BMW urges 90,000 car owners not to drive cars with defective airbags

ABU DHABI: BMW has warned the owners of its 90,000-old vehicles not to drive them due to the defective airbags that might explode in a clash. The warning is especially for the people having BMW cars between 2000 to 2006. The company expressed its concern over this huge safety issue and said that the ageing Takata airbags do not offer the intended safety, and hence the owners were advised to park their vehicles if the issue had not been fixed.

In early 2000, a formal defect investigation was opened into Takata's airbags. During the investigation, Takata agreed that its inflators were defective, and as a penalty, it had to pay $1 billion. 

Three BMW model ranges have this issue: the 2000-2006 BMW 3 Series, including M3, the 2000-2004 X5 (E53), and the 2000-2003 5 Series (E39). The recall also covers a series of models made in certain years, including X1, X5, X3, and X6.

The problem is due to the lack of a chemical drying agent that would prevent the propellant from taking on moisture due to exposure to humidity and heat. As the propellant ages, it can fail to inflate the airbag properly during a collision. 

"If you own one of these vehicles and still have an open Takata airbag recall, do not drive it until this urgent, lifesaving recall has been completed," the administration posted on its website. The owners having a BMW model with a recalled Takata airbag can get it replaced for free.

The "do not drive" alert was also issued by Ford Motor Co., Honda Motor Co.and others about the Takata Corp. airbags.

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