Use cautionVehicle recall · NHTSA · Published September 25, 2025
BMW X5 (2020) Recall: Overheated Starter Motor Fire Risk
BMW is recalling 2020 X5 vehicles with overheated starter motors that could ignite engine compartment materials, risking fire. Owners must have starter motor replaced free by dealers.
“BMW X5 (2020) Recall: Overheated Starter Motor Fire Risk.” GovInfoNow, updated August 10, 2026. https://govinfonow.com/recall/79257-bmw-x5-2020-recall-overheated-starter-motor-fire-risk. Based on NHTSA recall #25V644000 (https://www.nhtsa.gov/recalls?nhtsaId=25V644000).
BMW of North America, LLC recalled certain 2019-2025 BMW vehicles on September 25, 2025, due to a fire risk from an overheated starter motor. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration announced the recall and advised dealers to replace the engine starter free of charge.
How to tell if you have it
BMW 340I, 2020
BMW 740LI, 2020-2022
BMW 840I, 2020-2025
BMW X5, 2019-2020
BMW X6, 2020
BMW X7, 2019-2020
What to do
Dealers will replace the engine starter, free of charge. This recall includes vehicles repaired under recall 24V576 and those owners will need to have their vehicle repaired again. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
The hazard
An overheated starter motor can ignite nearby combustible material in the engine compartment, increasing the risk of a fire. The hazard stems from an electrical overload causing the starter to overheat after repeated attempts. NHTSA records show one owner complaint regarding the electrical system on these vehicles.
Context
GovInfoNow's records show BMW of North America, LLC has 291 other recalls on record since October 12, 2009. Other recent recalls include a power loss risk for the BMW 750e XDrive (August 12, 2026), a steering control risk for the BMW X3 (August 12, 2026), and a fire risk from an engine starter for the BMW X4 (August 7, 2026). Other recent recalls of similar products include a fire risk from an overheating battery for the Volkswagen ID.4 (January 21, 2026), an engine fire risk for the Honda 2025 CB1000SP Motorcycle (December 18, 2025), and a fire risk from an electrical system for the Mercedes-Benz EQB 300 4MATIC (June 2, 2026).
How to tell if you have this one
Check if your 2020 X5 was repaired under recall 24V576 or listed in the VIN search on NHTSA.gov. The recall covers specific model years and vehicle types.
Brand
BMW
Category
Vehicle
Based on the official NHTSA remedy
What to do — step by step
Stop Using Vehicle Temporarily
Do not drive the vehicle until the starter motor is replaced to prevent fire risk.
Contact BMW Customer Service
Call 1-800-525-7417 to schedule a free starter motor replacement at a dealer.
Official remedy
What NHTSA says to do
Dealers will replace the engine starter, free of charge. This recall includes vehicles repaired under recall 24V576 and those owners will need to have their vehicle repaired again. Owner notification letters were mailed February 9, 2026. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov November 17, 2025.
How this recall unfolded
Recall timeline
Owners were mailed letters 5 months after NHTSA received the defect report.
1NHTSA received the defect report
2Owner letters mailed
Dates from the agency record only; steps without a date are left out.
Take action
Contact BMW
We’ve drafted a message you can send BMW to request your refund or repair — edit it as you like.
Subject: Recall 25V644000 — BMW X5 (2020) Recall: Overheated Starter Motor Fire Risk
Hello,
I own a BMW X5 (2020) Recall: Overheated Starter Motor Fire Risk that is covered by recall 25V644000 from BMW.
The official recall notice states: Dealers will replace the engine starter, free of charge. This recall includes vehicles repaired under recall 24V576 and those owners will need to have their vehicle repaired again. Owner notification letters were mailed February 9, 2026. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov November 17, 2025.
I’m writing to arrange the remedy described in the recall (a refund, repair, or replacement as applicable). Could you please tell me the next steps to resolve this?
Thank you.
The facts (hazard, remedy, dates, manufacturer) are pulled from the official NHTSA recall record. The plain-language summary and step-by-step checklist are written by GovInfoNow to make the official notice easier to act on — they don’t replace it.
Plain-language summary written by qwen3:4b on August 10, 2026, from the official record above. Not reviewed by a person — if it conflicts with the NHTSA notice, the notice is correct. Report an error on this page.
GovInfoNow is an independent service and is not a government agency. We republish official NHTSA recall data; we don’t issue, amend or administer recalls.