The BMW iX isn’t very old and it’s already faced quite a few different recalls. So far, in its short life, the BMW iX has been recalled for potential power loss to its drivetrain and faulty sound generators on the outside of the car. Now, you can add airbags to the list, as the iX is being recalled again, this time for potentially faulty airbags.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the fault is with BMW’s airbag supplier. Fear not, though, these airbags don’t deploy deadly shrapnel like an automotive frag grenade when they fail, like those old faulty Takata airbags. Instead, these ones just might not deploy with enough speed and velocity to be genuinely effective. It also only affects the driver’s airbag. So you might hit steering wheel with your face but at least your won’t get airbag bird shot in your teeth.
Apparently, the recall isn’t technically necessary, as the airbags still meet government regulations, according to the report. However, BMW decided to recall them anyway.
This isn’t only the BMW iX, though. The BMW X1 also suffers from the same airbags. In total, 9,464 iXs and 6,339 X1s were recalled for the faulty airbags and, as per usual, customers with recalled calls need to just schedule an appointment with the dealer to replace them free of charge. Unlike other electric BMW recalls, there isn’t a ‘do not drive’ order issued for either the iX or the X1, as it’s not a fatal issue.
Both the BMW iX and i4 are good cars, ones worth buying, even despite the several recalls that have been issued. However, it is shocking to see so many recalls for its EVs in such a short period of time, especially since one of said recalls was an incredibly dangerous battery fire issue. That one was so bad, in fact, that BMW told owners to park their cars far away from any structure, lest it spontaneously catch fire and burn any houses down.
So far, BMW hasn’t heard of any known instances of its airbags failing and causing any issues but a potential airbag issue is enough for BMW to issue the recall. Owners are currently being notified of the status of their airbags and will be able to soon schedule appointments to fix them. Dealerships also usually offer loaner cars for customers who have to leave their cars for recall repair, which just consists of replacing the driver’s side airbag.
