The Recall Desk
Our severity:HighNHTSA·21V176000·Announced 2021-03-15

2021 BMW 430i and M440i side-thorax airbags may fail to deploy

2021 BMW 430i and M440i models have defective side-thorax airbags that may not deploy during side-impact crashes, increasing injury risk. Owners should contact their dealer for a free software update.

What this means for you

Our assessment, not the agency’s: severity 3/5 (High).

Real risk of harm even if no illness or injury has been reported yet. Stop using the product and follow the agency's guidance.

Our severity reasoning: This recall qualifies as a high-severity risk-of-harm product: the defective airbag system presents a clear potential for injury in side-impact crashes, but no injuries or deaths have been reported. The defect is addressable via software update.

Plain-English summary

BMW is recalling certain 2021 430i and M440i 4 Series Convertible vehicles. The side-thorax airbags in these vehicles may not deploy as intended during side-impact crashes.

An airbag that fails to deploy increases the risk of injury to vehicle occupants in a side-impact crash.

The recall affects 1,850 vehicles currently held in dealer inventory. Dealers will provide a free software update to correct the airbag system. Because the vehicles are still in inventory, owner notification letters are not being mailed. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417 to arrange the update. The recall began March 9, 2021.

The recalled product

Product
BMW M440I, 430I
Brand
BMW
Manufacturer
BMW of North America, LLC
Category
Vehicle — Airbag Systems
Hazard
Affected units
1,850

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)

  • M440I
  • 430I

Distribution

Distributed nationwide across the United States.

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