2002 BMW 325CI Airbags Problems

I brought my 325ci into BMW Buena Park to have an airbag recall completed. There were no issues prior to dropping the car off at dealership but when the car was returned the airbag system light was on and was filled with error codes. I returned the car to the dealer and they cleared the codes but on my way home the dash light returned and faults were present after taking to 2 independent specialists. I returned to the dealer and spoke to service manager who said they would review and let me know their findings. They never responded and left me with a car that is now unsafe to drive. I believe this is the result of poor workmanship in addressing an NHTSA recall and has turned a potential safety concern into a real one. I have contacted BMW USA about this as well.

NHTSA ID

11714560

Incident

Dec 16, 2025

2002 BMW 325 I. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO AIRBAG SAFETY RECALL. THE CONSUMER STATED THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT REMAINED ILLUMINATED AFTER THE RECALL REPAIR WAS COMPLETED. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER STATED THE CONSUMER WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY REMAINING EXPENSES.THE VEHICLE'S WARRANTY HAS EXPIRED.

NHTSA ID

11462454

Incident

Apr 27, 2022

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2002 BMW 325CI. THE CONTACT CALLED ON BEHALF OF THE DRIVER. WHILE MAKING A LEFT TURN, THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A HEAD ON COLLISION. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE DRIVER OF THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE SUSTAINED BRUISES, BUT DID NOT REQUIRE MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE DRIVER OF THE OTHER VEHICLE WAS NOT INJURED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED AND TOWED TO A TOW LOT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER OR AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR THE AIR BAG FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND DID NOT ASSIST. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 115,000.

NHTSA ID

11129899

Incident

Jul 25, 2018

Mileage

115,000 mi

JUST TOOK MY 2002 BMW IN TO REPLACE DEFECTIVE AIRBAGS. BMW STERLING, VA WANTED $1611.05 TO REPLACE AIRBAG CONTROL UNIT/SID. DID NOT PAY THEM... THIS SHOULD BE LOOKED INTO IMMEDIATELY... THEY ARE RIPPING PEOPLE OFF. THEY REPLACED THE AIRBAGS AND YOU HAVE A LIGHT ON - SO ARE THEY FUNCTIONAL OR NOT... THEY ARE RIPPING PEOPLE OFF... [XXX] [XXX]. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).'*JB

NHTSA ID

11005119

Incident

Jul 13, 2017

Mileage

145,314 mi

TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 BMW 325CI. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBERS: 13V172000 (AIR BAGS) AND 15V318000 (AIR BAGS); HOWEVER, THE PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.

NHTSA ID

10950272

Incident

Feb 8, 2017

TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 BMW 325CI. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V318000 (AIR BAGS). THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE.

NHTSA ID

10923907

Incident

May 27, 2015

I GOT THIS RECALL LAST YEAR...I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP HERE IN CLEAR LAKE HOUSTON, AND I WAS TOLD THEY DON'T MAKE THE AIRBAGS FOR THIS RECALL... AND HE SAID CALL BACK ......WELL I HAVE FOR 2 YEARS NOT! THEN I GOT A NEW LETTER SAYING THAT THEY WHERE IN STOCK AND MAKE AN APPOINTMENT SO I CALLLED THE DEALERSHIP AGAIN.........AND AGAIN I WAS TOLD THEY DON'T MAKE THESE PARTS......IM SORRY BUT THIS DOESN'T MAKE ME FEEL VERY SAFE. I GUESS I JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY THEY DON'T MAKE THESE PARTS..ITS SUPPOSE TO PROTECT ME

NHTSA ID

10917154

Incident

Jun 1, 2015

TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 BMW 325CI. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V318000 (AIR BAGS); HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.

NHTSA ID

10904753

Incident

Apr 29, 2016

TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 BMW 325CI. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V428000 (AIR BAGS) HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.

NHTSA ID

10896664

Incident

Jul 25, 2014

TAKATA RECALL HELLO, I'M AT MY BMW SERVICE CENTER NOW (BMW OF FAIRFAX) TO HAVE SERVICE DONE ON MY CAR. I RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF THE TAKATA AIR BAG RECALL AND NOTIFIED THE SERVICE CENTER AS TO WHEN I CAN GET MY AIR BAGS FIXED. THEY COULD NOT GIVE ME A DEFINITIVE TIME LINE. I WENT TO THE SERVICE CENTER TODAY TO HAVE REGULAR SERVICE DONE ON MY CAR AND AGAIN THEY COULD NOT GIVE ME AN EXACT TIME LINE. THEY SAID, "MAYBE A YEAR BUT WE'RE NOT SURE." I ALSO ASKED IF BMW IS STILL OFFERING THEIR CAR RENTAL PROGRAM UNTIL THE ISSUE IS RESOLVED BUT THE SERVICE CENTER SAID BMW IS NO LONGER OFFERING THIS. I'M CONCERNED THAT THE SERVICE CENTER DOES NOT WANT TO PERFORM THE WORK AS I'M SURE THIS IS AT A MAJOR COST TO THEM.

