Takata Air Bag Recall Info: 2003-2004 X5s

[Joshdub]

Just called some dealers. One didn't believe me stated that it only effected the E46, and the other said I'll get a letter when parts are available and there is nothing that they can do for me at this time.

[Qsilver7]

Originally Posted by Joshdub

As of right now my VIN has an open safety recall for the driver side airbag. 2003 3.0i with sport steering wheel, Feb 2003 build date.

Recall Campaign No. 15V-318
DRIVER-SIDE FRONT AIR BAG
Status: Open
Remedy not yet available
Last Updated: June 1, 2015
DESCRIPTION OF PROBLEM
During air bag deployment in an accident, the driver-side front air bag module may produce excessive internal pressure that could cause the inflator to rupture.
SAFETY RISK
Inflator rupture could result in metal fragments striking and potentially seriously injuring the driver or other vehicle occupants.
DESCRIPTION OF REPAIR
Your BMW center will replace the driver-side front air bag module.

Here is the BMW Safety Recall VIN checker
Owners Overview - Safety Recall - BMW North America

The reason why you're not receiving/finding good info from BMW...is due to the info given in the recall notice you posted.

Take note of the 4th line where it says REMEDY NOT YET AVAILABLE. The last updates have just been rolliing out of vehicles that are affected...and a lot of the VINs are still being or inthe process of being loaded iinto the database.

This is a MASSIVE recall...and not to detract from the urgency those affected feel driving around with an airbag that can deploy with metal fragments beng shot at you like an IED...the line is long and the remedy for many vehicles is yet to come.

Takata has got to handle current orders as well as manufacture and test new bags for cars that are a decade old...and this is for more than just BMWs. Its just a total mess of a nightmare.

[Joshdub]

I understand. I called because some on E46 fanatics have been getting theirs replaced, and while they may use a different passenger airbag (this I do not know), they do use the same driver side airbag.

Although it does bring into question the other airbags in the car. Which others are manufactured by Takata? It looks like there is a mix of Takata, TRW, Petri (owned by Takata), and Autoliv.

And since this is an ever developing story, Takata is saying that airbags replaced under the recall may very well need to be replaced again (source, WSJ, "Some vehicles that have already been recalled and repaired will need yet another fix, Mr. Kennedy said."), because they have yet found a solution to their problem (the propellant and quality control).

So if Takata figures out a fix and then makes enough airbags to replace all the faulty ones, we will all be sitting happy. Until then, I guess we sit and wait with grenades in our laps and get to watch Takata's share price slide into the ground.

[Qsilver7]

Originally Posted by Joshdub

So if Takata figures out a fix and then makes enough airbags to replace all the faulty ones, we will all be sitting happy. Until then, I guess we sit and wait with grenades in our laps and get to watch Takata's share price slide into the ground.

That's the scary/unsettling aspect of this recall...how many are driving around with "time bombs"...I guess we can only hope that we never find ourselves in an accident that would cause the bags to deploy.

Thanks for posting even more details about the recall.

[Joshdub]

It is the ammonium nitrate that the use as a propellant. The more moisture it absorbs the more violently it combusts. It burns hotter, faster, and releases more gas than what the airbag and canister were designed to handle. The older the airbag, the longer amount of time it has had to collect moisture.

Takata is under fire for using ammonium nitrate considering how susceptible it is to changes in temperature and moisture content. They are insisting that it is safe, but admit they will not longer be relying on ammonium nitrate. Some are claiming that they use it because it is very cheap compared to other propellants, and Takata claims they found a way to "stabilize" it while others haven't had satisfactory results.

They also are under fire for poor quality control from the metal that they use to the handling of the product once it is finished. There are reports of very poorly assembled airbags with loose material inside seemingly fine airbags, and entire crates being knocked over during shipping with none of the contents being inspected.

Takata owns Petri, which makes airbags for the facelift X5, VW, Audi, and Mercedes (probably others as well). I would be surprised if Petri did not also use ammonium nitrate as the propellant.

So short of re-engineering the airbags to use a different propellant, as well is seriously ramp up quality control, I don't see there being any other fixes. I think this recall is far from done collecting cars.

Also, Honda first started recalling their airbags in 2008, Takata only admitted to a defect last month (May 20th 2015).

[J.Belknap]

Picked a bad day to have an E46M steering wheel. :/

[Joshdub]

Originally Posted by J.Belknap

Picked a bad day to have an E46M steering wheel. :/

E30 is back on DD duty. Plus I like driving it better anyway.

[J.Belknap]

???

I meant the E46M wheel that's on the 4.6. That shouldn't be there. That still needs airbag replaced.

[Joshdub]

It's the same wheel as the sport package wheel. So it's a bad day for anyone with that wheel.

But my E30 doesn't have an IED at chest level.

[mam4.6]

Remedy not yet available - on mine...