Brompton has issued a voluntary recall for all Brompton electric bikes that were manufactured or had a firmware update between May 2020 and February 2021.
Updates
19 July 2021 – We contacted Brompton to find out how many bikes have been affected by this firmware issue, and how many have been fixed. Brompton says:
‘There were 7262 impacted bikes, of which 3997 (55%) have been reworked.
Until 1st September 2021, owners can follow the steps at www.brompton.com/recall to get their Firmware upgraded free of charge. After this date owners will need to contact Brompton directly for support in getting a free firmware update at www.brompton.com/about-us/contact-us‘
We will continue to update this story as Brompton continues with this recall.
End of Updates
The issue, caused by the firmware installed on some models, may lead to an electrical systems failure. This could potentially lead to the bike continuing to accelerate even when the rider is not actively pedaling.
The brand is offering affected customers a free firmware update and a £20 ‘goodwill’ voucher, but you need to contact them before 1 September 2021.
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Why are some Brompton Electric bicycles being recalled?
Under specific circumstances, the firmware installed on these bike models may cause a system failure.
This could lead to a small possibility of the electric system continuing to provide assistance to the motor, causing the bike to keep accelerating even when the rider is not actively pedaling, which could potentially cause an accident.
At the time of writing, Brompton says there has only been one reported fault, which did not result in any injury or accident.
Brompton recall statement
In its recall notice Brompton said: ‘Through our continual quality assurance processes, we have become aware of an issue with the Firmware installed on some Brompton Electric bicycles.’
‘Although the risk of an accident occurring is very low we have begun a programme to repair all affected bikes and upgrade the Firmware to Version 1-2-10-2, free of charge, to all affected customers; note that this free update is available until 1st September 2021.’
‘To show our appreciation for your understanding and support, and as a gesture of goodwill, affected customers will be given a credit of £20 for each bike affected.’
You can see the full statement on the Brompton Recall page.
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What to do if you have a Brompton Electric bicycle
If you’ve purchased a Brompton e-bike since 1 May 2020, or you visited an accredited Brompton retailer for a service of Firmware update between 1 May 2020 and 1 March 2021, your bike may be affected.
Customers can check if their Brompton Electric is affected using Brompton’s serial number checker. Your bike’s 10-digit serial number will be on the manufacturer sticker – which is located on the bicycle frame.
If your bike is affected, contact your local Brompton Electric retailer to schedule an appointment to receive your Firmware update.
You can find your closest dealer using Brompton’s Find a Store page. Make sure you select ‘Brompton Electric’ from the drop down menu before searching – as non-Brompton Electric dealers are unable to perform the upgrade.
Brompton has also partnered with London-based bicycle repair company HaveBike, meaning customers in London can arrange to have the Firmware upgrade done at home (only until 1 June 2021). You can book an appointment on the HaveBike website.
You can also claim your £20 voucher by completing Brompton’s recall claim form once you have had your firmware update.
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source https://www.which.co.uk/news/2021/07/brompton-issues-electric-bike-safety-recall/