BMW is recalling more than 45,000 examples of older 7 Series in the US because the doors can potentially open while the vehicles are being driven. Specifically, the recalls affect certain 745i, 745Li, 750i, 750Li, 760i, 760Li, and B7 Alpina models from the 2005 through 2008 production years. They're all equipped with the comfort access and soft door close options, which can malfunction over time. According to the automaker, the doors may appear to be closed but can inadvertently open due to road conditions or occupant contact.

Obviously, a sudden opening could cause passengers to be ejected from the vehicle. No known related crashes or injuries regarding this issue have been reported, at least so far. However, BMW only issued this recall following a request from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to investigate this issue following owner complaints. Specifically, the NHTSA inquired about a 2012 recall of about 7,500 7 Series sedans from the 2005 to 2007 model years that suffered the same issue. Question was whether that recall went far enough, and now BMW isn't taking any chances. BMW is working to figure out the cause and develop a fix. Owners will be notified once this has been done.