44,000 Older BMWs With Takata Airbags Recalled in Canada
Better late than never, as they say. More vehicles are now being recalled to fix potentially faulty airbag inflators manufactured by out-of-business Japanese supplier Takata.
This time, we’re talking about over 44,000 BMW cars and SUVs in Canada, more specifically select units of the 2005 1 Series, 2006-2012 3 Series, 2004-2005 and 2011-2015 X3, as well as the 2016 X5 equipped with a replacement sport or M-sport steering wheel that has a Takata airbag.
- Also: Nearly 100,000 BMWs Recalled in Canada for Fire Risk
- Also: BMW Recalls Several Models Along With the Toyota Supra
The problem is always the same. Long-term exposure to high absolute humidity and temperature, combined with high temperature cycling, may eventually degrade the propellant contained in the driver-front airbag, which could cause the airbag to deploy with more force than normal. If the airbag inflator ruptures, fragments could be propelled toward vehicle occupants.
Takata is responsible for the biggest auto-related safety recall ever with over 100 million inflators recalled around the globe. Over 30 motorists have been killed and hundreds have been injured by exploding Takata inflators, most on U.S. soil.
Since the recall was first announced in 2016, BMW says it has continuously engaged in a variety of customer outreach campaigns to compel owners of these vehicles to have the critical safety repair completed as soon as possible. These have included contacts by phone, email, letters and online campaigns. BMW has also coordinated with its dealer network and certified collision repair centres to identify affected vehicles and facilitate repairs.
Owners of the aforementioned models will soon be notified by mail and advised to take their vehicle to a dealership to inspect and, if necessary, replace the driver-front airbag module.
In the meantime, you can visit Transport Canada’s recall database or BMW Canada’s website to determine whether your vehicle is part of an airbag recall and needs a replacement.