BMW and Stellantis are recalling several hundred thousand vehicles in the United States due to airbag-related problems, the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) announced on Wednesday.
BMW is recalling 394,029 vehicles in the U.S. because the airbag inflator in certain steering wheel models can explode and shoot “sharp metal fragments toward the driver or passengers,” the NHTSA said. This could cause serious or even fatal injuries. Ten models of the BMW 3 Series, produced between 2006 and 2012, are affected. The necessary repairs will be performed free of charge.
According to BMW, the problem involves airbags that were previously recalled, but where the replaced steering wheel may have a defective airbag.
It concerns airbags from the Japanese company Takata. Millions of cars of many brands (Mazda, Ford, Honda, BMW) have been recalled since 2014 for the replacement of airbags from the supplier, who has since gone bankrupt. More than thirty deaths and hundreds of injuries have been attributed to Takata airbags since 2009.
Stellantis: Airbag not activated
In the case of Stellantis, “a seat belt sensor may be incorrectly connected, preventing the front seat airbag from deploying as intended” during an accident, the agency said. Dealers will perform the necessary repairs free of charge.
The recall, which affects exactly 332,000 vehicles, concerns the Alfa Romeo Giulia (2017-2024 models) and Stelvio (2018-2025), Fiat 500E (2024) and 500X (2019-2023), and Jeep Renegade (2019-2023).
The latter model represents the largest number of vehicles likely to be affected (209,002).
Warning light or tone
Stellantis, which was formed in January 2021 from the merger of France’s Peugeot-Citroën (PSA) and Italy-American Fiat Chrysler (FCA), said the problem was due to a wiring connector that may be defective.
“Drivers may notice that their airbag warning light remains on after the car is started or that the seat belt warning tone remains activated even when the seat belt is fastened,” the group said in a press release.
The group also said nearly 8,400 vehicles in Canada and more than 760 in Mexico would also be recalled.