The Recall Desk
SevereNHTSA·19V853000·Announced 2019-11-26

BMW Recalls 1999-2001 3-Series Vehicles for Driver Air Bag Inflator Defect

BMW is recalling 1999-2001 3-Series vehicles because a replacement driver air bag inflator may absorb moisture, potentially causing it to rupture or underinflate during a crash.

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 increases the risk of serious injury or death due to potential metal fragments from inflator rupture, which aligns with the rubric criteria for a Severe (4) rating involving significant injury reports or structural safety defects.

Plain-English summary

BMW of North America, LLC is recalling certain 1999-2001 323i, 325i, 328i, 330i, 323Ci, 325Ci, 328Ci, 330Ci, 323iT, and 325iT vehicles. This recall affects vehicles equipped with Non-Azide Driver air bag Inflators (NADI) manufactured by Takata, specifically those that may have received a replacement driver air bag as part of a previous vehicle repair.

Due to a manufacturing issue, the replacement NADI inflator may absorb moisture. This can cause the inflator to rupture or the air bag cushion to underinflate. In the event of a crash necessitating air bag deployment, an inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants. An underinflated air bag may not properly protect the occupant, increasing the risk of serious injury or death.

The recall began on November 10, 2020. Dealers will replace the driver air bag inflators free of charge. 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, 323CI, 325CI, 328CI
Brand
BMW
Manufacturer
BMW of North America, LLC
Category
Vehicle — Air Bag
Hazard
Affected units
74,185

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 (10)

  • 328I
  • 323CI
  • 325CI
  • 328CI
  • 330I
  • 325IT
  • 323IT
  • 323I
  • 325I
  • 330CI

Distribution

Distributed nationwide across the United States.

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