BMW recalls Mini Coopers after fires, U.S. regulator says

BMW is recalling 88,911 Mini Cooper cars because of a defect that has caused fires, the U.S. auto-safety regulator said.

The circuit board on the electric auxiliary water pumps that cool the cars' turbochargers can malfunction, overheat and cause fires, BMW said Saturday in a posting on the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's Web site.

In October, the agency opened an investigation into Minis after reports of 12 engine fires, including five that destroyed the vehicles. In eight cases, the fires happened when the cars were parked and turned off. The recall includes various Minis from the model years 2007 to 2011.