BMW recalls hundreds of SUVs in US due to deadly airbag issue that has already killed 27 Americans

BMW decided to recall 486 SUVs in the United States after an airbag malfunction last October, resulting in injury to the driver's lung, chest and shoulder.

The recall is the latest to affect auto parts maker Takata, whose airbags have been under investigation by US regulators for years — and are found in millions of vehicles around the world.

The part in question is the driver's side airbag inflator, which is actually manufactured by ARC Automotive but used by Takata in its airbags. This device uses volatile chemicals to create a small explosion that quickly inflates the airbag in the event of an accident.

Under certain conditions, the metal can containing the chemicals can explode in the event of an accident, releasing metal fragments into the vehicle.

At least 27 deaths have been linked to defective Takata airbags in the United States 38 globally. More than 400 people were injured by airbags in the United States alone.

Takata airbags have been linked to hundreds of injuries and dozens of deaths around the world, and many defective units are still present in vehicles.

Takata airbags with an ARC inflator can degrade over time, which could cause the inflator to rupture in the event of an accident, sending metal fragments into the passenger compartment

In the latest recall, the affected vehicles include several models of BMW SUVs that were manufactured between February and March 2014.

Given how widespread the problem is, NHTSA advised drivers to do so Check its recall database By entering their vehicle identification number (VIN).

Takata had approx 67 million The airbags have been recalled for safety issues, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

However, many defective units remain in cars on the road.

Takata declared bankruptcy in 2017, after recalls and lawsuits cost the company billions.

The problem stems from the chemicals that inflate the airbags.

When crash sensors at the front of your car detect a major collision, they send a signal to an on-board computer that turns on the inflator.

Inside the airbag inflator is a chemical that breaks down into harmless components when ignited.

In the early 1990s, that chemical was sodium azide, which rapidly decomposes into sodium and nitrogen upon detonation.

However, Takata turned to ammonium nitrate in the late 1990s, the same chemical that makes fertilizer suitable for homemade bombs.

The problem began in 2004, when the first reports emerged of dangerous air bag explosions.

Since then, recalls have occurred gradually, with different automakers recalling a small group of vehicles at a time.

The real numbers of damaged cars reach tens of millions.

Even without any issues, the blower works like a bomb. When an electric charge is applied, it explodes.

The problem with defective Takata airbags occurs when heat and humidity cause the ammonium nitrate to decompose prematurely, so that when the airbag explodes it explodes with such force.

When this happens, the blow can ruptures, and the force of the explosion causes the can pieces to be torn apart into whatever they can reach.

In the case of the new BMW recall, the inciting incident occurred in October when a driver was seriously injured by an airbag in a crash.

The fragments entered the driver's lung, but they survived. BMW said it has not yet inspected the car AP.

General Motors faced a similar recall earlier this year, but for approx Million vehicles. The American automaker blamed Takata for the problem.

But even when it appears the units are to blame, automakers have been slow to roll out recalls, leading to additional lawsuits.

For example, Mercedes-Benz paid $12.5 million in fines last year for not promptly notifying drivers of airbags.

Officials expect that in 2024 NHTSA will expand the air bag recall to include: 52 million Units produced by Takata.