The problem
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. These vehicles are built with a side air bag system consisting of door-mounted thorax air bags (rear door air bags are optional), a head protection system (hps) for front occupants, a central electronic sensor and diagnostic system, left and right satellite impact sensors, and associated wiring. This system is unduly sensitive to certain non-crash impacts, such as contacting large potholes or curbs at substantial speed.
The risk
This could cause the side air bag and hps to deploy without an actual side crash. In addition, the battery safety terminal (bst) would also activate, disconnecting the starter cable from the battery. In this case, vehicle electrical system would continue to operate and the engine would continue to run, but after stopping, could not be restarted.
The fix
Dealers will reprogram the central computer control module that regulates the performance of all of the vehicle's occupant protection systems.
Recall details
| NHTSA campaign | 99V-063 (99V063000) |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | BMW of North America, LLC |
| Component | Air bags › Side/window |
| Report date | March 26, 1999 |
| Owners notified | April 30, 1999 |
| Vehicles affected | 34,701 |
| Initiated by | NHTSA investigation |
Vehicles covered
Owner complaints about the air bags
Frequently asked questions
Is the recall 99V-063 repair free?
Yes. BMW dealers will fix the problem at no cost: Dealers will reprogram the central computer control module that regulates the performance of all of the vehicle's occupant protection systems.
How do I know if my car is included?
Not every vehicle of the listed model years is affected — the recall covers 34,701 vehicles built in a certain window. Check your 17-character VIN with our VIN recall check or at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
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.