BMW Recalls 75,000 Cars Worldwide to Fix Seat Heating

Dec. 28, 2004; Bloomberg reported that BMW is recalling about 75,000 of its 5-Series and 7-Series models to repair seat heating mats that may get too hot as padding wears away.

The worldwide recall applies to 69,750 5-Series cars and 5,500 7-Series cars built between Feb. 26, 2003, and June 9, 2004, Andreas Sauer, a spokesman for Munich-based BMW, said in a telephone interview. The program's costs will amount to about 16 million euros ($21.8 million), he said.

``It can't be ruled out that the use of seating mats may lead to light burns'' after quality-control tests showed that riders getting in or out of the car may damage the seating material, Sauer said.

The carmaker's BMW Brilliance Automotive Ltd. venture in China yesterday said it will recall 1,685 5-Series in the country, including 1,680 vehicles made in China between mid-May and mid- December and five imported since 2002.

The recall in Germany affects 29,250 5-Series cars and 980 7- Series models, Sauer said.