BMW Recalls 1,145 Vehicles in the U.S. Over Airbag Defects

The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has announced that BMW will recall 1,145 vehicles in the United States due to potential issues with the safety airbags that could lead to explosive deployment.

The recall encompasses models such as the 2015 BMW 6 Series Gran Coupe, the 2014 BMW 5 Series Gran Turismo, and the 2014 BMW 5 Series Sedan, all of which are equipped with airbag inflators produced by Takata Corporation, a Japanese automotive parts manufacturer.

Since 2009, vehicles equipped with Takata airbags have been involved in numerous traffic accidents, resulting in over 30 deaths (at least 26 in the U.S.) and hundreds of injuries. NHTSA has stated that the problem is due to inherent defects in the products, with sharp fragments potentially striking the driver or other passengers.

The U.S. automotive safety regulator has indicated that the driver’s front airbag will be replaced free of charge.

Last week, BMW issued a recall for 394,000 vehicles in the U.S. due to similar issues affecting the 3 Series and Sportswagon models produced from 2006 to 2012. For instance, in 2020, NHTSA confirmed that a BMW crash in Arizona resulted in a fatality that was linked to the rupture of a Takata airbag inflator.