2002 BMW 3 Series Recalls

The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened PE14-016 in June 2014 based on six inflator rupture incidents involving consumer owned vehicles produced by five vehicle manufacturers.All six vehicles were operated in Florida or Puerto Rico at the time of the rupture and for the majority of their service life, and were equipped with inflators produced by Takata, a tier-one supplier of automotive air bag systems.During the course of PE14-016, ODI determined that five additional vehicle manufacturers used inflators of a similar design and vintage also supplied by Takata. No evidence of field failures was found in vehicles produced by these five additional manufacturers.Nonetheless, at ODI's insistence, all 10 vehicle manufacturers initiated a regional recall within approximately two weeks of the opening of the investigation.The regions recalled initially included Florida, Puerto Rico, Hawaii, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, areas with high absolute humidity and climatic conditions believed to be a significant factor in the inflator ruptures.As part of the recall actions, inflators removed from remedied vehicles are to be returned to Takata for testing.Takata's initial test results on passenger inflators from remedied vehicles indicated a much higher than anticipated rupture frequency for inflators returned from Florida.Accordingly ODI requested all 10 manufacturers expand the regional recalls for passenger inflators to include other geographic areas where high absolute humidity conditions exist, including the Gulf States and other coastal areas.Takata's testing of the passenger inflators to date continues to indicate this geographic area as having the highest risk, with no ruptures occurring from inflators returned from outside the expanded recall regions.During PE14-016 four additional passenger inflator field events occurred, all in vehicles from the same expanded geographic region.Also during PE14-016 four additional driver inflator field events occurred including two in vehicles from regions not known for high absolute humidity, specifically California and North Carolina.Accordingly, ODI requested all five of the affected vehicle manufacturers currently using the subject Takata driver inflators expand to nationwide recalls.Significantly, neither of the affected vehicle manufacturers or Takata provided any explanation to account for these two driver air bag inflator ruptures outside the area of high absolute humidity.Takata testing of returned driver inflators indicates a lower rupture frequency as compared to passenger inflator testing.All test ruptures reported by Takata to date have occurred on inflators returned from high absolute humidity areas.The investigation now includes all manufacturers and vehicles known to be affected at this time.ODI's investigation will focus on, among other things, root cause analysis, other potential defect consequences, identification of affected vehicles scope, and adequacy of the remedy.The five ODI reports cited above can be reviewed online at http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/owners/SearchNHTSAID under the following identification numbers: 10537899, 10568848, 10585224, 10605877, 10651492

The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened PE14-016 in June 2014 based on six inflator rupture incidents involving consumer owned vehicles produced by five vehicle manufacturers.All six vehicles were operated in Florida or Puerto Rico at the time of the rupture and for the majority of their service life, and were equipped with inflators produced by Takata, a tier-one supplier of automotive air bag systems.During the course of PE14-016, ODI determined that five additional vehicle manufacturers used inflators of a similar design and vintage also supplied by Takata. No evidence of field failures was found in vehicles produced by these five additional manufacturers.Nonetheless, at ODI's insistence, all 10 vehicle manufacturers initiated a regional recall within approximately two weeks of the opening of the investigation.The regions recalled initially included Florida, Puerto Rico, Hawaii, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, areas with consistently high absolute humidity and climatic conditions believed to be a significant factor in the inflator ruptures.As part of the recall actions, inflators removed from remedied vehicles are to be returned to Takata for testing.Takata's initial test results on passenger inflators from remedied vehicles indicated a much higher than anticipated rupture frequency for inflators returned from Florida.Accordingly, ODI requested all 10 manufacturers expand the regional recalls for passenger inflators to include other geographic areas where high absolute humidity conditions exist, including the Gulf States and other coastal areas.Takata's testing of the passenger inflators to date continues to indicate this geographic area as having the highest risk, with no ruptures occurring from inflators returned from outside the expanded recall regions.During PE14-016, four additional passenger inflator field events occurred, all in vehicles from the same expanded geographic region.Also during PE14-016, four additional driver inflator field events occurred including two in vehicles from regions not known for high absolute humidity, specifically California and North Carolina.Accordingly, ODI requested all five of the affected vehicle manufacturers currently using the subject Takata driver inflators expand to nationwide recalls.Significantly, neither of the affected vehicle manufacturers or Takata provided any explanation to account for these two driver air bag inflator ruptures outside the area of high absolute humidity.Takata testing of returned driver inflators indicates a lower rupture frequency as compared to passenger inflator testing.All test ruptures reported by Takata to date have occurred on inflators returned from high absolute humidity areas.The PE is now closed/upgraded to an Engineering Evaluation (EA15-001) to include all manufacturersand vehicles known to be affected at this time.ODI's EA investigation will focus on, among other things, root cause analysis, other potential defect consequences, identification of affected vehicles scope, and adequacy of the remedy.The recalls related to this PE are: 14V343, 14V344, 14V348, 14V351, 14V353, 14V655, 14V700, 14V701, 14V752, 14V763, 14V770, 14V773, 14V787, 14V802 and 14V817.The number of vehicles affected are an estimate since some vehicles may have both the driver and passenger side inflators recalled. The five ODI reports cited above can be reviewed online at http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/owners/SearchNHTSAID under the following identification numbers: 10537899, 10568848, 10585224, 10605877, 10651492

