2003 BMW 325i Airbag Problems

Which parts fail

• Side/window
  2

Components named in complaints (front, side and curtain air bags, sensors and inflators).

Mileage when the problem started

• Under 25k
  00%
• 25k–50k
  212%
• 50k–75k
  318%
• 75k–100k
  529%
• 100k–150k
  635%
• 150k+
  16%

Owner reports

Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2003 BMW 325i owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).

I have received two separate recalls for airbag replacements on my car. The first was the passenger airbag and that recall was received in 2014. It took several months before I was able to have my front passenger airbag replaced. In July this year I have received a recall saying that I now need to replace the driver side airbag which describes the same risk: "...resulting in metal fragments striking the front driver or other passengers potentially resulting in serious injury or death." if BMW has created a car that could potentially result in my injury or death, should it not be reasonable for the problem to be fixed immediately? Should it not be reasonable that I am given a loaner BMW at their expense (including insurance) while they fix this potentially life threatening problem with my car? Why two separate recalls? Why did they not fix both airbags at the same time? …

Takata recall.... I am driving in an unsafe vehicle due to drivers airbag recall and no parts are available to fix the problem. This is not a good feeling. I worry each time I get in my car and drive. The local dealership said no parts and no loaner vehicles. So I drive and worry. Someone pulled out in front of me on 4-22-16 and I barely missed their car and thought how awful this could have turned out, if I had hit them, t-boning them, my airbag would have opened and injured me and/or killed me. I get home and called the dealership because I never heard from them since last July's first recall when they told me I would get a notification when parts where available. Still no parts, I don't want to drive my car. I am a victim of "worry".the dealership service rep. Was not very concerned nor helpful. She must be not driving a car with a "driver's side airbag that is defective" and unsafe.

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 BMW 325i. While attempting to accelerate, the vehicle struck the curb and caused the passenger side air bags to deploy. There were no warning indicators illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer (momentum BMW, 10002 southwest freeway, houston, tx, [phone]). The air bag was previously repaired per an unknown recall; therefore, the dealer would not repair it again for free. The air bag was not replaced. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The contact also received a Takata settlement notice and was referred to [phone]. The failure mileage was approximately 78,000.

My 2003 BMW 325i sedan was t-boned on drivers side doors, and sent across the intersection and smashed into utility pole on rear passenger side with enough force to bend the frame. No side or curtain air bags deployed. Other driver ran a red light at about 40 MPH and never hit the brakes. My head slammed to the top of the driver's door where an air bag should have been, causing swelling and numbness to this day. The door slammed into my entire left side where the air bag in the door should have been. I was wearing a seat belt. The car is totaled. BMW is sending an engineer to examine the car in a few days.

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 BMW 325i. The contact received a recall notification for the air bags; however, the part for the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact stated that the air bag warning light was illuminated. The NHTSA campaign number was unknown. The approximate failure mileage was 107,000. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. Parts distribution disconnect.

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 BMW 325i. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 45 MPH, the contact fall asleep behind the wheel and crashed into a ditch. The air bags failed to deploy. The contact sustained unknown injuries that required medical /attention. The vehicle was destroyed. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The failure mileage was 100,000. Updated 4/29/15 updated 9/8/2017

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 BMW 325i. The contact stated that the recall notice for NHTSA campaign number: 14V428000 (air bags) was received in 2014. After contacting the dealer and the manufacturer on multiple occasions, the contact was informed that the parts needed to repair the vehicle were still not available and no estimated time for receiving the parts could be given. The contact had not experienced a failure.

My wife was in a serious accident on 07/07/06. Her 2003 325i BMW was hit on the drivers side by a SUV that jumped over the median, totaling the car. We contacted BMW of north America and reported that none of the air-bags deployed. We are very concerned. We also to this date have not received any information from BMW.

Vehicle was struck on driver side by pickup truck darting out from intersecting side street. Truck was going aprox. 10-15 MPH. BMW aprox. 20-25mph. This was a side t-bone collision, no side airbags deployed. BMW driver sustained minor injuries to head,face,chest,neck,shoulder. Substantial damage to BMW left side.

BMW recall no 15v-318 drivers airbag and 13v-172/14v-428. I keep getting alarming recall messages, but no parts are available at my BMW dealership. What can I do? The last message said this could cause "serious injury or death".

Related recalls

Airbag complaints in other 325i years