BMW of North America announced that it was issuing a recall for another 230,117 BMW cars and Sports Utility Vehicles that might have defective inflators from Takata. This time, however, the vehicles are older models and are not being recalled because they were built with Takata airbags, but because Takata airbags may have been installed as replacements at some point.
BMWs subject to recall may include model year 2000–02 BMW 320i, 323i, 325i, 325xi, 330i, 330xi, 323Ci, 325Ci, 330Ci, M3, 323iT, 325iT, and 325xiT cars; 2001–02 BMW 525i, 530i, 540i, M5, 525iT, and 540iT cars; and 2001–03 BMW X5 3.0i, X5 4.4i, and X5 4.6is Sports Activity Vehicles.
BMW suspects that some vehicles from these batches may have had a driver's airbag replaced after an accident or as a result of a previous recall. In researching the issue, BMW discovered that more than 14,000 Takata air bags were shipped to the U.S. as replacements parts between 2002 and 2015. Not knowing exactly what Takata parts went into which cars, BMW is issuing the recall as a precaution.
Certain Takata airbag inflators contain chemicals that might degrade over time, especially in hot and humid climates, and when these inflators ignite, they might detonate with greater-than-designed force, sending metal shards in the direction of vehicle occupants. At least sixteen deaths around the world—but mostly in the U.S.—have been attributed to defective Takata products; however, none of the fatalities occurred in a BMW.
BMW dealers will inspect and replace suspect parts if they are found to be made by Takata—at no charge to the owner, of course. The recall is expected to begin around March 15, 2017.
Owners of affected vehicles should be contacted by BMW. However, since many of the affected vehicles may have changed hands numerous times due to their age, some current owners of BMWs in this range might not get the word by the start of the recall. Those owners receiving no notice by March 15 might want to plug in their vehicle identification number to BMW's recall web page at http://www.bmwusa.com/standard/content/owner/safetyrecalls.aspx.—Scott Blazey
[Photo courtesy of BMW AG.]
