BMW recalls 140k cars over Takata airbags issue

BMW has been swept up into the Takata airbag debacle, announcing that it will recall about 140,000 BMW 3 Series cars in the US. This follows a smaller recall it previously had in certain regions with high humidity levels, something originally believed to be the cause of Takata airbags rupturing with too much force, causing potential injuries and death to drivers. The vehicles being recalled were made from January 2004 through August 2006. This follows recent demands by the NHTSA for a nationwide recall among several auto makers.

Previously, BMW had recalled approximately 11,700 vehicles located in Puerto Rico, Hawaii, and Florida. The reason revolved around the belief that sustained high humidity levels contributed to the faulty airbags' deploying with too much force when an accident took place, sending metal pieces into the cabin.

Last month, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration called for auto makers to recall all vehicles with this risk, rather than just ones located in areas with consistently high humidity. The decision is said to have been spurred by an incident that happened related to the airbags in an area that doesn't typically have high humidity levels.

A few auto makers have proceeded with nationwide recalls following the demand, including Ford, Honda, Mazda, and Chrysler. Unfortunately, several incidents involving injuries and death related to the faulty airbags have been reported. The New York Times reports none of the cases involved a BMW model.

SOURCE: New York Times