The defect
ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, DUE TO LONG EXPOSURES TO CERTAIN ENVIRONMENTAL AND OPERATING CONDITIONS, THE MATERIAL STRUCTURE OF THE FRONT SPRING STRUT PLATE COULD BE AFFECTED. IN SOME CASES, THE STRUT PLATE COULD BEGIN TO CRACK, AND EVENTUALLY IT COULD BREAK. IF THIS OCCURRED, THE PLATE COULD CONTACT THE TIRE.
The risk
THIS COULD LEAD TO A SUDDEN LOSS OF TIRE PRESSURE OR TIRE FAILURE.
The remedy
DEALERS WILL INSTALL A RETAINING CLIP TO THE UNDERSIDE OF THE FRONT SPRING STRUT PLATES. THE RECALL BEGAN MAY 17, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT BMW AT 1-800-831-1117.
NHTSA's own wording · initiated by MFR
Vehicles covered
| Model | Model years |
|---|---|
| BMW 5 Series | 1996, 1997 |
Components: SUSPENSION:FRONT
Model years in this recall
NHTSA complaints and the number of recall campaigns for each model year this recall covers.
| Model | Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|---|
| BMW 5 Series | 1996 | 0 | 1 |
| BMW 5 Series | 1997 | 1 | 1 |
Other suspension recalls in 2004
28 of the 601 recall campaigns reported to NHTSA in 2004 concerned the suspension; BAYERISCHE MOTOREN WERKE filed 145 campaigns in all.
| 04V604000 22 Dec 2004 | FORD MOTOR COMPANY |
| 04V596000 21 Dec 2004 | DAIMLERCHRYSLER CORPORATION |
| 04V594000 20 Dec 2004 | AUTOCAR, LLC |
| 04V535000 8 Nov 2004 | MITSUBISHI FUSO TRUCK OF AMERICA, INC. |
| 04V508000 27 Oct 2004 | INTERNATIONAL TRUCK & ENGINE CORPORATION |
| 04V506000 25 Oct 2004 | AIRSTREAM, INC. |
| 04V496000 14 Oct 2004 | TRIUMPH MOTORCYCLES (AMERICA) LTD |
| 04V477000 7 Oct 2004 | MITSUBISHI FUSO TRUCK OF AMERICA, INC. |
NHTSA recalls (public domain) · all recalls of 2004