14V BMW 3 Series (E46) Passenger Front Air Bag System (Takata) (Expanding 2013 Recall 13V-172)

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1 Q1. Which models are affected by this 2014 recall? Affected are certain BMW 3 Series (E46) as follows: Dates of Manufacture / 3 Series Sedan Jun 1999 Aug / 3 Series Coupe Jun 1999 Aug / 3 Series Convertible Dec 1999 Aug / 3 Series Sports Wagon Jan 2000 Aug / M3 Coupe Feb 2001 May / M3 Convertible Mar 2001 Aug 2006 Q1a. This sounds familiar. Was there a similar recall before? There were two (2) actions conducted in the past, one recently in 2014, and one in May The action conducted in 2014 is NOT a recall, but the action conducted in May 2013 is a recall. Details are as follows: 2014 Action The recent action in 2014 is a Special Technical Campaign ( 14V-348 ) involving Model Year BMW 3 Series, including M3 models produced between January 2004 and August 2006 and pertains to the driver front air bag system. This is a limited regional action, being conducted in cooperation with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and Takata, in Florida, Hawaii and Puerto Rico only. It is being conducted in order to collect parts in these specific locations with high absolute humidity in vehicles which have experienced long-term exposure to this environmental condition. BMW and Takata have not yet determined if a safety risk exists, hence this limited regional parts collection campaign will allow for further analysis. There have been no reports of air bag system housing rupture on a BMW 3 Series. The 2014 Special Technical Campaign pertains to the following vehicles: Inclusive Dates of Manufacture / 3 Series Sedan Jan 2004 Aug / 3 Series Coupe Jan 2004 Aug / 3 Series Convertible Jan 2004 Aug / 3 Series Sports Wagon Jan 2004 Aug 2005 Models also include all M3 variants 2013 Action The action in May 2013 is a voluntary safety recall ( 13V-172 ) involving Model Year BMW 3 Series produced between January 2002 and December 2002, and pertains to the passenger s front air bag system. The air bag system propellant was not produced to specification. 1

2 The May 2013 recall is being expanded to include additional vehicles due to the July 2014 recall. The original May 2013 recall pertains to the following 42,080 vehicles: Inclusive Dates of Manufacture / 3 Series Sedan Jan 2002 Dec / 3 Series Coupe Feb 2002 Dec / 3 Series Convertible Feb 2002 Dec / 3 Series Sports Wagon Jan 2002 Dec / M3 Coupe Feb 2002 Dec / M3 Convertible Feb 2002 Dec 2002 Q1b. What about earlier Model Year BMW 3 Series vehicles? Are they involved / affected? Earlier Model Year BMW 3 Series vehicles are not affected because they are equipped with air bag systems from a different supplier. Q1c. Why are other BMW Group models not affected? Other BMW Group models are not affected because they are equipped with air bag systems from a different supplier, or are equipped with air bag systems involving a different design. Q2. How many BMW 3 Series vehicles in the US are affected by this July 2014 recall? The number of additional BMW 3 Series vehicles affected in the US is approximately 573,935 as follows: Production Volume / 3 Series Sedan 330, / 3 Series Coupe 93, / 3 Series Convertible 94, / 3 Series Sports Wagon 17, / M3 Coupe 22, / M3 Convertible 15,279 Q3. What is the nature of this 2014 recall? This 2014 recall involves the issue identified in the May 2013 recall (i.e., air bag system propellant not produced to specification), the issue identified in the 2014 Special Technical Campaign (i.e., operating conditions involving long-term exposure to high 2

