BMW has announced a recall for 394,029 vehicles in the United States to address potentially dangerous airbag inflators. The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) revealed that these vehicles, equipped with Takata driver’s front airbag modules containing the PSDI-5 inflator, are at risk of explosion. Notably, this inflator may have been installed by vehicle owners, despite not being an officially approved replacement part by BMW.
The recall affects certain BMW 3 Series Sedans and Sportswagon models produced between 2006 and 2012. These models include variants with both four-cylinder and six-cylinder engines, running on either gasoline or diesel. The issue with the Takata airbag inflators is that they can rupture upon deployment, potentially releasing sharp metal fragments into the vehicle interior. This malfunction poses a serious risk of injury or death to drivers and passengers.
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The Takata airbag crisis has been the most extensive and complex recall in the history of the automotive industry. Since 2009, faulty Takata airbags have been linked to more than 30 deaths globally, with at least 26 fatalities in the United States alone. Hundreds of injuries have also been reported. Over the past decade, over 100 million vehicles worldwide have been recalled due to these defective inflators.
Takata’s PSDI-5 inflators have been found to be particularly susceptible to rupture after prolonged exposure to high temperatures and humidity. Investigations by both Takata and independent laboratories have confirmed this vulnerability. The magnitude of this defect led to Takata’s bankruptcy in 2017, marking the downfall of what was once the world’s leading airbag supplier.
BMW’s latest recall underscores the ongoing challenges automakers face in ensuring vehicle safety and the importance of addressing such critical issues promptly. Affected BMW owners are urged to have their vehicles inspected and repaired as soon as possible to prevent potential harm.
