World’s Biggest Recall Now Affecting BMW’s Best Sellers

Following a recall that affected nearly 400,000 3 Series sedans and wagons, BMW has announced a recall for an additional 1,145 vehicles that may suffer from a dangerous airbag defect. The latest batch also concerns 3 Series vehicles and more expensive models such as the 4 Series, 5 Series, 6 Series, X3, X5, and M4.

• 2025 BMW M4 Coupe

  Base MSRP

  $79,100

  Engine

  3.0L Twin-Turbo Inline-6 Gas

  Horsepower

  473 hp

  Fuel Economy

  16/23 MPG

• 

  2024 BMW X5

  Base MSRP

  $65,200

  Engine

  3.0L Turbo Inline-6 Gas

  Horsepower

  375 hp

  Fuel Economy

  23/27 MPG

• 

Per the NHTSA recall report, these cars may be equipped with a PSDI-X inflator manufactured by Takata. Like the previous recall, the risk is that the inflator may explode when the airbag is deployed. This may propel metal shrapnel into the driver and passenger, increasing the risk of severe injury or death.

Airbag Recall Needs To Be Taken Seriously

Last year, BMW issued a recall for the same problem, but consumers tend to ignore airbag-related recalls. The Takata airbag scandal is one of the worst recalls ever to hit the industry, with millions of vehicles from different brands involved. So far, the defect has claimed the lives of more than 30 people globally (most of them in the USA) and led to Takata going bankrupt in 2018.

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BMW has not issued a ‘Do Not Drive’ instruction, and this isn’t something owners of affected vehicles should put on hold. The German automaker has said that owners will be notified via First Class mail by September 2, with instructions to take their vehicles to an authorized BMW dealer to replace the airbag, if necessary. Owners who have already had the repair done may be eligible for reimbursement from BMW.

BMW Isn’t The Only Affected Manufacturer

The report says that BMW has been investigating the matter for some time when information suggested that “there may have been an anomaly” during a particular time of inflator production. In April 2024, the manufacturer said, “Unwanted variations in the welding process could have occurred when joining the inflator base plate and cap.”

Related

Feds Take Next Step In Investigation Of 52 Million Non-Takata Airbag Inflators

The NHTSA wants a recall, but the supplier is arguing there’s no reason…

Takata was once a significant player in the auto industry, supplying numerous brands – from Ford to Ferrari – with airbag componentry. Earlier this year, Nissan issued a recall and instructed owners not to drive their cars due to faulty Takata airbags. In early 2023, Volkswagen recalled more than 42,000 vehicles for the same issue. If you drive a car equipped with airbags, it doesn’t take long to check if it is under recall. Manufacturers go to great lengths to warn motorists of the dangers of driving with defective airbags; ignoring these warnings could have severe consequences.