Check Which BMW Starter Recall May Cover Your Car

The July 2026 starter-relay recall KBA 16790R reportedly covers BMW 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 Series vehicles, the i3, X3, X4, X5, X6, X7 and Z4 produced from July 31, 2020 through February 26, 2026. That model-and-date match is only a screening result: BMW must check the VIN. A separate U.S. recall, NHTSA 26V441000, covers certain older 330e, 530e and 740Le plug-in hybrids and carries the stronger instruction to park outside and away from structures.

Select the vehicle details that you know; the lookup shows the possible campaign, remedy and next VIN check.

Three Campaigns Have Different Eligibility Rules

The similar descriptions used in news reports conceal three distinct campaigns. Each has its own defect, vehicle population, identifiers and safety guidance.

Matching a model, chassis code, production date or model year does not prove inclusion. It establishes which campaign BMW or the relevant regulator should check against the 17-character VIN.

KBA 16790R Covers 13 Reported BMW Families

ADAC, AUTOHAUS and Auto Motor und Sport report that the broad KBA-monitored campaign covers these families:

• 2 Series
• 3 Series
• 4 Series
• 5 Series
• 6 Series
• 7 Series
• i3
• X3
• X4
• X5
• X6
• X7
• Z4

The reported production period runs from July 31, 2020 through February 26, 2026. The identifiers are KBA 16790R and BMW campaign codes 0012790600, 0012780600 and 0012770600.

AUTOHAUS reports approximately 744,234 vehicles worldwide, including 42,300 in Germany. Those totals describe the campaign’s reported scale; they do not establish whether a particular car or another country’s vehicle population is included. ADAC and Auto Motor und Sport also report on the starter-related fire risk.

The production dates must not be converted into a blanket model-year range. Production date and model year are not interchangeable, and the available reporting does not provide a complete breakdown by engine, trim, drivetrain, powertrain or country-specific VIN population.

A matching X5 built inside the reported window may therefore remain outside the recall. Conversely, owners should not dismiss a recent campaign merely because a newly announced recall has not yet appeared in every lookup system.

Reports describe abrasion-related deposits or metal debris in the starter relay or solenoid. The material can increase contact resistance, generate heat and potentially cause a short circuit or fire. The reported remedy is replacement of the complete engine starter, not cleaning the contacts or fitting a generic standalone relay.

AUTOHAUS reports that neither BMW nor the KBA supplied an official repair-duration estimate. The available evidence also does not establish the exact chassis codes, engines, trims or drivetrains included in 16790R.

NHTSA 26V441000 Covers Four U.S. PHEV Populations

The separate U.S. campaign concerns certain older plug-in-hybrid sedans. Its model-year populations total 29,119 vehicles, according to USA Today.

The model and year boundaries should not be expanded to every 330e, 530e or 740Le, or to BMW plug-in hybrids generally. Even an exact model-and-year match requires a VIN check under 26V441000.

Here, the reported cause is water entering the starter’s electrical relay and causing corrosion. The corrosion can impair the electrical connection, prevent the engine from starting or create a short circuit. The starter may overheat and experience a thermal event.

Reports say the thermal event could occur during operation or while the vehicle is parked with the ignition switched off. Owners of vehicles covered by this campaign are therefore told to park outside and away from structures until the repair is completed. Cars.com reports that dealers will replace the engine starter without charge.

That park-outside instruction belongs to the U.S. water-intrusion campaign. It should not automatically be applied to KBA 16790R or the earlier retrofit campaign, whose reported fault conditions differ.

The Earlier Campaign Depends On Replacement-Relay History

ADAC reports another campaign involving certain vehicles that received a replacement starter relay between July 2020 and July 2022. It reportedly covers approximately 28,580 vehicles in Germany and uses BMW action numbers 0012650600, 0012660600, 0012670600 and 0012680600.

Service history is decisive. Two otherwise similar G20 3 Series cars can have different eligibility if only one received the relevant replacement relay during the stated period.

The reported remedy is starter replacement, with battery replacement also required on some vehicles. The available reporting does not identify which individual cars need a battery; BMW must make that determination from the campaign instructions and VIN.

