BMW filed a Japan recall for head-unit software that hides the camera views
BMW Japan told the transport ministry that a head-unit program fault can leave the front and side camera images off the center display, and said the reflash would go out either over the air or through a dealer's diagnostic tester.
BMW Japan filed recall notification 外-4241 with Japan’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism on October 1, naming Bayerische Motoren Werke AG as the manufacturer and the head unit, the in-vehicle information display control unit, as the defective part. The recall start date is the same day.
The filing describes the control program as inadequate, with the result that the unit can enter an abnormal state when the vehicle is switched off. On restarting, the front and side camera images used for the direct forward and direct left visibility checks are not shown on the center display, which the filing says creates a risk of non-compliance with Japan’s safety standards.
The remedy is to rewrite the head unit control program to a countermeasure specification on all affected vehicles, by one of two routes: bringing the vehicle to a dealer, where the program is rewritten with a diagnostic tester, or remote distribution to the vehicle once preparations are complete, for the owner to install. Owners can confirm a completed car from the program version shown on the settings screen, which reads 11/2024.58 or higher.
The recall covers 1,129 vehicles across 22 type designations and 21 model variants, built between November 7, 2023 and March 28, 2025. The models listed include the BMW X1 and iX1, the MINI Countryman and Aceman, and John Cooper Works versions of both MINI lines. BMW reported two defect reports and no accidents, and said the problem was identified from market information.