BMW and Harley-Davidson are two of the most well-respected names on our roads. However both companies recently announced vast recalls after it was revealed that dangerous products had been put on the market in Kentucky and elsewhere.

Today, The New York Times reported that BMW informed the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration that it intends to recall 32,000 of its most high-powered sports cars because of a fire hazard.

Last week, The Associated Press reported that Harley-Davidson Inc. was recalling more than 308,000 motorcycles because of a design defect in the exhaust system that could lead to brake failure and other problems.

The BMW recall affects the 5 Series, 5 Series Gran Turismo, 7 Series, X5 and X6 models that are equipped with turbocharged eight or 12-cylinder engines. The recalled vehicles are from the 2008 through 2011 model years, the Times reported.

According to the company, the danger is related to an auxiliary pump that is intended to help cool the turbocharger but can instead lead to an engine fire in certain circumstances. Reportedly, there have been only two cases of an engine fire resulting so far, but more than 102 cases of pump failure have been reported worldwide.

BMW said that it is not aware of any accidents or injuries resulting from the pump problem so far. Under federal law, a company has only five days to announce a recall after a safety defect is discovered.

The Associated Press reported that the Harley-Davidson recall affects more than 308,000 motorcycles, with about 251,000 bikes being in the United States. The Harley-Davidson Touring, CVO Touring and Trike models from the 2009 through 2012 model years are included in the recall.

Information provided to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration indicated that brake light switches on the recalled models can fail after being exposed to too much heat from the exhaust system. The problem can reportedly also lead to fluid leaks and rear brake failure.

The company said that it became aware of the problem in June 2010 after it was told of a Trike model motorcycle that crashed after its rear brakes went out. There was one other crash in July 2010 that may have been caused by the same issue, but no conclusion has been made as of yet.

Source: The New York Times, "BMW Recalls 32,000 High-Horsepower Models for Fire Hazard," Christopher Jensen, Oct. 31, 2011; The Associated Press, "Harley to recall more than 308,000 motorcycles," Oct. 24, 2011.