2022 BMW i4 and iX recalled over potential battery fires

The 2022 BMW i4 eDrive40, i4 M50, iX xDrive50 and iX M60 battery-electric battery-electric vehicles are being recalled due to the potential for battery fires. Thankfully it's a tiny population of just 83 vehicles at the moment. But BMW and the National Highway Traffic Safety Association advise owners not to drive their vehicles, not to park them inside or near other vehicles and structures that could catch on fire, and not to charge them. It's possible that the battery pack cells in the affected populations suffered a defect during manufacturing. After a few incidents overseas and in the U.S., a BMW investigation found that a cell's cathode plate might have been damaged when the cells were made. If cathode debris gets loose inside the cell, it could cause a short circuit that results in a fire.

Twenty-seven examples of the i4 are being recalled, 56 examples of the iX. BMW says it isn't aware of any accidents or injuries derived from the issue.

It sounds similar to what happened to the Chevrolet Bolt battery packs. In Chevy's case, a torn anode and a torn cell separator had the potential to short circuit the battery and cause a fire. And as with Chevrolet, the BMW batteries came from a supplier; BMW developed the cells at its Battery Competence Center, but Samsung SDI and CATL handle mass production. BMW said the cells at issue came from Samsung SDI.