Just days after the transport ministry banned BMW cars from the road... the lawyer representing the owners who filed a police complaint against the carmaker.... called for more action from the government.
Our Choi Si-young reports.
On Thursday, the owners of BMW cars called on the prime minister and transport minister to publicly test the vehicles,... to find the exact defects.
BMW Korea has said the faulty engine part known as EGR or Exhaust Gas Recirculation is the cause of a series of engine fires,... but owners claim there may be other problems.
The owners suggested different types of tests.
They proposed running the BMW vehicle at a high speed for a long period of time,... and leaving the air conditioning running in a parked BMW, to see if either of these situations cause the vehicles to catch fire.
Earlier BMW Korea stressed that parked BMWs are safe,... and that they do not catch fire, but according to Korea Consumer Agency, one owner claimed that a vehicle caught fire at a service center while parked.
Another consumer also claimed a vehicle caught fire right after parking.
Starting today, the South Korean government is sending out a notice to thousands of local BMW owners,... stating they cannot drive their vehicle except for the purpose of taking safety checks.
The ban applies to cars that have not gone through safety examinations.
As of Thursday, a total of 40 BMWs have caught fire.
Choi Si-young, Arirang News.
