The Recall Desk
SevereNHTSA·19V017000·Announced 2019-01-14

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

BMW is recalling 2007-2014 X5 and X6 models because 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 inflator explosion may result in serious injury or death, which aligns with the rubric criterion for 'significant injury/property-damage reports' or structural vehicle defects involving life-safety components.

Plain-English summary

BMW of North America, LLC is recalling certain 2007-2013 X5 and 2008-2014 X6 vehicles. The affected models include specific xDrive and M variants, as well as 2010-2011 X6 ActiveHybrid vehicles. The recall involves passenger frontal air bag modules equipped with certain inflators that were used as original or replacement equipment.

The defect involves propellant degradation in the air bag inflators caused by long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling. In the event of a crash requiring the deployment of the passenger frontal air bag, these inflators may explode. This explosion can result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants, which may cause 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 frontal air bag module 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, X6
Brand
BMW
Manufacturer
BMW of North America, LLC
Category
Vehicle — Air Bag
Hazard
Affected units
83,016

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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