Recall 17V047 affects 230,117 2000-2003 BMW 3 Series, 5 Series, M3, M5, and X5 vehicles with replacement driver air bag inflators. Do not drive. Free repair at any franchised BMW dealer.
In a crash that deploys the driver's frontal air bag, the inflator can rupture. Metal fragments can strike the driver or passengers and cause serious injury or death. Do not drive the vehicle, even for short trips. If it must move, ask the dealer about towing. Repair will be free at any franchised BMW dealer once available.
BMW is recalling 230,117 2000-2003 323, 320, 325, 330, 525, 530, M3, M5, 540, and X5 vehicles with replacement driver-side air bag modules that contain inflators at risk of rupture. Do not drive until a BMW dealer completes the repair, which will be free once available.
Does this recall apply to your specific vehicle?
The official, free per-VIN recall check is run by NHTSA. Enter your VIN and we'll forward you directly — and add you to a free watchlist so you hear about new recalls for your vehicle.
Check my VIN at NHTSARecallNotify doesn't check your VIN — NHTSA's official tool does. We use your email only to alert you to new recalls.
Watch this vehicle for recalls
Add it to your free watchlist and we will alert you as new federal recalls are posted for your year, make and model. New-recall alerts are rolling out now.
You are on the watchlist.
We will email you as new federal recalls are posted for your vehicle.
What's wrong?
The driver-side front air bag module in affected 2000-2003 BMW 323, 320, 325, 330, 525, 530, M3, M5, 540, and X5 vehicles is the unit inside the steering wheel that inflates during a frontal crash. Its job is to cushion the driver as the restraint system deploys. The inflator is the metal canister inside that module, and it supplies the gas that fills the air bag.
BMW says these vehicles were originally built with a Petri air bag module, but a Takata replacement module with a PSDI-4 inflator was installed on some vehicles after a crash repair or earlier recall work. Over long exposure to humidity, heat, and temperature cycling, the inflator propellant degrades. When the air bag deploys, that degraded inflator can rupture instead of controlling the deployment normally.
There is no warning sign before failure. The steering-wheel air bag can look normal until the moment it is needed in a crash.
Who's affected?
Spans the 3 Series, 5 Series, M models, and X5 across the 2000-2003 model years, with the driver-side front air bag inflator module listed for each one.
| 2000 BMW 323 | front air bag |
|---|---|
| 2002 BMW 323 | front air bag |
| 2000 BMW 320 | front air bag |
| 2002 BMW 320 | front air bag |
| 2002 BMW 325 | front air bag |
| 2002 BMW 330 | front air bag |
| 2001 BMW 330 | front air bag |
| 2001 BMW 525 | front air bag |
| 2002 BMW 530 | front air bag |
| 2001 BMW 530 | front air bag |
| 2001 BMW M3 | front air bag |
| 2002 BMW M5 | front air bag |
| 2001 BMW M5 | front air bag |
| 2002 BMW 525 | front air bag |
| 2001 BMW 323 | front air bag |
| 2001 BMW 320 | front air bag |
| 2000 BMW 325 | front air bag |
| 2000 BMW 330 | front air bag |
| 2001 BMW 325 | front air bag |
| 2001 BMW 540 | front air bag |
| 2002 BMW M3 | front air bag |
| 2000 BMW M3 | front air bag |
| 2003 BMW X5 | front air bag |
| 2002 BMW X5 | front air bag |
| 2001 BMW X5 | front air bag |
| 2002 BMW 540 | front air bag |
| Units affected | 230,117 |
| Field incidents | NHTSA has logged no field incidents to date. |
The year and model narrow the scope, but the VIN decides. Check your VIN to confirm whether your specific vehicle is included.
What's the safety risk?
In a crash that deploys the driver's frontal air bag, the inflator can rupture. Metal fragments can strike the driver or passengers and cause serious injury or death. Do not drive the vehicle, even for short trips. If it must move, ask the dealer about towing. Repair will be free at any franchised BMW dealer once available.
What should I do?
- Check your VIN to confirm your 2000-2003 BMW 323, 320, 325, 330, 525, 530, M3, M5, 540, or X5 is included in this recall.
- Do not drive the vehicle until a franchised BMW dealer inspects the driver-side air bag module and completes the free repair.
- Arrange a tow if the vehicle has to be moved to the dealer; do not drive it there yourself.
- Contact your nearest franchised BMW dealer to schedule the free driver-side air bag module inspection and replacement if needed.
- Bring the recall notice if BMW mailed one. If not, reference recall number 17V047 when you call.
What happens at the repair
Do not drive the vehicle until this recall repair is complete. Once the repair is open, a BMW technician inspects the driver side air bag module and replaces the module if it contains the recalled inflator, free of charge. Parts and labor are covered under the recall. BMW has a general reimbursement plan on file for owners who already paid for a related repair before the recall notice. Keep repair invoices and payment records, and contact BMW customer service or the dealer service desk to ask how to submit documented expenses under that plan.
| Reimbursement | Reimbursement available |
|---|
Timeline
| January 20, 2017 | NHTSA published the recall |
|---|---|
| January 23, 2017 | Dealer notification began |
| March 15, 2017 | Owner notification mailed |
| March 15, 2017 | Interim owner notification (was planned for this date) |
Frequently asked questions
What is recall 17V047?
Recall 17V047 covers 230,117 2000-2003 BMW vehicles because a replacement driver-side air bag module used after crash repairs or prior recalls can rupture during deployment. Metal fragments can strike occupants and cause serious injury or death. BMW dealers inspect the module and replace it for free as needed.
What should I do if my 2000-2003 BMW 323, 320, 325, 330, 525, 530, M3, M5, 540, or X5 is on this recall?
Check your VIN to confirm your specific vehicle is included in recall 17V047. If it is, do not drive the vehicle until the dealer completes the remedy. Call a franchised BMW dealer, reference recall 17V047, and ask about towing if the vehicle has to move.
Is the recall repair free?
Yes. Federal recall law requires manufacturers to repair safety defects at no cost, and BMW dealers will inspect the driver-side air bag module and replace it as needed free of charge. Parts and labor are covered at any franchised BMW dealer.
What does Do not drive mean for this BMW recall?
Do not drive the vehicle until the recall repair is complete. BMW's recall remedy tells owners to stop driving affected vehicles because the driver-side air bag inflator can rupture during a crash. Ask the BMW dealer about towing instead of driving the vehicle to the service department.
What if I bought this BMW used?
The free recall repair still applies. Recall coverage follows the VIN, not the owner, so a used 2000-2003 BMW in this recall remains eligible for the dealer inspection and needed replacement. Check your VIN, then reference recall 17V047 when you call BMW service.
More information
| NHTSA campaign page | nhtsa.gov/vehicle-recalls/17V047000 |
|---|---|
| BMW customer service | 1-800-525-7417 |
| NHTSA recall # | 17V047 |
| NHTSA recall # (full) | 17V047000 |
Source documents
-
Download Owner Notice (PDF) - Download Recall Investigation Document (PDF) (PDF)
- Download Owner Notification Letter (PDF)
- Download Recall Report (PDF)
- Download Quarterly Report (PDF)
This article is generated from NHTSA's primary recall filings and reviewed against the source on May 25, 2026. RecallNotify does not paraphrase NHTSA's consequence language; that text is reproduced as written above. Editorial standards →