Bayerische Motoren Werke: Air Bags › Frontal › Sensor/Control Module-inactive
Bayerische Motoren Werke reported this defect to federal regulators on Oct 24, 2003 and put the number of vehicles at risk at 23,000. The repair is free for as long as the recall stands.
The defect
ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, A MICROPROCESSOR IN THE AIR BAG CONTROL MODULE, WHICH ACTIVATES THE FRONT AIR BAGS, THE SIDE AIR BAGS, THE FRONT SEAT SAFETY BELT PRETENSIONERS, AND THE BATTERY SAFETY TERMINAL, MAY HAVE A MALFUNCTION THAT COULD LEAD TO AN UNINTENDED ACTIVATION OF ONE OR MORE OF THESE COMPONENTS.
The risk
UNEXPECTED DEPLOYMENT OF THE AIR BAG(S) COULD CAUSE SERIOUS INJURY IF AN OCCUPANT IS TOO CLOSE TO THE DEPLOYING AIR BAG(S). IN ADDITION, THE BATTERY SAFETY TERMINAL MAY ALSO BE ACTIVATED. IF THAT HAPPENS, THE STARTER CABLE WOULD BECOME DISCONNECTED FROM THE BATTERY, AND THE ENGINE COULD NOT BE RESTARTED.
The remedy
DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE AIR BAG CONTROL MODULE. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN NOVEMBER10, 2003. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT BMW AT 1-800-831-1117.
10 model years covered
Newest first| Vehicle | Complaints | Recalls | Fires | Crashes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 BMW 525i | 22 | 4 | 6 | 2 |
| 2001 BMW 525Ia | 1 | 3 | 0 | 1 |
| 2001 BMW 525It | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 2001 BMW 525Ita | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 2001 BMW 530i | 25 | 4 | 0 | 2 |
| 2001 BMW 530Ia | 11 | 3 | 5 | 0 |
| 2001 BMW 540i | 15 | 4 | 0 | 1 |
| 2001 BMW 540Ia | 7 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 2001 BMW 540Iat | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 2001 BMW M5 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
What this page is, and what to do next
A recall is not an opinion. It is a Part 573 report a manufacturer is required by federal law to file once it decides a defect poses an unreasonable risk to safety, and it commits them to repairing the vehicle at no cost to the owner. The three passages above are the manufacturer’s own wording as published by NHTSA.
This page describes the campaign. It cannot tell you whether one particular car has already been through the shop — that is tracked by VIN, and only the manufacturer knows it. Check yours at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with a franchised dealer, quoting campaign number 03V421000.
Full record for the 2001 BMW 525i → · Recalls carrying a do-not-drive advisory → · Where this data comes from →