The Recall Desk
HighNHTSA·17V720000·Announced 2017-11-16

BMW Recalls 2014-2018 i3 Vehicles for Air Bag Software Update

BMW is recalling 2014-2018 i3 vehicles because unbelted, small adult drivers face a higher risk of neck injury in frontal crashes.

What this means for you

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 risk of neck injury in a crash scenario where injury has not yet been reported, fitting the High severity criteria for risk-of-harm products.

Plain-English summary

BMW of North America, LLC is recalling certain 2014-2018 BMW i3 electric and hybrid electric vehicles. The recall addresses a defect where these vehicles fail to comply with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."

The specific hazard is that unbelted, small adult drivers may be at a higher risk of neck injury in the event of a frontal crash. This risk is associated with the frontal air bag system.

BMW will notify owners, and dealers will update the Driver air bag control unit software free of charge. The recall was expected to begin on January 8, 2018. Owners may contact BMW customer service at the dedicated i3 recall number 1-855-269-3361 or the NHTSA Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236.

The recalled product

Product
BMW I3
Brand
BMW
Manufacturer
BMW of North America, LLC
Category
Vehicle — Electric Vehicle
Hazard
Affected units
32,000

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 (1)

  • I3

Distribution

Distributed nationwide across the United States.

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