⌘K
HomeRecalls 16V071000
NHTSA campaign 16V071000

2006–2015 BMW 1 Series M and 12 other BMW models: air bags recall

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.

high 840,000 vehicles affected 49% reported repaired

What was reported

Source: manufacturer filing, 49 CFR Part 573
Problem BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain model year 2008-2013 128i and 135i coupes and convertibles and 1 Series M coupes, 2006-2011 325i, 325xi, 328i, 328xi, 328i xDrive, 330i, 330xi, 335i, 335xi, 335i xDrive Sedans, 2009-2011 335d sedans, 2006-2012 325xiT, 328i and 328xi sports wagons, 2007-2013 328i, 328xi, 328i xDrive, 335i, 335xi, 335i xDrive, 335is and M3 Coupes and Convertibles, 2013-2015 X1 sDrive28i, X1 xDrive28i and X1 xDrive35i SAVs, 2007-2010 X3 xDrive30i SAVs, 2007-2013 X5 xDrive30i, X5 xDrive35i, X5 xDrive48i, X5 xDrive50i and X5 M SAVs, 2009-2013 BMW X5 xDrive35d SAVs, 2008-2014 X6 xDrive35i, X6 xDrive50i, and X6 M SACs, 2010-2011 BMW X6 xDrive50i SACs and 2008-2011 M3 Sedan vehicles. Upon deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, excessive internal pressure may cause the inflator to rupture. Risk 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. Fix BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's frontal air bag module or inflator depending on the vehicle model, free of charge. The recall began March 9, 2018. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.

Reported to NHTSA Feb 5, 2016 by BMW of North America, LLC, owners notified Nov 1, 2016.

Which vehicles are covered

Source: NHTSA campaign 16V071000
Model yearOn WhichTrim
2008 BMW 1 Series Mevery BMW on this site
2009 BMW 1 Series Mevery BMW on this site
2010 BMW 1 Series Mevery BMW on this site
2011 BMW 1 Series Mevery BMW on this site
2012 BMW 1 Series Mevery BMW on this site
2013 BMW 1 Series Mevery BMW on this site
2008 BMW 128Ievery BMW on this site
2009 BMW 128Ievery BMW on this site
2010 BMW 128Ievery BMW on this site
2011 BMW 128Ievery BMW on this site
2012 BMW 128Ievery BMW on this site
2013 BMW 128Ievery BMW on this site
2008 BMW 135Ievery BMW on this site
2009 BMW 135Ievery BMW on this site
2010 BMW 135Ievery BMW on this site
2011 BMW 135Ievery BMW on this site
2012 BMW 135Ievery BMW on this site
2013 BMW 135Ievery BMW on this site
2006 BMW 325every BMW on this site
2007 BMW 325every BMW on this site
2008 BMW 325every BMW on this site
2009 BMW 325every BMW on this site
2010 BMW 325every BMW on this site
2011 BMW 325every BMW on this site
2012 BMW 325every BMW on this site
2006 BMW 328every BMW on this site
2007 BMW 328every BMW on this site
2008 BMW 328every BMW on this site
2009 BMW 328every BMW on this site
2010 BMW 328every BMW on this site
2011 BMW 328every BMW on this site
2012 BMW 328every BMW on this site
2013 BMW 328every BMW on this site
2006 BMW 330every BMW on this site
2007 BMW 330every BMW on this site
2008 BMW 330every BMW on this site
2009 BMW 330every BMW on this site
2010 BMW 330every BMW on this site
2011 BMW 330every BMW on this site
2006 BMW 335every BMW on this site
2007 BMW 335every BMW on this site
2008 BMW 335every BMW on this site
2009 BMW 335every BMW on this site
2010 BMW 335every BMW on this site
2011 BMW 335every BMW on this site
2012 BMW 335every BMW on this site
2013 BMW 335every BMW on this site
2007 BMW M3every BMW on this site
2008 BMW M3every BMW on this site
2009 BMW M3every BMW on this site
2010 BMW M3every BMW on this site
2011 BMW M3every BMW on this site
2012 BMW M3every BMW on this site
2013 BMW M3every BMW on this site
2013 BMW X1 SAVevery BMW on this site
2014 BMW X1 SAVevery BMW on this site
2015 BMW X1 SAVevery BMW on this site
2007 BMW X3 SAVevery BMW on this site
2008 BMW X3 SAVevery BMW on this site
2009 BMW X3 SAVevery BMW on this site
2010 BMW X3 SAVevery BMW on this site
2007 BMW X5 SAVevery BMW on this site
2008 BMW X5 SAVevery BMW on this site
2009 BMW X5 SAVevery BMW on this site
2010 BMW X5 SAVevery BMW on this site
2011 BMW X5 SAVevery BMW on this site
2012 BMW X5 SAVevery BMW on this site
2013 BMW X5 SAVevery BMW on this site
2010 BMW X6 Activehybrid SACevery BMW on this site
2011 BMW X6 Activehybrid SACevery BMW on this site
2008 BMW X6 SACevery BMW on this site
2009 BMW X6 SACevery BMW on this site
2012 BMW X6 SACevery BMW on this site
2013 BMW X6 SACevery BMW on this site
2014 BMW X6 SACevery BMW on this site