ADAC also lists the related Toyota Supra. That does not mean every Supra or every national market is covered, nor does it place the Supra within KBA 16790R or NHTSA 26V441000. Supra owners should check the VIN with Toyota and provide records of relevant starter or relay work.

Similar Starter Repairs Address Different Defects

“Starter relay recall” describes the general problem area, not one universal defect. The prescribed repair part can also be broader than the failed component.

For KBA 16790R, reports describe abrasion-related deposits or metal debris that increase resistance and heat. For NHTSA 26V441000, reports describe water intrusion followed by corrosion. Both paths can produce a short circuit or excess heat, but they involve different cars and risk conditions.

The consistently reported remedy for both campaigns is replacement of the complete engine starter. The retrofit campaign also reportedly requires starter replacement, with a possible battery replacement. Owners should not assume that buying or replacing an individual relay completes the recall.

Recall charges and related arrangements must be confirmed in the country where the vehicle is registered. BMW Ireland’s official recall information says recall work there is completed free of charge and eligibility is checked by VIN. U.S. reporting likewise describes the PHEV starter replacement as free.

Safety Instructions Depend On The Identified Campaign

For a vehicle confirmed or potentially covered by NHTSA 26V441000, follow the reported instruction to park outside and away from structures until repair. The corrosion defect may produce a thermal event during operation or while the vehicle is parked with the ignition off.

For KBA 16790R, BMWBLOG reports that the defect can manifest when the starter engages, including during the initial start or an automatic engine restart. It reports that a parked vehicle not being started is not at risk from this particular mechanism. That is campaign-specific secondary reporting, not a substitute for instructions issued for an individual VIN.

For the earlier replacement-relay campaign, ADAC reports advice not to leave the vehicle running unattended after starting. This is narrower than the U.S. park-outside instruction.

The available campaign evidence does not provide an official warning-sign checklist. Normal starting does not prove that a car is outside a recall, while starting trouble does not identify the applicable campaign. If BMW confirms coverage, ask whether the vehicle should be driven to the workshop, transported or left where it is.

A VIN Check Provides The Final Eligibility Answer

The decisive identifier is the 17-character VIN, generally visible through the windscreen and on the registration document.

Checking A German-Registered BMW

Use the official KBA recall database. Search for 16790R, or ask BMW to check campaign codes 0012790600, 0012780600 and 0012770600 against the VIN.

For the retrofit campaign, provide action numbers 0012650600, 0012660600, 0012670600 and 0012680600. Mention any starter or starter-relay replacement performed between July 2020 and July 2022, and take the invoice if available.

Checking A U.S.-Registered BMW

Use the official NHTSA recall lookup and search by VIN or licence plate. The relevant PHEV identifier is 26V441000.

NHTSA says its results may omit recalls already repaired, recently announced campaigns while affected VINs are still being identified, recalls generally more than 15 years old, non-safety service actions and recalls conducted outside the United States. No unrepaired-recall result therefore does not prove that the car was never included.

Checking A BMW In Another Country

Use BMW’s recall portal for the country of registration or contact a local BMW Centre. A German KBA campaign may have different timing, identifiers, instructions or VIN coverage elsewhere. The NHTSA number is specific to the United States.

Have the VIN, country of registration, exact variant, production date, suspected campaign number and invoices for previous starter work ready. Used-car buyers should request both a current VIN check and proof of completed campaign work.

Confirm The Repair Scope Before The Appointment

Ask the workshop which campaign covers the VIN and whether its status is open, completed or not yet visible in the public lookup. Confirm that the required starter is available and whether the car also needs a battery or another inspection.

No official repair-duration figure is available in the cited reporting for KBA 16790R. Appointment length can depend on the vehicle, parts availability, workshop scheduling and additional work.

Owners can also ask about towing, collection, replacement transport and review of invoices for an earlier owner-paid starter replacement. U.S. reporting mentions possible reimbursement for some previous repairs, but this is not a universal entitlement; BMW must assess eligibility and documentation.

The model list narrows the search, but the VIN decides it. Use the identifier belonging to the likely campaign and follow only the safety and repair instructions BMW confirms for that vehicle.