BMW of North America (BMW) is recalling more than 5000 model year 2000-2001 X5 SUVs that may be equipped with a sport steering wheel containing a Takata PSDI-4 air bag inflator (TK Global LLC). The inflator may explode during deployment due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling. (Read AutoInformed.com on: Mazda Recalls Takata Airbag Inflators with New Supplier As Replacement)
“Certain vehicles may contain a sport steering wheel equipped with a Takata driver’s front air bag module that contains a PSDI-4 inflator that could have been installed as a replacement / spare part. The originally equipped did not contain an inflator with ammonium nitrate,” BMW said in the mandatory safety defect recall filing made public by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration this morning (NHTSA).
“As noted in Section 4 of Takata’s Defect Information Report, 15E-040, the Takata PSDI-4 inflator propellant wafers may experience an alteration over time, which could potentially lead to overly aggressive combustion in the event of air bag deployment. Depending on the circumstances, this potential could create excessive internal pressure when the air bag is deployed, which could result in the body of the inflator rupturing upon deployment. In the event of an inflator rupture, metal fragments could pass through the air bag cushion material, which may result in injury or death to vehicle occupants.
“Based upon Takata’s investigation to date, the potential for such ruptures may occur in some of the subject inflators after several years of exposure to persistent conditions of high absolute humidity, high temperatures, and high temperature cycling. In addition, the potential for rupturing may also depend on other factors, including the specific vehicle environment, the inflator and propellant configuration, and manufacturing variability of the air bag modules.
“Furthermore, field return tests and study results showed an age-related change in characteristics, so that a malfunction of the inflators cannot be excluded,” BMW said.
About Ken Zino
Ken Zino, editor and publisher of AutoInformed, is a versatile auto industry participant with global experience spanning decades in print and broadcast journalism, as well as social media. He has automobile testing, marketing, public relations and communications experience. He is past president of The International Motor Press Assn, the Detroit Press Club, founding member and first President of the Automotive Press Assn. He is a member of APA, IMPA and the Midwest Automotive Press Assn.
He also brings an historical perspective while citing their contemporary relevance of the work of legendary auto writers such as Ken Purdy, Jim Dunne or Jerry Flint, or writers such as Red Smith, Mark Twain, Thomas Jefferson – all to bring perspective to a chaotic automotive universe.
Above all, decades after he first drove a car, Zino still revels in the sound of the exhaust as the throttle is blipped during a downshift and the driver’s rush that occurs when the entry, apex and exit points of a turn are smoothly and swiftly crossed. It’s the beginning of a perfect lap.
AutoInformed has an editorial philosophy that loves transportation machines of all kinds while promoting critical thinking about the future use of cars and trucks.
Zino builds AutoInformed from his background in automotive journalism starting at Hearst Publishing in New York City on Motor and MotorTech Magazines and car testing where he reviewed hundreds of vehicles in his decade-long stint as the Detroit Bureau Chief of Road & Track magazine. Zino has also worked in Europe, and Asia – now the largest automotive market in the world with China at its center.
Takata Recall Haunts BMW X5 SUVs
BMW of North America (BMW) is recalling more than 5000 model year 2000-2001 X5 SUVs that may be equipped with a sport steering wheel containing a Takata PSDI-4 air bag inflator (TK Global LLC). The inflator may explode during deployment due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling. (Read AutoInformed.com on: Mazda Recalls Takata Airbag Inflators with New Supplier As Replacement)
“Certain vehicles may contain a sport steering wheel equipped with a Takata driver’s front air bag module that contains a PSDI-4 inflator that could have been installed as a replacement / spare part. The originally equipped did not contain an inflator with ammonium nitrate,” BMW said in the mandatory safety defect recall filing made public by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration this morning (NHTSA).
“As noted in Section 4 of Takata’s Defect Information Report, 15E-040, the Takata PSDI-4 inflator propellant wafers may experience an alteration over time, which could potentially lead to overly aggressive combustion in the event of air bag deployment. Depending on the circumstances, this potential could create excessive internal pressure when the air bag is deployed, which could result in the body of the inflator rupturing upon deployment. In the event of an inflator rupture, metal fragments could pass through the air bag cushion material, which may result in injury or death to vehicle occupants.
“Based upon Takata’s investigation to date, the potential for such ruptures may occur in some of the subject inflators after several years of exposure to persistent conditions of high absolute humidity, high temperatures, and high temperature cycling. In addition, the potential for rupturing may also depend on other factors, including the specific vehicle environment, the inflator and propellant configuration, and manufacturing variability of the air bag modules.
“Furthermore, field return tests and study results showed an age-related change in characteristics, so that a malfunction of the inflators cannot be excluded,” BMW said.
About Ken Zino
Ken Zino, editor and publisher of AutoInformed, is a versatile auto industry participant with global experience spanning decades in print and broadcast journalism, as well as social media. He has automobile testing, marketing, public relations and communications experience. He is past president of The International Motor Press Assn, the Detroit Press Club, founding member and first President of the Automotive Press Assn. He is a member of APA, IMPA and the Midwest Automotive Press Assn. He also brings an historical perspective while citing their contemporary relevance of the work of legendary auto writers such as Ken Purdy, Jim Dunne or Jerry Flint, or writers such as Red Smith, Mark Twain, Thomas Jefferson – all to bring perspective to a chaotic automotive universe. Above all, decades after he first drove a car, Zino still revels in the sound of the exhaust as the throttle is blipped during a downshift and the driver’s rush that occurs when the entry, apex and exit points of a turn are smoothly and swiftly crossed. It’s the beginning of a perfect lap. AutoInformed has an editorial philosophy that loves transportation machines of all kinds while promoting critical thinking about the future use of cars and trucks. Zino builds AutoInformed from his background in automotive journalism starting at Hearst Publishing in New York City on Motor and MotorTech Magazines and car testing where he reviewed hundreds of vehicles in his decade-long stint as the Detroit Bureau Chief of Road & Track magazine. Zino has also worked in Europe, and Asia – now the largest automotive market in the world with China at its center.