BMW · Recall 26V438000
BMW Recall 26V438000: Other safety defect
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2023-2024 Toyota Supra, 2022-2025 2 Series Coupe, 2021-2023 5 Series, 2022-2026 Z4, 2023-2024 4 Series Gran Coupe, 4 Series Convertible, 4 Series Coupe, 3 Series, 2021-2025 X4, and 2021-2024 X3 vehicles. Please see the recall report for a complete list of all models. The engine starter may overheat and catch fire due to wear on an internal component.
Recall 26V438000 at a glance
| NHTSA campaign number | 26V438000 |
| Manufacturer | BMW of North America, LLC |
| Component | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:STARTER ASSEMBLY |
| Vehicles affected | X3, X4, Z4, SUPRA |
| Model years | 2021–2024 |
| Vehicles potentially affected | 318,495 |
| Reported to NHTSA | July 8, 2026 |
What can go wrong
Fire increases the risk of injury.
The fix — and whether it has actually arrived
Dealers will replace the engine starter, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed on August 28, 2026. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417 or Toyota's customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will be searchable on NHTSA.gov beginning August 28, 2026. This recall is an expansion of previous NHTSA recall 26V056.
If the remedy is not available yet, or your dealer cannot tell you when the parts will arrive, ask for that in writing. A manufacturer that cannot repair your vehicle within a reasonable time is a manufacturer with a lemon law problem.
Your rights
Could this recall support a California lemon law claim?
It depends less on the recall than on what happened afterwards.
California's Lemon Law asks whether a substantial defect — one that impairs the vehicle's use, value or safety — survived a reasonable number of repair attempts, or kept the vehicle out of service for 30 or more cumulative days. A recall is the manufacturer's admission that a defect exists. What matters next is whether the remedy actually worked, and how long you waited for it.
It is also worth looking at the whole vehicle rather than this one campaign. Owners often come to us about a single recall and discover that the real claim is the repair history sitting behind it.
A recall is not automatically a lemon. It is the manufacturer admitting a defect and offering to fix it free — that is the system working. A lemon law claim arises when the fix fails, the fix never comes, or the defect has already taken the use of your vehicle away from you.
What to do now
Check whether your BMW needs this recall
Not every BMW is affected by 26V438000. Enter your 17-digit VIN in NHTSA's free federal database to see whether this recall — and any others — are open on your exact vehicle.
Look up your VIN at NHTSA.govRecall 26V438000 — common questions
What is 26V438000?
26V438000 is a safety recall issued by BMW of North America, LLC and reported to NHTSA on July 8, 2026. BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2023-2024 Toyota Supra, 2022-2025 2 Series Coupe, 2021-2023 5 Series, 2022-2026 Z4, 2023-2024 4 Series Gran Coupe, 4 Series Convertible, 4 Series Coupe, 3 Series, 2021-2025 X4, and 2021-2024 X3 vehicles. Please see the recall report for a complete list of all models. The engine starter may overheat and catch fire due to wear on an internal component.
Is my BMW included in recall 26V438000?
Not every BMW is affected. The recall covers 2021–2024 X3, X4, Z4, SUPRA, but inclusion depends on the specific VIN. Enter your 17-digit VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to confirm whether your exact vehicle is covered.
Does recall 26V438000 make my BMW a lemon?
Depends. The recall itself is rarely the claim — the failed repair, the delay, or the rest of the repair history usually is.
What does it cost to have a lemon law attorney look at this?
Nothing. Case reviews are free, and under California's Song-Beverly Act the manufacturer pays your attorney's fees on a successful claim. You keep your recovery.
Was Your BMW Recalled? Know Your Rights.
Free, no-obligation consultation. We don't get paid unless you win.
Call Now: 844-MOUSAVIRecent Recoveries
View all resultsEngine Issues
Mercedes-Benz GLE 63 S
Transmission & Engine Issues
Hit-and-Run Collision
Settled in 3 months
Prior results do not guarantee or predict a similar outcome. Every case is different and depends on its own facts.
Is your BMW a lemon?
A recall is one data point. If your BMW has been back to the dealer for the same problem, or has sat waiting on parts, the recall may be the least of it. Speak to a BMW lemon lawyer before you agree to another repair attempt — our BMW lemon law attorneys will tell you straight whether you have a case.
BMW lemon lawyer & lemon law attorney — your rights