The Recall Desk
SevereNHTSA·20V016000·Announced 2020-01-15

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

BMW is recalling specific X5 and X6 models because passenger air bag inflators may explode, 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 an inflator explosion may result in serious injury or death, which aligns with the rubric criteria for a Severe (4) rating involving significant injury reports or structural vehicle defects.

Plain-English summary

BMW of North America, LLC is recalling certain 2007-2012 X5, 2008-2012 X6, and 2010-2011 X6 ActiveHybrid vehicles. These vehicles are equipped with non-desiccated passenger frontal air bag inflators containing phase stabilized ammonium nitrate (PSPI-2) propellant. These specific inflators were used as interim remedy parts for previous Takata recalls.

The inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, high temperatures, and high temperature cycling. An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants, resulting in 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 free of charge. The recall began on March 11, 2020. 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, X6 ACTIVEHYBRID SAC
Brand
BMW
Manufacturer
BMW of North America, LLC
Category
Vehicle — Air Bag
Hazard
Affected units
4,007

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 (3)

  • X5
  • X6
  • X6 ACTIVEHYBRID SAC

Distribution

Distributed nationwide across the United States.

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