The Recall Desk
SevereNHTSA·18V030000·Announced 2018-01-09

BMW Recalls X5 and X6 Models Due to Air Bag Inflator Defect

BMW is recalling 2007-2013 X5 and 2009-2013 X6 vehicles because the passenger air bag inflators may explode during deployment, posing a risk of serious injury or death.

NHTSA safety advisory

Do not drive this vehicle

NHTSA advises owners to stop driving this vehicle until the recall repair has been completed.

This is the agency’s own advisory, not our assessment. Contact the manufacturer or a dealer, and see the official NHTSA notice for the current guidance.

What this means for you

Illness, injury, or structural failure has been reported. Stop using the product immediately and contact the manufacturer for a refund or repair.

Our severity reasoning: The source text explicitly states that the defect may result in 'serious injury or death,' which aligns with the rubric criteria for a Severe (4) rating involving significant injury reports or potential for serious harm.

Plain-English summary

BMW of North America, LLC is recalling certain 2007-2013 BMW X5 and 2009-2013 BMW X6 vehicles. The recall covers specific model variants including the xDrive30i, xDrive35i, xDrive48i, xDrive50i, M, and xDrive35d models. The affected vehicles are those ever registered in specific geographic zones across the United States and its territories, including Alabama, California, Florida, and other states listed in the official notice.

The defect involves certain air bag inflators used in the passenger frontal air bag modules. These inflators may explode due to propellant degradation caused by long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling. In the event of a crash that necessitates the deployment of the passenger frontal air bag, this explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants, potentially causing serious injury or death.

Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until the remedy is performed. BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger front air bag module free of charge. The recall was expected to begin in March 2018. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417 or the NHTSA Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236.

The recalled product

Product
BMW X5, X6
Brand
BMW
Manufacturer
BMW of North America, LLC
Category
Vehicle — Air Bag
Hazard
Affected units
41,808

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 (2)

  • X5
  • X6

Distribution

Distributed nationwide across the United States.

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