BMW recalls more than 390,000 vehicles over driver-side airbags that may explode

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BMW of North America is recalling more than 390,000 vehicles. The recall is due to airbag inflators that could potentially explode, posing a serious risk to vehicle occupants.

 

The recall primarily affects certain BMW 3 Series Sedans and Sportwagon models manufactured between 2006 and 2012. The original steering wheel on these vehicles may have been replaced with a sport or M-sport steering wheel equipped with a Takata inflator. These inflators, known as PSDI-5, are manufactured by the now-bankrupt Japanese automotive parts company, Takata Corp.

 

The issue with these inflators is that they use ammonium nitrate, which over time could lead to "overly aggressive combustion". In the event of an inflator rupture, metal fragments could pass through the airbag cushion material, potentially resulting in injury or even death to vehicle occupants.

 

Over the past decade, over 100 million vehicles equipped with airbag inflators from Takata have been recalled globally, making it one of the largest recalls ever in automotive industry. The faulty inflators have been attributed to more than 30 deaths and hundreds of injuries since 2009.

 

In the case of BMW, the car manufacturer said it has received no reports of deaths or injuries in the U.S. in connection with this issue. Dealers will replace the driver-side airbag module for free. Notification letters will be mailed to owners on August 23.

 

 

Read more:

• https://www.nhtsa.gov/recalls?nhtsaId=24V513000
• https://www.autoblog.com/2024/07/10/390000-older-bmw-3-series-in-u-s-are-the-focus-of-latest-takata-airbag-recall/
• https://www.cbsnews.com/news/bmw-recall-sedan-sportswagon-takata-airbags-2024/
• https://www.foxbusiness.com/lifestyle/bmw-recalls-over-390k-vehicles-us-over-airbag-issues

 

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