Airbag complaints by model year
| Year | Complaints | Share of year's complaints | Typical mileage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 3 | 14% | 3,000 miles |
| 2012 | 1 | 14% | 55,000 miles |
| 2010 | 10 | 33% | 85,000 miles |
| 2009 | 15 | 28% | 75,000 miles |
| 2008 | 10 | 15% | 68,000 miles |
| 2007 | 35 | 30% | 72,000 miles |
| 2006 | 101 | 50% | 69,000 miles |
| 2005 | 16 | 64% | 70,000 miles |
| 2004 | 15 | 19% | 112,000 miles |
| 2003 | 21 | 29% | 82,000 miles |
| 2002 | 6 | 23% | 97,000 miles |
| 2001 | 8 | 22% | 119,000 miles |
| 2000 | 11 | 13% | 105,000 miles |
| 1999 | 3 | 50% | 28,000 miles |
| 1997 | 1 | 20% | — |
Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (front, side and curtain air bags, sensors and inflators).
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
I was rearended, on the freeway, on the passenger side, by an SUV going about 40mph, I slammed in to another SUV in front of me. My vehicle is totaled. The display indicated that there was an airbag deploy error. Also, the reason my car was totaled was because all of the electrical wires for the computer system are behind the rear tail light, and they were melted after impact. This is concerning because this is also where the fuel tank is. Luckily, I walked away with a sore neck and few bruises, but it is concerning that the airbags did not deploy, when they were clearly suppose to. I had the car for less than 2 months prior to the accident, and bought it brand new.
Takata recall: I received a letter from BMW on March 2016 notifying me of the driver's front air bag module recall, campaign no. 16v-071. BMW did not have any parts available at the time of notification and indicated they would notify me as soon as they are able to perform the recall on my vehicle. I am concerned for my safety and I think waiting for the airbag to be fixed since March is a reasonable amount of time, considering the seriousness of this matter. If there is anything I can do to speed up this process, please let me know.
Driving from work on a snowing day, going about 25 to 35. The rear of the car started going to the other side of lane. I traded to get control but it was to late. I hit a guard rail and the air bags never came out.
Takata recall BMW promised to replace defective air bag in 2016 late summer. But now it is January, 2017. They still haven't provided parts to get it fixed in a timely manner. I contact BMW customer service. They are just giving bs. There are 17 similar customers like me waiting for parts. BMW should not allow to sell any new cars in nc until we get the parts. Because all new car comes with new air bag. If they can sell new car, they should have air bag. So why not put the safety of existing customer in the highest priority?
Hello, my 2009 BMW e92 328i is experiencing an issue where the front passenger seat sensor is not functioning properly, which will cause the airbag and seatbelt to not function as intended. There have been recalls on other models for the same issue, but with the same design and parts, I do not understand how my car is not covered. (https://brandilaw.com/2013/12/26/BMW-recalls-76565-vehicles-due-to-a-front-passenger-seat-electronic-sensing-mat-failure/) this is a very dangerous problem. I have read on several online forums that it is a recurring problem in the cars after the effective recall date. I am trying my best to do due diligence and inform the ntsb to review this incident within other BMW models and to hopefully remedy any affected cars. The design of the sensor is very poorly constructed and very expensive to fix, leaving many owners to simply forego making the necessary fixes. …
I turned on my vehicle one day and a message saying "passenger restraint system malfunction. Continue to wear seatbelt. Bring to local BMW dealership." the day before nothing happen as I was driving home from dallas to houston. Occasionally as I drive with someone sitting in the passenger seat, the warning goes away but then the chime goes off and the message reappears. This happen all in June, July, and August. Now even when no one is sitting on the passenger side, the warning comes on and stays on. The seatbelt as well seems to have no restraint and is a safety concern because if I was ever in an accident, the seatbelt won't hold the passenger back.
Takata recall I received a recall notice in March for my 2008 BMW 3 Series convertible, [redacted] stating that the driver's front air bag module needs to be replaced and that I would be notified when parts become available. I have recently purchased another car (not a BMW) but the trade in on the BMW is blocked by the pending recall repair. My local dealer, weatherford in berkeley, ca informs me that they still do not have the parts and have no information on when they May become available. There is obviously a safety issue for me and for an eventual buyer of the car.
Tl* the contact owns a 2008 BMW 318i. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the air bag warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 55,000.
Related recalls (2)
Air bags › Frontal › Driver side › Inflator module
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2000-2001 BMW 3 Series (323Ci, 325Ci, 328Ci and 330Ci), 1999-2001 323i, 328i, 330i, 330xi, and 2000 323i, 328i stationwagon vehicles equipped with Non-Azide Driver air bag Inflators (NADI) manufactured by Takata.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the driver-side air bag inflator with a newly designed inflator, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on July 12, 2021. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
Air bags › Frontal
BMW is recalling 200,000 my 2006 3 series sport seat, my 2004-2006 5 series standard and sport seat, and my 2004-2006 x3 passenger vehicles. Depending on the manner and frequency of the front passenger's entry and exit, small cracks have developed in the mat.
Remedy: Dealers will rework the front passenger seat sensor mat so that external force application to the seat does not cause a crack to the mat. The recall began on November 6, 2008.
NHTSA investigations
Inadvertent side air bag deployments
Alleged that the driver's or front passenger's side air bags May deploy without a vehicle crash
Inadvertent side-impact air bag deployme
The subject vehicle's air bag electronic control module contains programmable logic for deploying the side-impact air bags.BMW revised the module several times over the span of the model years 1999 through 2002 (identified as mrs2.ca, mrs2.bb, mrs3, mrs3+ and mrs4).although model year 1999.5 vehicles with version mrs2.bb had 6.5% of the subject population, it accounted for 29% of the total reports received.the…
Inadvertent side-impact air bag
Air Bag Inflator Rupture
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened PE14-016 in June 2014 based on six inflator rupture incidents involving consumer owned vehicles produced by five vehicle manufacturers.All six vehicles were operated in Florida or Puerto Rico at the time of the rupture and for the majority of their service life, and were equipped with inflators produced by Takata, a tier-one supplier of automotive air bag…
Air Bag Inflator Rupture
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened PE14-016 in June 2014 based on six inflator rupture incidents involving consumer owned vehicles produced by five vehicle manufacturers.All six vehicles were operated in Florida or Puerto Rico at the time of the rupture and for the majority of their service life, and were equipped with inflators produced by Takata, a tier-one supplier of automotive air bag…
BMW airbag light illumination
BMW is conducting a safety recall campaign on approximately 200,000 my04 through my06 subject vehicles built through 11/30/05 to correct the front passenger seat air bag occupant detection mat. The specific vehicles included in the recall aremy04- 06/ 5-series with standard and sport seats, my04-06/ x3-series and my06/ 3-series with sport seats.
Frequently asked questions
Which BMW 3 Series years have airbag problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 2006 (101), 2007 (35), 2003 (21), 2005 (16) and 2004 (15) model years. Airbag complaints make up 50% of all complaints for the 2006.
Is there a recall for BMW 3 Series airbag problems?
Yes — 2 recalls, including 21V-401 (inflator module, May 27, 2021); 08V-384 (frontal, Aug 5, 2008). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers; check a specific car with the VIN recall check.
At what mileage do BMW 3 Series airbag problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 74,000 miles; 20% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the frontal (31 mentions), followed by the sensor › occupant classification (4).
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.