BMW recalls 1.3m cars over electrical fault which could cause fires

Company's 5 and 6 Series affected by wiring problem

BMW has asked than one million car owners worldwide to return their cars

BMW has asked than one million car owners worldwide to return their vehicle, because of a possible fault which could cause them to catch fire.

The German carmaker is concerned with the 5 Series and 6 Series models built between 2003 and 2010, which could have an incorrectly mounted battery cable cover inside the boot.

The company said it had received nine reports of the defect, but was not aware of it causing any injuries.

BMW will notify owners of the approximately 1.3 million cars in writing, and replace the faulty part for free. In a statement, the company said: "This can result in the electrical system malfunctioning, the vehicle failing to start and, in some cases, to charring or fire."

Last month, the company celebrated its best-ever year in the UK, with surging demand for Mini Coupé and BMW 3 Series,

BMW sold 178,854 new BMW and Minis during 2012 – a 7.2 per cent jump on the previous year, which pushed its share of the overall car market to a record 8.8 per cent. This meant one in 11 of all new cars sold in the UK last year was made by BMW.