The defect
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2014-2015 2 Series Coupe (228i, 228i xDrive, M235i), 3 Series Sedan (320i, 320i xDrive, 328i, 328i xDrive, 335i, 335i xDrive, M3, 328d, 328d xDrive), 4 Series Coupe (428i, 428i xDrive, 435i, 435i xDrive, M4), and 2015 4 Series Gran Coupe (428i, 428i xDrive, 435i, 435i xDrive) vehicles. The head air bag inflator may fail at the weld joint, which can cause gas to leak from the inflator or result in an inflator rupture.
The risk
An inflator that ruptures may cause sharp metal fragments to enter or exit the vehicle, increasing the risk of injury. Additionally, an inflator that leaks gas may only partially inflate during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
The remedy
Dealers will replace the head air bags, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 4, 2024. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
NHTSA's own wording · initiated by ODI
Vehicles covered
| Model | Model years |
|---|---|
| BMW 228i | 2014, 2015 |
| BMW 320i | 2014, 2015 |
| BMW 328d | 2014, 2015 |
| BMW 328i | 2014, 2015 |
| BMW 335i | 2014, 2015 |
| BMW 428i | 2014, 2015 |
| BMW 435i | 2014, 2015 |
| BMW M235I | 2014, 2015 |
| BMW M3 | 2014, 2015 |
| BMW M4 | 2014, 2015 |
Components: AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW
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 228i | 2014 | 7 | 4 |
| BMW 228i | 2015 | 17 | 3 |
| BMW 320i | 2014 | 53 | 7 |
| BMW 320i | 2015 | 34 | 3 |
| BMW 328d | 2014 | 153 | 7 |
| BMW 328d | 2015 | 27 | 6 |
| BMW 328i | 2014 | 152 | 8 |
| BMW 328i | 2015 | 125 | 4 |
| BMW 335i | 2014 | 20 | 5 |
| BMW 335i | 2015 | 10 | 3 |
| BMW 428i | 2014 | 36 | 6 |
| BMW 428i | 2015 | 78 | 5 |
| BMW 435i | 2014 | 23 | 4 |
| BMW 435i | 2015 | 16 | 3 |
| BMW M235I | 2014 | 5 | 3 |
| BMW M235I | 2015 | 5 | 2 |
| BMW M3 | 2014 | 0 | 1 |
| BMW M3 | 2015 | 4 | 3 |
| BMW M4 | 2014 | 0 | 2 |
| BMW M4 | 2015 | 12 | 3 |
Other air bags recalls in 2024
45 of the 950 recall campaigns reported to NHTSA in 2024 concerned the air bags; BMW of North America, LLC filed 347 campaigns in all.
| 24V967000 23 Dec 2024 | Tesla, Inc. |
| 24V960000 20 Dec 2024 | Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC |
| 24V939000 18 Dec 2024 | Polestar Automotive USA, Inc. |
| 24V938000 18 Dec 2024 | Volvo Car USA, LLC |
| 24V933000 17 Dec 2024 | VinFast Auto, LLC |
| 24V910000 5 Dec 2024 | BMW of North America, LLC |
| 24V897000 27 Nov 2024 | Chrysler (FCA US, LLC) |
| 24V891000 25 Nov 2024 | Pagani S.p.A |
NHTSA recalls (public domain) · all recalls of 2024