3 absolute humidity environmental conditions), and concerns involving design parameters of certain passenger front air bag integrated inflator modules. There have been no reports of air bag system inflator rupture on a BMW 3 Series. Q3a. How is the nature of this July 2014 recall different than that of the May 2013 recall and also the 2014 Special Technical Campaign? This July 2014 recall expands upon the May 2013 recall and involves the passenger front air bag system and the issue identified in the May 2013 recall (i.e., air bag system propellant not produced to specification), the issue identified in the 2014 Special Technical Campaign (i.e., operating conditions involving long-term exposure to high absolute humidity environmental conditions), and concerns involving design parameters of certain passenger front air bag integrated inflator modules. The May 2013 recall involves the passenger front air bag system. The air bag system propellant was not produced to specification. If the propellant was not produced to specification, then in a crash in which air bag system deployment is required, the air bag system housing may rupture. There have been no reports of air bag system housing rupture on a BMW 3 Series. The 2014 Special Technical Campaign involves the driver front air bag system. The air bag system supplier informed NHTSA that the air bag system may have been manufactured with an inflator that was not produced to specification. After long-term exposure in high absolute humidity environments, in a crash in which air bag system deployment occurs, the air bag system housing may rupture. BMW and Takata have not yet determined if a safety risk exists on BMW vehicles, hence this is a limited regional parts collection campaign to allow further analysis. There have been no reports of air bag system housing rupture on a BMW 3 Series. Q4. What can happen as a result of these conditions? The various issues identified in the May 2013 and July 2014 recalls could increase the risk of injury during a passenger front air bag deployment in a crash. Q5. Can I determine if my vehicle is affected? No, this can only be performed by qualified BMW service technicians. Q6. What corrective measures will be taken? The passenger front air bag will be replaced. Q6a. I had my passenger front air bag replaced during the May 2013 recall ( 13V-172 ). Do I need to have it replaced again? No. 3

4 Q7. How did BMW become aware of this issue? BMW became aware of this issue through its quality control procedures and in consultation with the air bag system supplier. Q8. Is BMW aware of any accidents or injuries associated with the recall? BMW is not aware of a ruptured inflator in any of the potentially affected vehicles. However, based upon the size of the vehicle population, BMW has noted a very low rate of incidents with a limited number of front passenger injuries which might be related to the issues involving the 2013 and 2014 recalls. Q9. Can I continue to drive my vehicle? Yes, but we recommend that when you receive a recall letter asking you to have this service performed by an authorized BMW center, you do so as soon as possible. Please note that you should have received an initial recall letter in September advising you of this issue, and then an additional recall letter will be mailed to you when parts become available, requesting that you bring your vehicle to your authorized BMW center for service and repair. No action was required on your part after you received the initial letter. Should you need BMW Roadside Assistance, they can be reached at If you are not the only driver of this vehicle, please advise all other drivers of this important information. Q9a. I did not receive a letter from BMW regarding my vehicle. How can I find out if my BMW is included in this recall? You can visit your BMW center s service department. The service advisor can look up your vehicle identification number (VIN) in our systems to determine if your BMW requires this action. You can also determine if your vehicle is included in this recall by entering your VIN at either the or websites under Safety Recalls. Note: the specific BMW website is: At the BMW website, you can also download a sample owner notification letter if your VIN is affected. Q10. How will I be informed of the recall? You will receive a recall letter via First Class mail asking you to schedule an appointment with an authorized BMW center. 4

