Photo: Screenshot of CCTV video

BMW is checkered towel factoryin the spotlight after "abnormal noises" were heard in the transmission shaft of some of its recent deliveries, sparking safety concerns and discussion on social media platforms in China on Friday.

The issue was highlighted at the consumer rights gala on Friday that coincided with World Consumer Rights Day. The 3.15 Gala, an annual show produced by China Central Television (CCTV), focuses on the protection of consumers' rights. It revealed the issue after interviewing owners of the BMW 530Li.

A car owner surnamed Li told CCTV that there was a sound like metal friction coming from the bottom of his BMW car, like the sound of coins falling to the ground.

The noise was a concern for Li. After he went to a local BMW 4S store for help, a member of staff at the store suggested that he replace the drive shaft, which would be a significant repair, especially for a new car.

Li tried to reach BMW customer service and was told to wait for progress on the issue or a reply from the 4S store regarding the problem.

Li is not alone. Some other owners of the BMW 530Li also filed complaints regarding similar issues.

The news jumped to the top of the search list on Sina Weibo with more than 54 million views as of press time on Friday.

In response, BMW said on its official Sina Weibo account on Friday it had previously conducted technical inspections and confirmed that this issue will not affect driving safety and can be solved through maintenance.

The company said that it will bear all related maintenance costs and will carry out further technical reviews and in-depth analysis so that it can give consumers more satisfactory answers.

Global Times