None of the vehicles this campaign names has a page on WhichTrim: every model year it names is older than the catalogue, which begins at 2016. The campaign record above is complete as filed, and whether one specific vehicle is included is settled by its VIN. Other campaigns on vehicles without a page here →

How much of it has been fixed

Source: manufacturer quarterly report, 49 CFR 573.7
Reported repaired 49%

of the campaign

The final figure: the six quarters of reporting that 49 cfr 573.7 requires have closed.

This is the manufacturer's own cumulative count of vehicles it has inspected and repaired, divided by the vehicles the campaign covers. It files that count with NHTSA every quarter for six consecutive quarters, starting from the quarter in which owners were told a remedy was ready, and then the obligation ends — so a figure on an older campaign is where the count stopped, not where it stands today.

It rarely reaches 100%, and not because the work was not done. The same report asks manufacturers to count vehicles they could not reach at all — exported, stolen, scrapped, or simply never located — and those stay in the denominator. A low number means a lot of these vehicles are still out there unrepaired; it does not tell you which ones.

The federal paperwork

Source: nhtsa.gov

Filed documents

NHTSA has not published the scanned filings for this campaign, or has not published them yet. The campaign record itself is on their site.

Check one specific vehicle

A recall applies to a build range, so year, make and model cannot settle it. NHTSA checks a VIN against the manufacturer's own list and tells you whether the repair is still outstanding on that vehicle.

NHTSA VIN recall lookup →

Campaign 16V071000

Own one, or run a fleet? Recall Watch checks each VIN against every new NHTSA campaign and emails you when one lands, this one's expansions included. Or take a free one-line alert by model year.

Advertisement

Common questions

Source: NHTSA, 49 CFR Part 573

Does this recall repair cost anything?

No. Federal law requires the manufacturer to remedy a safety defect or a compliance failure at no charge, for vehicles up to 15 years old measured from the date of first sale. A dealer that asks you to pay for a recall repair is in the wrong.

How do I know whether my vehicle is included?

By VIN, not by model year. The manufacturer files a build range with NHTSA and only vehicles inside it are covered, so two identical-looking cars from the same year can differ. NHTSA's own lookup checks a VIN against the manufacturer's list.

What if the repair is not available yet?

It happens, and often. Manufacturers must notify owners when a defect is found even if the parts or the software are not ready, then notify them a second time once the remedy exists. The remedy filed for this campaign is described above.

What did the manufacturer say was wrong?

The problem, risk and fix quoted on this page are the manufacturer's own words as filed with NHTSA under 49 CFR Part 573. WhichTrim does not paraphrase them.

Who started this recall?

NHTSA's record credits NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. A recall can begin with the manufacturer's own testing, with a defect investigation, or with a compliance test against a Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard.