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Old 02-23-2019, 08:10 PM
oldskewel oldskewel is offline
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I'm still not completely sure, but it looks like things are changing.

I have a 2001 3.0i with a non-sport steering wheel, still with its original airbag, as far as I know.

2 weeks ago (reported in post #11), I went to the NHTSA link and was told I had one recall associated with my VIN ... the airbag one. Seems like I needed to take it in. But upon reading the text on that NHTSA page, it said (exact copy and paste in post #11) that (my paraphrasing follows) I might have a bad airbag if 1. I had a sport steering wheel, AND 2. its airbag was installed by a dealer at a service visit.

Since neither of those is true, my conclusion is that NHTSA and BMW worry more about covering their asses and don't care at all about wasting my time. I figured I'd follow this thread to see if reports are confirming that. And so far it looks like they are.

Just now, I checked the page again, and it has updated. Here's the new copy and pasted text from the section that is different:
"Summary
DRIVER'S FRONT AIR BAG: This vehicle may have received a Takata inflator (PDSI-4) if the steering wheel was previously replaced. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's air bag, excessive internal pressure could cause the air bag to explode."

The biggest difference is the "This vehicle may have received" bit. Much less definitive than the first version conveys. Seems like they're making it even clearer that my interpretation is probably accurate, but still covering themselves by telling everyone to head on in.

I can understand why - some people may not know if a PO had the airbag replaced, so telling everyone to come in is safer. And many people don't know what the sport steering wheel is, so maybe that's why they dropped that.
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2001 X5 3.0i, 203k miles, AT, owned since 2014
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