BMW Recalls Older Cars and SUVs to Replace Air Bag Inflators That May Rupture

Following a review of weld seam production and quality assurance information, the supplier and BMW of North America determined that certain inflators may have been produced incorrectly. More specifically, unwanted variations in the welding process between the inflator's base plate and cap may result in an unwanted rupture.

This, in turn, increases the risk of injury to vehicle occupants. According to documents published on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's website, this recall comprises PSDI-X inflators. However, the recall condition is not related to high absolute humidity like previous recalls involving Takata inflators.

Takata produced the suspect air bag inflators at its facility in Monclova, Mexico. As you might have guessed by now, the driver's air bag module will be replaced at no charge whatsoever to the customers. BMW dealers have already been informed, whereas owner notifications will be mailed on September 2.

Replacing the air bag module should take roughly an hour. BMW recommends entering the 17-character VIN on the automaker's recall portal to determine if your vehicle features an iffy air bag inflator produced by the now-defunct Takata.

The oldest vehicles of said recall are 324 units of the 2013 – 2014 BMW X3 in xDrive28i and xDrive35i flavors, with suspect production dates ranging between September 7, 2012 and March 5, 2014. At the other end of the spectrum, there's the 2014 – 2015 BMW 3 Series four-door sedan, whose cut-off date is listed as August 28, 2014.

The five-door 3 Series Gran Turismo is also recalled, along with the 4 Series Coupe, Convertible, and Gran Coupe, the 5 Series Sedan and Gran Turismo, the 6 Series Coupe, Convertible, and Gran Coupe. A few units of the BMW X5 xDrive35d have been recalled as well.

Unfortunately for diesel enthusiasts, the Munich-based automaker stopped offering diesel vehicles in the United States market after the 2018 model year. In the aftermath of the infamous Dieselgate scandal, the Bavarian company preferred to focus on rolling out PHEV after PHEV after PHEV.

Heavier than regular hybrids but much superior on the long haul, plug-in hybrids can be described as the best of both world. Over at BMW, three of them are available to configure at press time, beginning with the six-cylinder X5 xDrive50e. Next up, there's the 750e xDrive and the second model developed entirely by the M division.

The aesthetically challenged XM soldiers on as BMW's most powerful series-production vehicle, for the XM Label puts out a mammoth 738 horsepower and 738 pound-feet (1,000 Nm) of torque. As opposed to $159,000 from the outset for the regular XM, the XM Label is $185,000 before taxes and options.