South Korea's transport ministry said on Monday that it will test BMW vehicles subject to recall to look for defects following a series of engine fires.
The ministry aims to finish the tests within this year.
Choi Si-young reports.
Korea Transportation Safety Authority, the investigative arm of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, announced on Monday that it will find out the cause of the BMW engine fires,... within this year.
"We will purchase the same models subject to recall, then run tests to find the exact defects."
It said that a team of experts including both government officials and civilians will supervise the tests.
The agency added it will also look into the software that runs the engine components known as EGR or exhaust gas recirculation to see if this malfunctions.
The agency had called on BMW three times to submit documents showing the technical details of the engine parts, but the automaker either didn't respond or submitted incomplete documents.
"Only after the government began a probe did BMW admit to its faulty parts and initiate a recall."
Meanwhile another BMW has caught fire in South Korea,... even after PASSING the safety checks.
A BMW 520d sedan caught fire slightly before 5PM on Monday as it traveled on a highway in the city of Mungyeong , some 150 kilometers southeast of Seoul.
The car had passed the required safety checks two weeks ago.
BMW Korea is yet to comment on the incident.
More than 30 BMWs have caught fire in South Korea this year alone,... with the fires believed to be caused by faulty exhaust gas recirculation components.
Choi Si-young, Arirang News.
