The Recall Desk
SevereNHTSA·19V015000·Announced 2019-01-14

BMW Recalls 2000-2004 Models for Air Bag Inflator Explosion Risk

BMW is recalling specific 2000-2004 5 Series and X5 vehicles because the air bag inflator in optional sports steering wheels may explode, posing a serious injury risk.

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' and advises owners not to drive the vehicles, which aligns with the rubric criteria for Severe (4) involving significant injury reports or structural vehicle defects.

Plain-English summary

BMW of North America, LLC is recalling certain model year 2000-2003 525i, 530i, and 540i Sedans, 2001-2003 525i and 540i Sports Wagons, and 2000-2004 X5 SAV 3.0i, 4.4i, and 4.6is vehicles. This recall affects approximately 157,549 vehicles where the original steering wheel has been replaced with an optional sports steering wheel. The defect involves the frontal air bag inflator in these specific steering wheels, which may explode due to propellant degradation caused by long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature, and temperature cycling.

An inflator 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 issue has been remedied. BMW will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the vehicle for the affected optional sports steering wheel. Dealers will replace the air bag module as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on March 14, 2019. 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 SAV, 540I, 525I, 530I
Brand
BMW
Manufacturer
BMW of North America, LLC
Category
Vehicle — Air Bag / Steering Wheel
Hazard
Affected units
157,549

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 (4)

  • X5 SAV
  • 540I
  • 525I
  • 530I

Distribution

Distributed nationwide across the United States.

Related recalls

Same brand · BMW

Same manufacturer · BMW of North America, LLC

See all →

Same hazard · air bag explosion

See all →