Inflated Ego: BMW recalls 130,000 units across seven models in Canada for airbag inflator issues

Toronto, Ontario — Some poor airbag choices in the past are coming back to blow up in the face of BMW, as the German automaker has been forced to recall more than 130,000 vehicles from Canadian roads due to a substantial safety setback.

With affected models dating as far back as 2000, BMW collision centres will have more than a few orders for airbags coming across their plates in the coming months.

Transport Canada has issued three separate recall notices, first launched in 2016, 2019 and 2020 respectively, to address airbag inflator concerns across a total of 134,356 vehicles, spanning a multitude of BMW models, with 5 Series (2001 to 2003) and X5 models (2001 to 2004) being specifically identified as containing Takata brand airbag inflators.

Takata airbag inflators have been a part of a global recall for more than ten years and have been linked to numerous deaths and injuries as a result of shrapnel being propelled from the inflator.

Of the approximately 130,000 recalled vehicles, 10,135 are expected to be equipped with Takata airbag inflators.

Regarding the two other notices, neither make specific reference to Takata, though the safety risks they describe do bear a notable resemblance.

Concerning the 20,070 recalled BMW 3 Series vehicles from model years 2000 to 2006, Transport Canada described the issue as relating to the degradation of the inflator’s propellant, as a result of long-term exposure to high temperatures and humidity.

Potentially alluding to a previous Takata exposure however, Transport Canada did note that “this recall is for certain vehicles that had an airbag inflator replaced as a part of an earlier recall campaign.”

In the third and most expansive notice, which made no reference to Takata nor a previous inflator replacement order, 104,151 vehicles from across six model lines were identified as having the potential to “produce excessive internal pressure during airbag deployment.”

“Increased pressure may cause the inflator to rupture, which could allow fragments to be propelled toward vehicle occupants, increasing the risk of injury,” read part of the recall notice.

The full list of recalled BMW models is as follows:

Transport Canada says BMW will alert owners of recall via mail, after which point they can visit a dealership to have their airbag inflators replaced.