”The high-voltage battery management software has insufficient protections for short-circuit events,” it said.
”As a result, if a short-circuit occurs, it could lead to a vehicle fire while driving or parked.
The faulty software could be remedied with a software update and owners should contact a local Mini dealer urgently to have it installed, the transport department said.
The Australian recall comes two weeks after BMW recalled more than 140,000 electric Mini Cooper vehicles worldwide, including 39,000 in Germany and more than 12,000 in the US.
”A vehicle fire, even when the vehicle is parked, cannot be ruled out,” the company said in a statement.
Despite concerns about electric vehicle safety, Australia has recorded only six electric car fires since 2010, according to EV FireSafe, including one case of arson, two collisions, and three parked near a blaze.
New Zealand situation
A spokeswoman for Mini New Zealand said it was aware of the global recalls affecting the previous Mini Cooper SE generation model produced between June 10, 2020 and December 1, 2022.
“Quality tests have shown 14 vehicles in New Zealand have been part of this recall that showed an error displayed by a check control message. These customers have all been contacted, with seven of them already having had the necessary repairs done to their vehicles. Our dealers are currently liaising with the other seven customers to arrange vehicle checks and repairs, if necessary.
“The safety of BMW Group customers is our highest priority, and we will continue to work closely together with our dealers to manage this campaign.”
The recall only affected the old Mini Cooper (F56) and not the new model (J01), the spokeswoman said.
- Additional reporting by staff reporter.
