The defect
THE AIR BAG CONTACT RING LOCKING TAB LOCATED IN THE STEERING WHEEL ASSEMBLY CAN BREAK WITHOUT WARNING.
The risk
IF THIS HAPPENS, THE CONTACT RING WIRING COULD EVENTUALLY BREAK. THE AIR BAG READINESS INDICATOR LAMP (SRS OR AIRBAG) IN THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER WILL ILLUMINATE, AND THE AIR BAG WOULD NOT DEPLOY IN THE EVENT OF A FRONTAL IMPACT VEHICLE COLLISION.
The remedy
DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE LOCKING TAB WITH ONE OF A DIFFERENT DESIGN.
NHTSA's own wording · initiated by ODI
Vehicles covered
| Model | Model years |
|---|---|
| BMW 318i | 1992 |
| BMW 318is | 1992 |
| BMW 325i | 1992 |
| BMW 325is | 1992 |
| BMW 525i | 1991, 1992 |
| BMW 525iT | 1992 |
| BMW 535i | 1991, 1992 |
| BMW 735i | 1991, 1992 |
| BMW 735iL | 1991, 1992 |
| BMW 750iL | 1991, 1992 |
| BMW 850i | 1991, 1992 |
| BMW M5 | 1991, 1992 |
Components: AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
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 318i | 1992 | 8 | 3 |
| BMW 318is | 1992 | 3 | 3 |
| BMW 325i | 1992 | 40 | 4 |
| BMW 325is | 1992 | 8 | 4 |
| BMW 525i | 1991 | 13 | 4 |
| BMW 525i | 1992 | 18 | 4 |
| BMW 525iT | 1992 | 0 | 3 |
| BMW 535i | 1991 | 5 | 3 |
| BMW 535i | 1992 | 3 | 3 |
| BMW 735i | 1991 | 2 | 3 |
| BMW 735i | 1992 | 6 | 3 |
| BMW 735iL | 1991 | 1 | 2 |
| BMW 735iL | 1992 | 0 | 2 |
| BMW 750iL | 1991 | 1 | 1 |
| BMW 750iL | 1992 | 4 | 1 |
| BMW 850i | 1991 | 9 | 2 |
| BMW 850i | 1992 | 0 | 2 |
| BMW M5 | 1991 | 0 | 3 |
| BMW M5 | 1992 | 0 | 2 |
Other air bags recalls in 1996
8 of the 297 recall campaigns reported to NHTSA in 1996 concerned the air bags; BAYERISCHE MOTOREN WERKE filed 145 campaigns in all.
| 96V244000 5 Dec 1996 | LOTUS CARS OF AMERICA INC |
| 96V231000 12 Nov 1996 | FORD MOTOR COMPANY |
| 96V211000 28 Oct 1996 | GENERAL MOTORS CORP. |
| 96V217000 4 Oct 1996 | AMERICAN HONDA MOTOR CO. |
| 96V107000 20 Jun 1996 | TOYOTA MOTOR CO., LTD. |
| 96V090000 3 Jun 1996 | FORD MOTOR COMPANY |
| 96V060000 8 Apr 1996 | CHRYSLER CORPORATION |
NHTSA recalls (public domain) · all recalls of 1996