5 Please note that you should have received an initial recall letter in September advising you of this issue, and then an additional recall letter will be mailed to you when parts become available, requesting that you bring your vehicle to your authorized BMW center for service and repair. No action was required on your part after you received the initial letter. (Note: See Q.9a if customer did not receive a letter) Q10a. NHTSA has encouraged all owners to get this recall performed immediately. What is BMW s position? BMW is not aware of a ruptured inflator in any of the potentially affected vehicles. However, we are working with our air bag supplier to produce a sufficient quantity of airbags to allow our campaign to proceed. If you are extremely concerned about this issue and if parts are not available, we recommend that you do not allow anyone to sit in the front passenger seat or place any objects, e.g., purse, backpack, shopping package, etc on it while driving until the air bag is replaced. The driver s frontal airbag is not subject to this recall and the passenger s front airbag will not deploy if the seat is not used, due to its seat occupancy sensor. Q10b. I don t want to drive my BMW until this recall is completed. Will BMW give me a loaner vehicle until the parts are available? BMW is not making loaner vehicles available until replacement parts are available. If a customer is extremely concerned about this issue and if parts are not available, we recommend that they do not allow anyone to sit in the front passenger seat or place any objects, e.g., purse, backpack, shopping package, etc on it while driving until the air bag is replaced. The driver s frontal airbag is not subject to this recall and the passenger s frontal airbag will not deploy if the seat is not used, due to its seat occupancy sensor. Q10c. Will my BMW center deactivate my passenger s front airbag until parts are available (as Toyota is doing)? To date, BMW is not aware of an airbag deployment with inflator rupture in a car affected by the BMW recall, either in the field or in tests. Therefore BMW is not of the opinion that a deactivation of the passenger s front airbag is necessary. Further analysis is ongoing. If any new facts come to light; an appropriate action will be announced. If you are extremely concerned about this issue and if parts are not available, we recommend that you do not allow anyone to sit in the front passenger seat or to place any objects, e.g., purse, backpack, shopping package, etc on the seat while driving until the air bag is replaced. The passenger s frontal airbag will not deploy if the seat is not used, due to its seat occupancy sensor. Q11. How will the recall be performed? The passenger front air bag will be replaced. 5

6 Q12. How long will the repair take? This repair should take approximately three hours; however, additional time may be required depending upon your center s schedule. The repair will be performed free of charge by your authorized BMW center. Q13. How many vehicles have experienced a ruptured inflator? BMW is not aware of a ruptured inflator in any of the potentially affected vehicles. Q14. When will I receive my owner notification letter? You should have received an initial recall letter in September advising you of this issue, and then an additional recall letter will be mailed to you when parts become available, requesting that you bring your vehicle to your authorized BMW center for service and repair. No action was required on your part after you received the initial letter. Q14a. I did not receive an owner notification letter. How can I find out if my BMW is included in this recall? You can visit your BMW center s service department. The service advisor can look up your vehicle identification number (VIN) in our systems to determine if your BMW requires this action. You can also determine if your vehicle is included in this recall by entering your VIN at either the or websites under Safety Recalls. Note: the specific BMW website URL is: At the BMW website, you can also download a sample owner notification letter if your VIN is affected. Q15. Do I have to wait for my 2 nd recall letter in order to have my recall performed? Yes. BMW is in the process of implementing the recall campaign to ensure that the necessary parts, tools, and procedures are at your authorized BMW center. Q15a. Why did BMW announce this voluntary recall if it did not have the parts to replace my airbag? Under NHTSA regulations, an automaker is obliged to file a recall report, once it determines that a safety risk exists, regardless whether parts are available. Q16. I see the TREAD Act Customer Reimbursement Plan attached to my letter. Can you explain what that is about? Am I eligible for reimbursement? 6

7 In this particular recall, reimbursement is likely not applicable, as you would typically have replaced your passenger front air bag as a result of an accident. In that situation, either your insurance company paid for the repair, or you paid out-of-pocket. However, in the very unusual (unlikely) scenario that you replaced the passenger front air bag out-of-pocket upon learning of the 2013 recall, and in your BMW 3 Series vehicle which was not originally covered under the 2013 recall, but is now covered under the 2014 recall, you may be eligible for reimbursement. Q17. Are there any issues with the driver s front airbag? The driver s front airbag is not subject to this recall. However, BMW is cooperating with the supplier and NHTSA to collect driver-side front airbags for the purpose of examination and testing in approximately 11,000 3 Series vehicles produced between January 2004 and August 2006, which are located in Florida, Hawaii and Puerto Rico. BMW is not aware of a ruptured inflator in any of these vehicles. BMW and the supplier have not yet determined if a safety risk exists with the driver s front airbag. This activity has been assigned NHTSA tracking number 14V-348. (Also, see Q1a) 7