BMW Says Not to Drive These Cars With Dangerous Takata Airbags
About 90,000 cars and SUVs from the 2000 through 2006 model year still need a free airbag replacement
If you or someone you know owns an older BMW, you should stop driving your car until you’ve checked at nhtsa.gov/recalls to make sure a potentially deadly airbag defect has already been fixed.
The automaker has issued a "do not drive" warning for over 90,000 vehicles that still need to have their defective Takata driver-side airbags replaced, including 2000-2006 BMW 3 Series sedans, coupes, convertibles, and wagons; 2000-2003 5 Series sedans and wagons; and 2000-2004 X5 SUVs. Due to a manufacturing fault, the airbag inflator in these vehicles could rupture during a crash and spray metal shards toward the vehicle’s occupants, which could kill them or leave them with life-altering injuries. The automaker says that this risk increases as the airbag gets older.
Although all these vehicles have been part of ongoing airbag recalls since at least 2016, BMW says that about 90,000 cars and SUVs still haven’t had a free repair performed at a dealership.
If the repair hasn’t been made, BMW owners should call their local dealership and have a free fix done immediately. The repair takes about an hour and can be done at the customer’s home, or a BMW dealership can pick up and drop off the vehicle at no extra cost. According to BMW, parts are in stock and available for immediate repair.
Over 67 million faulty Takata airbags have already been replaced in vehicles made by 34 brands, an effort that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has called "the largest and most complex safety recall in U.S. history." The airbags have been associated with 24 deaths and more than 400 injuries in the U.S.
The Details
The problem: The airbag inflators may explode because of propellant degradation after long-term exposure to high humidity, extreme temperatures, and temperature cycling. An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants, resulting in serious injury or death.
The fix: BMW dealers will replace the faulty airbags or airbag inflators, free of charge.
How to contact the manufacturer: Owners can contact their local dealership or BMW customer service at 800-525-7417.
Check to see whether your vehicle has an open recall: NHTSA’s website will tell you whether your vehicle has any open recalls that need to be addressed.
If you plug your car’s 17-digit vehicle identification number (VIN) into NHTSA’s website and a recall doesn’t appear, it means your vehicle doesn’t currently have any open recalls. Because automakers issue recalls often, and for many older vehicles, we recommend checking back regularly to see whether your vehicle has had a recall issued.
Stay informed about recalls that might affect your vehicle using our Car Recall Tracker. Create a free account now to become a CR member.
