The Recall Desk
SevereNHTSA·19V851000·Announced 2019-11-26

BMW Recalls 1999 323i and 328i Vehicles for Air Bag Inflator Defect

BMW is recalling 1999 323i and 328i vehicles because driver air bag inflators may rupture or underinflate in a crash, increasing 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 explicitly states that the defect increases the risk of serious injury or death due to metal fragments or underinflation, which aligns with the rubric criteria for significant injury reports or structural vehicle defects.

Plain-English summary

BMW of North America, LLC is recalling certain 1999 323i and 328i vehicles equipped with specific Non-Azide Driver air bag Inflators (NADI) manufactured by Takata. These inflators do not contain phase stabilized ammonium nitrate (PSAN) propellant. Due to a manufacturing issue, the inflators may absorb moisture, which can cause them to rupture or result in the air bag cushion underinflating.

In the event of a crash necessitating air bag deployment, an inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants. Additionally, an underinflated air bag may not properly protect the occupant. These scenarios increase the risk of serious injury or death.

Dealers will inspect the driver air bag inflators and replace them, as necessary, free of charge. BMW recommends that owners do not continue to drive their vehicles. 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 328I, 323I
Brand
BMW
Manufacturer
BMW of North America, LLC
Category
Vehicle — Air Bag Inflator
Hazard
Affected units
7,910

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)

  • 328I
  • 323I

Distribution

Distributed nationwide across the United States.

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