The Recall Desk
Our severity:HighNHTSA·17V428000·Announced 2017-07-06

BMW Recalls 2006 Models for Front Passenger Air Bag Sensor Defect

BMW is recalling 2006 3 and 5 Series vehicles because the front passenger seat occupant detection mat may crack, potentially deactivating the air bag in a crash.

What this means for you

Our assessment, not the agency’s: severity 3/5 (High).

Real risk of harm even if no illness or injury has been reported yet. Stop using the product and follow the agency's guidance.

Our severity reasoning: The recall involves a safety system defect (air bag deactivation) that increases the risk of personal injury in a crash, but no injuries or deaths are reported in the source text, fitting the 'High' criteria for risk-of-harm products where injury has not yet been reported.

Plain-English summary

BMW of North America, LLC is recalling certain 2006 325i, 325xi, 330i, 330xi, 525i, 525xi, 530i, 530xi, and 550i vehicles. The recall affects vehicles equipped with the Sport Seat option and certain models with standard seats. The front passenger seat occupant detection mat, which determines if and how the passenger frontal air bag should deploy in a crash, may fatigue and develop cracks. This condition could lead to a system failure.

If the system fails, the front passenger air bag would be deactivated in the event of a crash, increasing the risk of personal injury. BMW will notify owners, and dealers will repair the occupant detection mat to eliminate the possibility that it may crack, replacing it as necessary, free of charge. The recall began September 1, 2017.

Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417. Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.

The recalled product

Product
BMW 330XI, 325I, 530XI, 550I
Brand
BMW
Manufacturer
BMW of North America, LLC
Category
Vehicle — Air Bag / Occupant Detection
Hazard
Affected units
2,158

Is your product affected?

Check your packaging against the codes below. If any of them match, the product is part of this recall.

Model numbers (9)

  • 330XI
  • 325I
  • 530XI
  • 550I
  • 525I
  • 325XI
  • 525XI
  • 330I
  • 530I

Distribution

Distributed nationwide across the United States.

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