BMW Recall Issued for Nearly 400K Vehicles with Airbags That May Explode

Replacement steering wheels never approved by BMW may contain recalled Takata airbag inflators that could rupture and explode.

A decade after the first Takata airbag recalls were issued, due to the risk that defective inflators may rupture and send debris flying into the passenger compartment, vehicles are still being pulled from the market due to problems with the recalled airbags, which have been linked to reports of severe injury and death.

This month, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) announced a BMW recall impacting more than 400,000 vehicles, after discovering that some may be equipped replacement steering wheels that contain a front driver’s side airbag module with the defective Takata PSDI-5 inflator.

Since 2014, the recall of Takata airbags has impacted around 67 million vehicles sold by more than 20 different auto makers in the U.S., marking one of the largest and most complex recalls in the country.

Exploding Airbag Problems

The problems stem from Takata’s use of ammonium nitrate to inflate the airbags, which can break down when exposed to heat or humidity, increasing the risk of the airbags exploding and spraying the interior compartment of the vehicle with metal fragments. To date, at least 38 people have died and over 400 have been injured due to these defective airbags.

The BMW recall affects certain 2006-2011 3 Series Sedan (324i, 325i, 325xi, 328i, 328xi, 330i, 330xi, 335i, 335xi), 2006-2012 3 Series Sportswagon (325xi, 328i, 328xi), and 2009-2011 3 Series Sedan (335d) vehicles. The NHTSA estimates, 394,029 vehicles could be affected by the recall.

Regulators warn that the recall affects vehicles where the original steering wheel may have been replaced with a sport or M-sport steering wheel equipped with the defective inflators. BMW never offered nor approved the steering wheels as a replacement part.

Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed on August 23, 2024. Dealers will inspect and replace the driver’s airbag module if needed, at no cost.

For more information, owners can contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417 or the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153) or visit www.nhtsa.gov.