In a letter submitted to the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) dated August25, 2011, BMWindicated that it will conduct a voluntary recall campaign to remedy the subject vehicles.The issue involves the rear lamps in the vehicles body panel.Through normal vehicle use over time, the rear lamps ground wiring and associated 8-pin connector can experience an increase of the resistance at the electrical contact points.This can lead to intermittent or permanent loss of the rear lamp functions which include tail, brake, and turn signal operation.The recall consists of modifying the rear lamps in the vehicles body panel by adding a secondary ground connection in parallel to the existing primary ground connection.An 8-pin connector that attaches the primary ground wiring to the rear lamp assembly will also be inspected and replaced if necessary.BMW will complete dealer notification in September 2011 and will begin owner notification in October 2011.All 3 series sedans (except for the M3 sedan which utilized a different rear lamp assembly) that were built between September 1, 2001 and March 1, 2005 are included in this recall, totalling approximately 241,000 vehicles.The action taken by BMW is sufficient to resolve the issues raised by this investigation.Accordingly, this investigation is closed.

ODI HAS RECEIVED COMPLAINTS FROM CONSUMERS STATING THAT THEIR TAIL LIGHT ASSEMBLY IS NOT PROPERLY ILLUMINATING.THE TAIL LIGHT ASSEMBLY CONSISTS OF A TURN SIGNAL LAMP, A TAIL LAMP AND A BRAKE LAMP.THE COMPLAINANTS HAVE INDICATED THAT THE ISSUE IS WITH AN 8 PIN CONNECTOR AND ASSOCIATED GROUND WIRING.THESE COMPONENTS ARE ALLEGEDLY OVERHEATING AND MELTING DUE TO EXCESSIVE ELECTRICAL CURRENT THAT RUNS THROUGH THE SYSTEM.BMW ISSUED A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN (TSB) SIB-630306 ON FEBRUARY 2007 TO ADDRESS THE CONDITION BY ADDING SUPPLEMENTARY GROUND WIRING TO THE TAIL LAMP ASSEMBLY.ODI IS UPGRADING TO AN EA TO FURTHER INVESTIGATE THE ISSUE.

IN MARCH 2009, THE OFFICE OF DEFECTS INVESTIGATION (ODI) RECEIVED A PETITION FROM MR. MARK PETERS REQUESTING AN INVESTIGATION OF REAR LAMP FAILURE IN MODEL YEAR 2002-2005 BMW 3-SERIES VEHICLES.AN INFORMATION REQUEST LETTER WAS SENT TO BMW IN APRIL 2009, AND ODI RECEIVED BMW'S RESPONSE IN JUNE 2009.THE TAIL LAMP ASSEMBLY CONTAINS LIGHTING FOR THE BRAKE LAMPS, TAIL LAMPS, AND TURN SIGNALS.A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN (TSB) WAS ISSUED BY BMW IN JANUARY OF 2007 INSTRUCTING SERVICE TECHNICIANS TO EXAMINE AN 8 PIN ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR FOR HEAT-RELATED DAMAGE AND TO INCORPORATE ADDITIONAL GROUND WIRING TO THE CONNECTOR.COMPLAINANTS HAVE ALLEGED THAT SIGNIFICANT THERMAL DAMAGE TO THE CONNECTOR AND ASSOCIATED GROUND WIRING HAS OCCURRED.THIS CONDITION CAN RESULT IN INTERMITTENT OR TOTAL LOSS OF ALL LIGHTING (BRAKE, TAIL, AND TURN SIGNAL) FOR THE EFFECTED REAR LAMP ASSEMBLY.ODI WILL OPEN A PRELIMINARY EVALUATION TO FURTHER EXAMINE THIS ISSUE INCLUDING FURTHER EVALUATING BMW COMPLAINTS AND RELATED WARRANTY DATA.

THE SUBJECT VEHICLE'S AIR BAG ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULE CONTAINS PROGRAMMABLE LOGIC FOR DEPLOYING THE SIDE-IMPACT AIR BAGS.BMW REVISED THE MODULE SEVERAL TIMES OVER THE SPAN OF THE MODEL YEARS 1999 THROUGH 2002 (IDENTIFIED AS MRS2.CA, MRS2.BB, MRS3, MRS3+ AND MRS4).ALTHOUGH MODEL YEAR 1999.5 VEHICLES WITH VERSION MRS2.BB HAD 6.5% OF THE SUBJECT POPULATION, IT ACCOUNTED FOR 29% OF THE TOTAL REPORTS RECEIVED.THE MRS2.BB EXPOSURE ADJUSTED REPORT RATE WAS ALMOST 4 TIMES HIGHER THAN OTHER 3 SERIES AIR BAG MODULE VERSIONS.IN AUGUST 2002, BMW INITIATED A RECALL CAMPAIGN FOR 20,500 MODEL 323I AND 328I VEHICLES WITH VERSION MRS2.BB (NHTSA RECALL # 02V223000).IN ADDITION TO EXPERIENCING A LOWER RATE OF NON-CRASH DEPLOYMENTS, MOST OF THE NON-RECALLED VEHICLES ALSO SHOWED EVIDENCE OF SIGNIFICANT POTHOLE/CURB IMPACT WITH SOME HAVING ADDITIONAL UNDERCARRIAGE CONTACT/SCRAPE OR SUSPENSION DAMAGE.SEE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION