NHTSA campaign 03V421000
BAYERISCHE MOTOREN WERKE Recall 03V-421: BMW/AIR BAG CONTROL MODULE
NHTSA recall 03V421000 was reported by BAYERISCHE MOTOREN WERKE on October 24, 2003, with 23,000 vehicles potentially affected (per NHTSA). NHTSA's record lists the BMW 525I, BMW 525IA, BMW 525IT and more for the 2001 model year. Owners were notified on November 10, 2003, per NHTSA.
Updated daily from NHTSA's recall files
Is my vehicle included?
This page lists, by model year, the vehicles NHTSA's recall record names for campaign 03V421000 in the model years try.vin imports (1995 and later); NHTSA's own record can list more. A model year on the list doesn't mean every vehicle of that year is included, and some may already have been repaired.
To see whether a specific vehicle is included and still needs the repair, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
BMW VIN check: decode a VIN to see its year, make and model.
Key facts
- NHTSA campaign
- 03V421000 (also written 03V-421 or 03V421)
- Filed by
- BAYERISCHE MOTOREN WERKE
- Report received
- Potentially affected
- 23,000 vehicles (per NHTSA)
- Component
- Air Bags — Frontal — Sensor/Control Module-Inactive
- Owners notified
Vehicles listed for this recall
NHTSA's recall record lists these vehicles for recall 03V421000. try.vin imports model years 1995 and later, so NHTSA's own list can be longer. Model years with a try.vin recall page link to it. Build dates are NHTSA's range for a model year (per NHTSA); a vehicle built in that range is not necessarily included.
BMW
BMW 525I
- 2001 · Vehicles built January 1, 2001 – August 31, 2001 (per NHTSA)
BMW 525IA
- 2001 · Vehicles built January 1, 2001 – August 31, 2001 (per NHTSA)
BMW 525IT
- 2001 · Vehicles built January 1, 2001 – August 31, 2001 (per NHTSA)
BMW 525ITA
- 2001 · Vehicles built January 1, 2001 – August 31, 2001 (per NHTSA)
BMW 530I
- 2001 · Vehicles built January 1, 2001 – August 31, 2001 (per NHTSA)
BMW 530IA
- 2001 · Vehicles built January 1, 2001 – August 31, 2001 (per NHTSA)
BMW 540I
- 2001 · Vehicles built January 1, 2001 – August 31, 2001 (per NHTSA)
BMW 540IA
- 2001 · Vehicles built January 1, 2001 – August 31, 2001 (per NHTSA)
BMW 540IAT
- 2001 · Vehicles built January 1, 2001 – August 31, 2001 (per NHTSA)
BMW M5
- 2001 · Vehicles built January 1, 2001 – August 31, 2001 (per NHTSA)
NHTSA's recall notice
As NHTSA's recall record states it for campaign 03V421000.
Defect description
ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, A MICROPROCESSOR IN THE AIR BAG CONTROL MODULE, WHICH ACTIVATES THE FRONT AIR BAGS, THE SIDE AIR BAGS, THE FRONT SEAT SAFETY BELT PRETENSIONERS, AND THE BATTERY SAFETY TERMINAL, MAY HAVE A MALFUNCTION THAT COULD LEAD TO AN UNINTENDED ACTIVATION OF ONE OR MORE OF THESE COMPONENTS.
Safety consequence
UNEXPECTED DEPLOYMENT OF THE AIR BAG(S) COULD CAUSE SERIOUS INJURY IF AN OCCUPANT IS TOO CLOSE TO THE DEPLOYING AIR BAG(S). IN ADDITION, THE BATTERY SAFETY TERMINAL MAY ALSO BE ACTIVATED. IF THAT HAPPENS, THE STARTER CABLE WOULD BECOME DISCONNECTED FROM THE BATTERY, AND THE ENGINE COULD NOT BE RESTARTED.
Manufacturer remedy
DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE AIR BAG CONTROL MODULE. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN NOVEMBER10, 2003. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT BMW AT 1-800-831-1117.
Notes
CUSTOMERS CAN ALSO CONTACT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION'S AUTO SAFETY HOTLINE AT 1-888-DASH-2-DOT (1-888-327-4236).
Sources
Official NHTSA notice for recall 03V421000
Campaign details come from NHTSA's recall files, which try.vin imports once a day. The plain-language subject and the completion rate come from the U.S. Department of Transportation's Recalls Data dataset. How try.vin reads recall data.