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BMW recall affects 1.3 million cars. Is yours on the list?

BMW recall involves all 5- and 6-Series BMWs manufactured between 2003 and 2010, which may have an electrical problem. The BMW recall is almost as big as the company's worldwide sales last year.

By Schuyler VelascoCorrespondent / March 27, 2012

A wheel rim of a BMW i3 Concept car is pictured before the company's annual news conference in Munich earlier this month. A new BMW recall involves 1.3 million cars across the globe.

Michaela Rehle/Reuters/File

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BMW, the German luxury automaker, is issuing a voluntary recall of 1.3 million cars globally due to an electrical issue. The BMW recall will affect approximately 368,000 cars in the United States, as well as 293,000 cars in Germany, 109,000 cars  in Britain, and about 102,000 in China.

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The recall involves all 5- and 6-Series BMWs manufactured between 2003 and 2010, according to a BMW statement.

The issue is with a possible problem with the battery cable inside the trunk, which may be incorrectly mounted.

"This can result in the electrical system malfunctioning, the vehicle failing to start and, in some cases, to charring or fire," the company statement read. No reports of accidents or injuries have been reported as a result of the problem.

The repair to fix the problem is free and should take no more than 30 minutes. BMW will write letters to affected owners so that they can schedule a time to take their cars to a dealer for repair .

For a luxury car brand like BMW, 1.3 million vehicles qualifies as a massive recall. The automaker sold just a tad over that figure last year, with 1.4 million cars sold worldwide. The German brand is the top-selling luxury car company in the world, edging out rivals like Lexus and Mercedes. BMW also manufactures the Mini and Rolls Royce brands.

The biggest recall in history was in 2008-2009, when Ford recalled more than 14 million vehicles due to a cruise control malfunction.

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