, including Toyota, Ford and Mercedes-Benz.Earlier this month, Jaguar Land Rover South Africa recalled selected 2024 to 2027 model-year F-Pace, Defender, Discovery, Range Rover, Range Rover Sport and Range Rover Velar vehicles.The safety concern related to the front-end auxiliary drive belt idler pulley, which may over-rotate following high torsional loads, potentially damaging the engine oil pressure and temperature sensor. A damaged oil pressure and temperature sensor may result in an engine oil leak, creating a potential slip hazard for other road users.Last month, Jaguar Land Rover recalled 2020 to 2027 model-year Defender, Discovery and Range Rover vehicles over concerns about the connector linking the driver’s airbag to the clock spring. The manufacturer warned that, over time, the connector could develop fretting corrosion, increasing resistance in the driver’s airbag circuit and potentially preventing the airbag from deploying in a crash.The National Consumer Commission has opened an investigation into vehicle safety in South Africa. “Last year we did an assessment following a spike in recalls, particularly in the automotive sector. We have been in conversation with various original equipment manufacturers looking at safety concerns and timeous recall of unsafe vehicles and effective communication the affected consumers,” the commission’s spokesperson, Phetho Ntaba, told Business Day.“We are close to now finalising that assessment. Once we are done with that, we will see if there are further steps the commission and other regulators should take to enhance car safety and more effective product recall measures.“We want to remind manufacturers that where incidents of negligence or delayed communication are noted and identified, the commission not hesitate to launch an investigation. Some of the recalls we have seen date back to yesteryears.”