NHTSA recall 17V047000
NHTSA advises: do not drive until the repair is done.
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 | 17V047000 |
| Manufacturer | BMW of North America, LLC |
| Reported | 2017-01-20 |
| Owners notified | 2017-03-15 |
| Component | AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE |
| Units potentially affected | 230117 |
| Report | Quarterly report 6, for 2018 quarter 2 |
|---|---|
| Filed with NHTSA | 2018-07-27 |
| Vehicles in the campaign | 230117 |
| Reported remedied | 55819 (24%) |
| Reported unreachable | 0 |
| Reported removed | 3742 |
These are the manufacturer's totals for the whole campaign at the end of 2018 quarter 2, as filed with NHTSA. They do not say whether one vehicle has been remedied: check the VIN with the official lookups. The reports are from data as of 2026-10-19.
What is wrong
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2000-2002 BMW 320i, 323i, 325i, 325xi, 330i, 330xi, 323Ci, 325Ci, 330Ci, M3, 323iT, 325iT and 325xiT vehicles, 2001-2002 525i, 530i, 540i, M5, 525iT and 540iT vehicles, and 2001-2003 X5 3.0i, X5 4.4i, and X5 4.6is vehicles. These vehicles may have had a driver-side air bag module installed as replacement equipment such as after a vehicle crash necessitating replacement of the original air bag, or as a remedy part for a prior recall. These replacement modules contain an air bag inflator that may rupture due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to lower absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.
What can happen
In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
The remedy
Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until the vehicle has been remedied. BMW will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the driver side air bag module, replacing it as necessary, free of charge. The recall began March 15, 2017. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
Notes
Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.
| 2000 BMW 320 | Built 2000-06-02 to 2001-12-29. |
|---|---|
| 2001 BMW 320 | Built 2000-06-02 to 2001-12-29. |
| 2002 BMW 320 | Built 2000-06-02 to 2001-12-29. |
| 2000 BMW 323 | Built 2000-05-12 to 2001-12-29. |
| 2001 BMW 323 | Built 2000-05-12 to 2001-12-29. |
| 2002 BMW 323 | Built 2000-05-12 to 2001-12-29. |
| 2000 BMW 325 | Built 2000-05-12 to 2001-12-29. |
| 2001 BMW 325 | Built 2000-05-12 to 2001-12-29. |
| 2002 BMW 325 | Built 2000-05-12 to 2001-12-29. |
| 2000 BMW 330 | Built 2000-05-12 to 2001-12-29. |
| 2001 BMW 330 | Built 2000-05-12 to 2001-12-29. |
| 2002 BMW 330 | Built 2000-05-12 to 2001-12-29. |
| 2001 BMW 525 | Built 2000-09-01 to 2002-02-28. |
| 2002 BMW 525 | Built 2000-09-01 to 2002-02-28. |
| 2001 BMW 530 | Built 2000-09-01 to 2002-02-28. |
| 2002 BMW 530 | Built 2000-09-01 to 2002-02-28. |
| 2001 BMW 540 | Built 2000-09-01 to 2002-02-28. |
| 2002 BMW 540 | Built 2000-09-01 to 2002-02-28. |
| 2000 BMW M3 | Built 2000-05-12 to 2001-12-29. |
| 2001 BMW M3 | Built 2000-05-12 to 2001-12-29. |
| 2002 BMW M3 | Built 2000-05-12 to 2001-12-29. |
| 2001 BMW M5 | Built 2000-09-01 to 2002-02-28. |
| 2002 BMW M5 | Built 2000-09-01 to 2002-02-28. |
| 2001 BMW X5 | Built 2000-04-18 to 2003-01-31. |
| 2002 BMW X5 | Built 2000-04-18 to 2003-01-31. |
| 2003 BMW X5 | Built 2000-04-18 to 2003-01-31. |
A vehicle with no link is not in this site's catalog, which covers cars, multipurpose vehicles and trucks by model year. The campaign is from data as of 2026-10-19.
Investigated as EA15001
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.
| EA15001 | Engineering analysis, opened 2015-02-24. Air Bag Inflator Rupture. AIR BAGS:FRONTAL; AIR BAGS. |
|---|
From NHTSA's investigation file, as of 2026-10-19. The JSON has NHTSA's summary of each.