In a notable development for electric vehicle owners, BMW has announced a recall of over 70,800 electric vehicles in the United States due to a critical software defect affecting the electric drive motor system. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) issued the recall for several models spanning multiple production years, including the 2022-2025 BMW i4, 2022-2024 BMW iX, 2023-2024 BMW i7, and 2024 BMW i5—essentially BMW’s entire electric vehicle lineup.
The issue stems from faulty electric drive motor software that can erroneously detect a “double-isolation condition” in the high-voltage electrical system. When triggered, this fault prompts an immediate shutdown of the electric drive motors while the vehicle is in motion, creating a potentially dangerous situation. Drivers may receive only a 15-20 second warning via a red dashboard symbol before experiencing complete power loss.
Although no accidents or injuries have been reported, BMW has documented 43 warranty claims related to this defect. The sudden loss of drive power greatly increases collision risk, though power-assisted steering and braking systems remain operational during these events.
While no accidents have occurred, BMW reports 43 warranty claims involving this high-risk power loss defect.
This recall highlights the unique challenges posed by the increasing integration of complex software in modern EVs. The recall affects numerous vehicles built on the G05 / G06 platforms that were introduced in the 2019 model year. Similar to how extreme cold weather can affect battery efficiency, software glitches present another layer of complexity for EV reliability. Affected owners can expect notification letters by August 5, 2025. The remedy involves a straightforward over-the-air software update or a free service visit to any BMW dealership. The company’s ability to push OTA software updates to affected vehicles should minimize inconvenience for most owners.
I’ve examined the technical aspects of this recall and found the correction approach to be efficient and appropriate for this type of electronic fault. Owners concerned about their vehicles should contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417 or check their vehicle’s status through the NHTSA Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236.
The recall has been assigned number 25V395. The scale of this recall is substantial, encompassing vehicles built on shared platforms with gas-powered counterparts, and demonstrates the critical importance of robust software validation processes in ensuring electric vehicle safety.
