[THE INVESTOR] The Korean government on Aug. 14 issued orders to suspend the operation of all BMW vehicles that have yet to receive safety inspections amid dozens of German cars catching fire.

Last month, BMW said it will start recalling 106,317 vehicles next Monday after making emergency safety checks on all models with an exhaust gas recirculation  module that it cited as the “root cause” of recent fires.

The German carmaker said it will complete the inspections on the models subject to the planned recall by Aug. 14. But 27,246 models had not been checked as of midnight on Aug. 13, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport said in a statement. 

“With concerns over additional engine fires in BMW cars increasing, the central government has requested regional authorities issue an order to suspend the operation of uninspected BMW vehicles starting Wednesday, together with an order to put them under safety checks,” Transport Minister Kim Hyun-mee said in an address to the nation.

Once the owners of the fire-prone BMW cars receive a notice from the government, they are obliged to immediately get safety checks on their cars. They are only allowed to drive their cars for the purpose of the inspections, the statement said.   

A total of 39 engine-related fires in BMW cars, mostly the best-selling 520d sedan, have been reported this year. No injuries nor fatalities have been reported in the EGR-caused fire incidents. The EGR module is a standard feature of diesel exhaust systems.

The ministry will consider imposing penalties, including punitive damages, if automakers cause damage to consumers by intentionally and maliciously not taking steps to repair and recall faulty parts in time, Kim said. 

By Song Seung-hyun and newswires (ssh@heraldcorp.com)