# NHTSA recall 02V223000

A recall listed here may apply to a vehicle of this year, make and model. Only the manufacturer can say whether it applies to one vehicle: check the VIN with the official lookups.

- Published by: NHTSA \(United States\)
- Campaign number: 02V223000
- Manufacturer's number: E46
- Manufacturer: BAYERISCHE MOTOREN WERKE
- Reported: 2002\-08\-09
- Owners notified: 2002\-10\-25
- Component: AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW
- Units potentially affected: 20500

## What is wrong

ON CERTAIN 4\-DOOR PASSENGER VEHICLES, THE SIDE AIR BAG SYSTEM COULD DEPLOY IN CERTAIN NON\-CRASH IMPACTS, SUCH AS WHEN CONTACTING LARGE POTHOLES OR CURBS AT SUBSTANTIAL SPEEDS.


## What can happen

THIS COULD CAUSE THE SIDE AIR BAG AND HEAD PROTECTION SYSTEM TO DEPLOY WITHOUT AN ACTUAL SIDE CRASH OR IMPACT SEVERE ENOUGH TO CAUSE SIGNIFICANT VISIBLE DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE.  UNEXPECTED DEPLOYMENT OF THE SIDE AIR BAG COULD CAUSE SERIOUS INJURY IF THE OCCUPANT'S HEAD IS RESTING NEAR THE SIDE AIR BAG.


## The remedy

DEALERS WILL RECALIBRATE THE CENTRAL AIR BAG CONTROL MODULE TO REDUCE THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH A NON\-CRASH DEPLOYMENT.    OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN OCTOBER 25, 2002.   OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT BMW AT 1\-800\-831\-1117.


## Notes

ALSO, CUSTOMERS CAN CONTACT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION'S AUTO SAFETY HOTLINE AT 1\-888\-DASH\-2\-DOT \(1\-888\-327\-4236\).


## Vehicles this campaign lists

- [1999 BMW 323I](/makes/bmw/323i/1999/recalls.md). Built 1999\-04\-08 to 1999\-08\-31.
- [2000 BMW 323I](/makes/bmw/323i/2000/recalls.md). Built 1999\-04\-08 to 1999\-08\-31.
- [1999 BMW 328I](/makes/bmw/328i/1999/recalls.md). Built 1999\-04\-08 to 1999\-08\-31.
- [2000 BMW 328I](/makes/bmw/328i/2000/recalls.md). Built 1999\-04\-08 to 1999\-08\-31.

## Investigated as EA02012

This recall followed 1 NHTSA investigation. An investigation is NHTSA looking into a possible defect. It is not a finding that a defect exists, and it does not say that any one vehicle is affected.

- EA02012: Engineering analysis, opened 2002\-07\-15, closed 2003\-06\-24. INADVERTENT SIDE\-IMPACT AIR BAG DEPLOYME. AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW.

From NHTSA's investigation file, as of 2026-10-19. JSON: [/v1/recalls/nhtsa/02V223000/investigations](/v1/recalls/nhtsa/02V223000/investigations)

## Bulletins for the same vehicles and component

A bulletin is the manufacturer's note to its dealers. It is not part of this recall.

- [B651820](/bulletins/10184591.md), 2020-12-21, Service bulletin
- [B013118](/bulletins/10160287.md), 2019-05-20, Service bulletin
- [B013118](/bulletins/10160244.md), 2019-05-20, Service bulletin
- [B080119](/bulletins/10154816.md), 2019-03-18, Service bulletin
- [B011618](/bulletins/10153726.md), 2019-02-25, Service bulletin
- [B011718](/bulletins/10149558.md), 2018-11-26, Service bulletin
- [B011618](/bulletins/10149557.md), 2018-11-26, Service bulletin
- [651414](/bulletins/10148100.md), 2018-11-13, Service bulletin
- [SIB\-65\-36\-09](/bulletins/10037078.md), 2011-05-04, Service bulletin
- [SIB\-65\-75\-06](/bulletins/10029605.md), 2009-07-13, Service bulletin

## Check a VIN

- [NHTSA recall lookup by VIN, United States](https://www.nhtsa.gov/recalls)
- [Transport Canada recall search, Canada](https://wwwapps.tc.gc.ca/Saf-Sec-Sur/7/VRDB-BDRV/search-recherche/menu.aspx?lang=eng)

JSON: [/v1/recalls/nhtsa/02V223000](/v1/recalls/nhtsa/02V223000)

[Report an error on this page](https://github.com/wenmar-pro/wenmar-open/issues/new?template=data_correction.yml&title=Data%20correction%3A%20NHTSA%20recall%2002V223000&page=https%3A%2F%2Fopen.wenmarpro.com%2Frecalls%2Fnhtsa%2F02V223000&vehicle=NHTSA%20recall%2002V223000)