BMW recalls SUVs after Takata air bag inflator blows apart, hurling shrapnel and injuring driver
DETROIT– BMW is recalling a small number of SUVs in the U.S. because the driver's airbags can inflate during a crash, sending metal shrapnel and potentially injuring or killing people inside the vehicles.
U.S. auto safety regulators say in documents posted Saturday that the recall affects 486 2014 model year X3, X4 and X5 SUVs equipped with airbags made by Takata Corp. from Japan.
The recall raises questions about the safety of approximately 30 million Takata pumps under investigation by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Most have not been recalled.
Takata used volatile ammonium nitrate to cause a small explosion in the event of an accident to inflate the airbags. But the chemical can deteriorate over time when exposed to high temperatures and humidity. It can explode with too much force, blowing apart a metal canister and spewing shrapnel.
Since May 2009, at least 26 people have been killed in the US by Takata pumps, and at least 30 people have been killed worldwide, including people in Malaysia and Australia. In addition, approximately 400 people were injured.
Potential for a dangerous failure led to the largest series of automotive recalls in US history, involving at least 67 million Takata pumps. The US government says many have not been repaired. About 100 million inflators have been recalled worldwide. The exploding airbags caused Takata to go bankrupt.
Documents say the inflators in the BMWs contain a moisture-absorbing chemical called a desiccant, which was not part of previous recalls.
BMW says in documents that a complaint was reported to NHTSA in November that the driver's airbag in a 2014 X3 had ruptured. The automaker began an investigation and has not yet determined an exact cause. But preliminary information indicates a production problem from Feb. 22, 2014, to March 7, 2014, the documents say.
The German car manufacturer says in documents that it is still investigating, but has not yet been able to inspect the X3 with the defective airbag.
NHTSA records show a complaint stating that on Oct. 23, the inflator of a 2014 X3 exploded in Chicago, sending a large piece of metal into the driver's lungs. The driver also had lacerations to the chest and shoulder that appeared to be caused by shrapnel, the complaint said. A surgeon removed a gold-colored disk from the driver's lung, which did not identify the driver, according to the complaint.
NHTSA says Takata airbags with a desiccant are being investigated because they have the potential to explode and expel shrapnel. The investigation opened in 2021 covers more than 30 million inflators in more than 200 models from 20 car and truck manufacturers, including Honda, Stellantis, General Motors, Ford, Nissan, Tesla, BMW, Toyota, Jaguar Land Rover, Daimler Vans, Mitsubishi, Subaru, Mercedes-Benz, Ferrari, McLaren, Porsche, Mazda, Karma, Fisker, Spartan Fire vehicles.
The agency decided not to recall the inflators containing the desiccant in May 2020, but said it would monitor them.
“While no safety risk has currently been identified, further work is needed to evaluate the future risk from unrecalled desiccated inflators,” the agency said in a document opening the investigation.
An NHTSA spokeswoman said Saturday that she would check the status of the investigation. A message was left seeking comment from BMW.
Under the BMW recall, dealers will replace the airbags at no charge to owners, who will be notified by letter starting January 16.
BMW's recall comes after General Motors recalled nearly 900 vehicles in July with Takata pumps containing the desiccant. GM also blamed the problem on a manufacturing defect at Takata.
In a statement about GM's recall last summer, NHTSA said the agency had no data indicating that other dried-out Takata inflators could rupture.