BMW Recalls Thousands of SUVs Over Potential Airbag Rupture Risk

According to the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), BMW of North America, LLC is voluntarily recalling approximately 5,361 model year 2000 and 2001 BMW X5 vehicles due to a potential defect in the driver’s front airbag module. This recall specifically addresses vehicles that may have had a sport steering wheel equipped with a Takata driver’s front airbag module containing a PSDI-4 inflator installed as a replacement or spare part.

The safety risk associated with this recall stems from the Takata PSDI-4 inflator. Over time, the propellant wafers within these inflators may degrade, particularly when exposed to prolonged conditions of high humidity, high temperatures, and significant temperature fluctuations. This degradation can lead to an overly aggressive combustion during airbag deployment. In such an event, the inflator could rupture, expelling metal fragments that may pass through the airbag cushion. These fragments pose a serious risk of injury or even death to vehicle occupants. The potential for rupture is influenced by various factors including the specific vehicle environment, the inflator and propellant configuration, and manufacturing variations. Studies have also indicated an age-related change in the inflator characteristics, meaning a malfunction cannot be ruled out.

The issue was identified during a review of technical campaigns related to Takata airbags for non-U.S. markets in mid-2025. This review prompted a re-examination of information that led to a previous recall decision (NHTSA Recall ID 19V-015). The investigation revealed that certain X5 vehicles produced before April 2000, which were originally equipped with a basic steering wheel, could technically be retrofitted with a sport steering wheel. However, if this retrofit involved a steering wheel containing a PSDI-4 inflator, it would have inadvertently replaced the original, ammonium nitrate-free driver’s airbag inflator with a potentially problematic one. In response to this finding, BMW decided on October 24, 2025, out of an abundance of caution, to initiate this voluntary safety recall.

The remedy for this recall involves inspecting the driver’s front airbag module and replacing the inflator if necessary. BMW will notify owners of potentially affected vehicles by first-class mail, advising them to schedule an appointment with an authorized BMW center to have the remedy performed free of charge. Vehicle owners are advised not to drive the affected vehicles and to park them outside until the remedy can be performed. The recall component is the driver’s front airbag, part number 6757891.

Owners who have incurred costs to have this remedy performed prior to receiving the recall notification may be eligible for reimbursement, in accordance with BMW Group’s reimbursement plan and federal regulations. Details on how to submit reimbursement claims will be provided in the owner notification.

Dealer notification regarding this recall is expected to commence and conclude on October 31, 2025. Owner notifications are scheduled to begin and end on December 23, 2025, with the remedy being implemented in a phased approach. Vehicle identification numbers (VINs) for affected vehicles will be searchable on December 23, 2025.

This recall is related to NHTSA Recall Number 19V015.

Article by Mel Anara, based upon information from BMW of North America, LLC and the NHTSA.

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