Recall 15V318 covers 419,235 2002-2006 BMW vehicles for driver air bag inflator rupture. Do not drive. Free repair once BMW opens it.
If the driver frontal air bag deploys in a crash, the inflator can rupture and send metal fragments into the driver or passengers, causing serious injury or death. Do not drive this vehicle, even for short trips. If it must move, ask the dealer about towing. Repair will be free at any franchised BMW dealer once BMW opens it.
BMW is recalling 419,235 2002-2006 325I, 330CI, M3, X5, and other models because the driver's frontal air bag inflator is vulnerable to moisture intrusion. In a crash that deploys the air bag, the inflator can rupture and send metal fragments toward occupants. Do not drive the vehicle; BMW's dealer repair will be free once BMW opens the final remedy.
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What's wrong?
The driver frontal air bag inflator in these 2002-2006 BMW vehicles is the metal gas generator inside the steering-wheel air bag module. In a crash, it fills the driver air bag fast enough to cushion the driver before contact with the wheel or dash.
On affected vehicles, the Takata PSDI-4 inflator is vulnerable to moisture getting inside over several years, especially with long exposure to high humidity. That moisture changes how the propellant behaves during deployment. Instead of producing controlled pressure, the inflator can rupture and send metal fragments into the cabin.
There is no warning sign before failure. The air bag warning light is not listed as an advance signal for this defect, so the inflator can appear normal until a crash triggers deployment.
Who's affected?
Spans several BMW passenger-car nameplates and the X5 across 2002-2006, all tied to the same front air bag component.
| 2004 BMW 325XI | front air bag |
|---|---|
| 2005 BMW 325XI | front air bag |
| 2002 BMW 325I | front air bag |
| 2003 BMW 325I | front air bag |
| 2005 BMW 325I | front air bag |
| 2002 BMW 325CI | front air bag |
| 2003 BMW 325CI | front air bag |
| 2004 BMW 325I | front air bag |
| 2002 BMW 325XI | front air bag |
| 2006 BMW 330CI | front air bag |
| 2005 BMW 330CI | front air bag |
| 2004 BMW 330XI | front air bag |
| 2003 BMW 525I | front air bag |
| 2004 BMW 325CI | front air bag |
| 2005 BMW 325CI | front air bag |
| 2006 BMW 325CI | front air bag |
| 2004 BMW 330I | front air bag |
| 2004 BMW M3 | front air bag |
| 2003 BMW X5 | front air bag |
| 2002 BMW M3 | front air bag |
| 2006 BMW M3 | front air bag |
| 2003 BMW 530I | front air bag |
| 2002 BMW 530I | front air bag |
| 2003 BMW M3 | front air bag |
| 2003 BMW 330XI | front air bag |
| 2005 BMW 330XI | front air bag |
| 2002 BMW 330I | front air bag |
| 2003 BMW 330I | front air bag |
| 2002 BMW 330XI | front air bag |
| 2002 BMW M5 | front air bag |
| 2003 BMW M5 | front air bag |
| 2005 BMW M3 | front air bag |
| 2005 BMW 330I | front air bag |
| 2002 BMW 330CI | front air bag |
| 2003 BMW 330CI | front air bag |
| 2004 BMW 330CI | front air bag |
| 2003 BMW 325XI | front air bag |
| 2002 BMW 540I | front air bag |
| 2003 BMW 540I | front air bag |
| 2002 BMW 525I | front air bag |
| Units affected | 419,235 |
| Field incidents | NHTSA has logged no field incidents to date. |
A matching year and model does not guarantee inclusion. Check your VIN to confirm whether this recall applies to your specific vehicle.
What's the safety risk?
If the driver frontal air bag deploys in a crash, the inflator can rupture and send metal fragments into the driver or passengers, causing serious injury or death. Do not drive this vehicle, even for short trips. If it must move, ask the dealer about towing. Repair will be free at any franchised BMW dealer once BMW opens it.
What should I do?
- Check your VIN to confirm your 2002-2006 BMW 325XI, 325I, 325CI, 330CI, 330XI, 525I, 330I, M3, X5, 530I, M5, or 540I is included in this recall.
- Do not drive the vehicle until BMW confirms the driver air bag module remedy for your VIN is complete.
- Arrange a tow if the vehicle has to be moved to a dealer; do not drive it there yourself.
- Contact a franchised BMW dealer for current remedy instructions and reference recall number 15V318 when you call.
- Ask BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417 about the free driver air bag module replacement that addresses the rupture risk.
What happens at the repair
Do not drive the vehicle until BMW completes the remedy. Under this interim status, BMW's instruction is to keep the vehicle parked until the dealer repair is available. Once BMW opens the final repair, a BMW technician will replace the front driver air bag module, including vehicles that already received a driver air bag replacement under an earlier recall. The final dealer repair will be free once available, with parts and labor covered by the recall.
Timeline
| May 28, 2015 | NHTSA published the recall |
|---|---|
| May 28, 2015 | Dealer notification began |
| July 13, 2015 | Interim owner notification (was planned for this date) |
| August 19, 2016 | Owner notification mailed |
Frequently asked questions
What is recall 15V318?
Recall 15V318 covers 419,235 2002-2006 BMW vehicles with a driver frontal air bag inflator that can rupture during deployment. Metal fragments can strike the driver or passengers. BMW says owners should not drive affected vehicles until the front driver air bag module is replaced for free.
What should I do if my 2002-2006 BMW 325XI, 325I, 325CI, 330CI, 330XI, 525I, 330I, M3, X5, 530I, M5, or 540I is on this recall?
Check your VIN to confirm your exact vehicle is included in recall 15V318. If it is included, do not drive it. Call a franchised BMW dealer or BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417 and ask how to get the driver air bag module replaced without driving the vehicle.
Is the recall repair free?
Yes. BMW dealers will replace the front driver air bag module free of charge under recall 15V318. Federal recall law requires the manufacturer to repair the safety defect at no cost, even if you bought the vehicle used or did not receive the original owner notice.
What does "do not drive" mean for this BMW recall?
Do not drive the vehicle until the recall repair is complete. BMW's remedy instructions tell owners not to drive affected vehicles because the driver frontal air bag inflator can rupture in a crash that triggers air bag deployment. Ask the dealer about moving the vehicle without driving it.
What if my BMW already had a driver air bag replaced under an earlier recall?
Your VIN still needs to be checked for recall 15V318. BMW states that vehicles previously repaired under an earlier driver-side frontal air bag recall need the air bag replaced again under this recall if they are included.
More information
| NHTSA campaign page | nhtsa.gov/vehicle-recalls/15V318000 |
|---|---|
| BMW customer service | 1-800-525-7417 |
| NHTSA recall # | 15V318 |
| NHTSA recall # (full) | 15V318000 |
Source documents
-
Download Owner Notice (PDF) - Download Recall Investigation Document (PDF) (PDF)
- Download Misc. Document (PDF)
- Download Recall Document (PDF) (PDF)
- Download Owner Notification Letter (PDF)
- Download Recall Report (PDF)
- Download Quarterly Report (PDF)
- Download Recall Acknowledgement (PDF)
This article is generated from NHTSA's primary recall filings and reviewed against the source on June 1, 2026. RecallNotify does not paraphrase NHTSA's consequence language; that text is reproduced as written above. Editorial standards →