Safety Recall 17V-605 - Front Passenger Air Bag Seat Occupancy Sensor Mat

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NHTSA Campaign Number: 17V605
Manufacturer BMW of North America, LLC
Components AIR BAGS
Potential Number of Units Affected 85,302

Front Passenger Seat Occupant Detection Mat Defect

Should the system fail, in the event of a crash, the front passenger air bag would be deactivated, increasing the risk of personal injury.

Summary

BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2006-2010 BMW X3 2.5i, X3 3.0i and X3 xDrive30i Sports Activity Vehicles. The front passenger seat occupant detection mat that determines if, and how, the passenger frontal air bag should deploy in a crash may fatigue and develop cracks which could lead to a system failure.

Remedy

BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger seat occupant detection mat, free of charge. Interim notices informing owners of the safety risk are expected to be mailed November 20, 2017. Owners will receive a second notice when the remedy becomes available. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.

Notes

Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.

Check if your BMW has a Recall

RECALL 17V-XXX: FRONT PASSENGER AIR BAG SEAT OCCUPANCY SENSOR MAT

SITUATION

BMW AG is conducting a Voluntary Safety Recall (effective September 27, 2017) on Model Year 2006-2010 BMW X3 SAV involving the front passenger air bag seat occupancy sensor mat (OC3).

Over time, due to the frequency of front passenger seat usage, the OC3 seat mat can become damaged. If this were to occur, deactivation of the front passenger airbag could result, increasing the risk of injury in the event of a crash.

Approximately 85,462 vehicles are affected by this recall.

This new recall is an extension of the previous recall 13V-564 that was described in SIB650614.

Vehicles in dealer inventory are affected by this recall/stop. Vehicles which are affected will show the campaign as “Open” when checked either in AIR or ISPA Next. Once the Warranty Vehicle Inquiry system is updated on Thursday, September 28, 2017, it will display the same information. The affected vehicles will be identified with the comment: 0065030300 B651617 Recall: Do not retail or deliver.

This bulletin will be updated with repair instructions, parts and warranty information when it becomes available.

Q&A has been attached for further information.

ATTACHMENTS

View PDF attachment 17V-xxx-SeatMat_QA_27September2017_Final.

View PDF attachment B651617 Recall Notice .

SAFETY RECALL NOTICE

To: All Center Operators, Sales Managers, Service Manager, Parts Manager and Warranty Processor

RE: Recall 17V-XXX: Front Passenger Air Bag Seat Occupancy Sensor Mat B65 16 17

BMW AG is conducting a Voluntary Safety Recall (effective September 27, 2017) on Model Year 2006-2010 BMW X3 SAV involving the front passenger air bag seat occupancy sensor mat (OC3).

Owners will be notified by First Class mail about the Recall and will be instructed to bring their vehicles in for a free repair when parts are available.

Please be reminded that it is a violation of federal law (The Safety Act) for you to sell, lease or deliver any new motor vehicle covered by this notification until the recall repair has been performed. This means that centers may not legally deliver new motor vehicles to consumers until they are fixed or use/sell replacement equipment/parts subject to this recall. Note also that substantial civil penalties apply to violations of the Safety Act.

Also, you should not sell, lease or deliver any Certified Pre-Owned or used vehicles subject to a safety recall until the repair is completed.

Please follow any special instructions that we provide to you for the return or disposition of recall parts.

We appreciate all your assistance with this Recall.

Front Passenger Air Bag Seat Occupancy Sensor Mat
Safety Recall 17V-XXX
Model Year 2006 – 2010 BMW X3 SAV
Last Update: 09/27/2017

Q1. Which BMW Group models in the US are potentially affected by this Safety Recall?

Approximately 85,462 BMW Group vehicles in the US, as noted below, are potentially affected.

Series	Model Year	Model	Seat	Approx. Volume	Production Dates
E83	2006-2010	X3 SAV	Sport	13,874	11/20/2005-08/24/2010
E83	2006-2010	X3 SAV	Standard	71,588	11/20/2005-08/24/2010

Q2. This sounds familiar. Was there a similar recall before?

Yes. In 2008, 2013 and 2017

Q3. How many vehicles in the US were affected by these previous recalls?

Approximately 200,000 vehicles in the US were covered by the 2008 recall.

Approximately 77,000 vehicles in the US were covered by the 2013 recall. Approximately 2,158 vehicles in the US were covered by the 2017 recall.

Q4. Why are other BMW Group vehicles not included in this Safety Recall?

Other models have a different front passenger air bag seat occupancy sensor mat design.

Q5. What is the specific issue?

Over time, due to the frequency of front passenger seat usage, the air bag seat occupancy sensor mat can become damaged. If this were to occur, deactivation of the front passenger air bag could result.

Q6. What can happen as a result of this issue?

If the front passenger air bag seat occupancy sensor mat became damaged, deactivation of the front passenger air bag could result. The air bag warning lamp, as well as the front “passenger air bag off” lamp, will be illuminated at the same time to alert the vehicle occupants of the deactivation.

Q7. Can I determine if this issue exists in my vehicle?

Yes. If the air bag warning lamp and the front “passenger air bag off” lamp are illuminated at the same time, the vehicle may be experiencing this condition.

Q8. Can I continue to drive my vehicle?

Yes. However, please contact your authorized BMW center immediately to schedule an appointment for repair. If this condition occurs, you should not drive your vehicle with a passenger in the front passenger seat. Please ask your passengers to sit in the rear seat and to fasten their safety belt. If you are not the only driver of this vehicle, please advise all other drivers of this important information.

Q9. I had the seat occupancy sensor mat replaced under warranty. Will I receive a recall letter?

No. If your seat occupancy sensor mat was replaced under warranty, your vehicle is not part of the recall population.

Q10. How did BMW become aware of the problem?

BMW became aware of the problem through its quality control procedures.

Q11. Is BMW Group aware of any accidents, injuries, or fires involving these BMW Group vehicles associated with this Safety Recall?

No.

Q12. How will I be informed of this Safety Recall?

You will receive a letter in November via First Class mail advising you of this recall. At that time, you should immediately schedule an appointment with an authorized BMW center to have this recall performed. You can locate your nearest authorized BMW center at www.bmwusa.com/dealers.

To ensure BMW has your most recent contact and vehicle information, please register your vehicle at www.bmwusa.com/myBMW. Registration is free, and will give you access to factory initiated campaigns and other information specific to your BMW.

Q13. How will my vehicle be repaired?

The seat occupancy sensor mat will be repaired. If the sensor mat is unable to be repaired, it will be replaced.

Q14. How long will the repair take?

This repair should take approximately three hours; however, additional time may be required depending upon your BMW center’s schedule. The repair will be performed free of charge by your authorized BMW center.

Q15. Do I have to wait for my letter to have my vehicle serviced?

Yes. We are in the process of implementing this program to ensure that the necessary parts, tools and procedures are available, prior to contacting you to schedule your vehicle to have this recall performed. For the latest updates to this recall, please visit www.bmwusa.com/recall.

Q16. I see the “TREAD Act Customer Reimbursement Plan” attached to my letter. Can you explain what that is about? Am I eligible for reimbursement?

If you have already had this repair performed at your own expense, you may be eligible for reimbursement of certain expenses that you incurred.

https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2017/RCMN-17V605-2124.pdf