NHTSA ID

10887664

Incident

Jul 22, 2016

Mileage

90,000 mi

TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 BMW 325CI. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V318000 (AIR BAGS); HOWEVER, THE PART NEEDED TO PERFORM THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THERE WAS NO REMEDY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE...UPDATED 05/09/16 *BF

NHTSA ID

10855032

Incident

Jul 22, 2015

RECEIVED RECALL ON AIRBAGS IN 2015 CALLED DEALERSHIP AND THEY SAID THEY DON'T HAVE THEM. BOTH OF THEM NEED REPLACED THIS IS NOT SAFE...HOW CAN YOU NOT HAVE THESE.

NHTSA ID

10839488

Incident

Jul 1, 2015

I WAS NOTIFIED OF RECALL CAMPAIGN NO: 15V-318 IN JULY 2015. DRIVER SIDE AIR BAG NEEDS TO BE REPLACED DUE TO POSSIBLE SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH IF INFLATED ON IMPACT. I HAVE CALLED THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP. INSKIP BMW ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS AND THEY SAY THAT THEY HAVE NOT RECEIVED THE REPLACEMENT PART. IF IT IS THIS DANGEROUS, WHY IS IT TAKING SO LONG?

NHTSA ID

10818926

Incident

Jul 1, 2015

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 BMW 325CI. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE RECALL NOTICE FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V318000 (AIR BAGS)WAS RECEIVED IN MAY OF 2015. AFTER CONTACTING THE DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS, THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE PARTS NEEDED TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE WERE STILL NOT AVAILABLE AND NO ESTIMATED TIME FOR RECEIVING THE PARTS COULD BE GIVEN. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE.

NHTSA ID

10783204

Incident

May 1, 2015

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 BMW 325CI. WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE, THE AIR BAG SENSOR LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 89,000.

NHTSA ID

10744538

Incident

Jun 1, 2015

Mileage

89,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 BMW 325CI. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V428000 (AIR BAGS) AND STATED THAT THE PART NEEDED WAS NOT AVAILABLE TO SCHEDULE THE RECALL REPAIR WITHIN A REASONABLE TIMEFRAME. THE DEALER FAILED TO PROVIDE A SPECIFIC DATE FOR WHEN THE PART WOULD BECOME AVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. UPDATED 7/21/15*CN UPDATED 9/23/15 *JS

NHTSA ID

10722164

Incident

Sep 19, 2014

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 BMW 325CI. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 13V172000 (AIR BAGS) HOWEVER, THE PART NEEDED TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

NHTSA ID

10691059

Incident

Feb 27, 2015

DRIVING TO WORK THIS MORNING, THE PASSENGER AIRBAG ABOVE THE DOOR ERUPTED. MY VEHICLE WAS NOT HIT BY ANYTHING. I HAVE NO DAMAGE TO THE OUTSIDE AT ALL. I NEED TO KNOW HOW THIS AIRBAG RECALL AFFECTS ME, BECAUSE IT TALKS ABOUT IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH...AND I WASN'T IN A WRECK OF ANY SORT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10681076

Incident

Feb 4, 2015

Mileage

116,300 mi

MESSAGE: HI, THERE WAS A SAFETY RECALL ON AIR BAGS. WE OWN A 2002 BMW AND OUR VEHICLE IS ALSO INCLUDED IN THIS RECALL. WE CONTACTED OUR LOCAL BMW DEALER (NIELLO BMW AT SACRAMENTO, CA) SEVERAL TIMES BUT THEY SAID THEY DON'T HAVE THE PARTS TO REPLACE. HOW LONG DO WE HAVE TO WAIT ? THANK YOU [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

NHTSA ID

10668039

Incident

Sep 1, 2014

CONTACTED IN SEPTEMBER OF 2014 REGARDING RECALL FOR DEFECTIVE AIR BAGS. DEALER SCHEDULED REPAIR IN SEPTEMBER, BUT WHEN WE SHOWED UP FOR OUR APPOINTMENT WE WERE INFORMED THERE WERE NO AIR BAGS. WE HAVE CALLED 4 TIMES SINCE THEN AND TOLD A SHIPMENT WAS COMING IN AND WE WOULD BE CONTACTED. THE LAST (#5) STILL NO AIRBAGS, PROBABLY SOMETIME IN JANUARY. *TR

NHTSA ID

10664769

Incident

Sep 2, 2014

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 BMW 325CI. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG WARNING INDICATOR WAS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER:14V428000 (AIR BAGS) AND BELIEVED THE FAILURE WAS RELATED TO THE RECALL. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 110,000.

NHTSA ID

10661182

Incident

Sep 1, 2014

Mileage

110,000 mi

OUT OF THE BLUE THE AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON. I BECAME CONCERNED AND DID NOT WANT TO DRIVE IT- I DIDN'T KNOW WHY OR WHAT TO DO ABOUT IT. THE LIGHT STAYS ON CONSTANTLY AND NEVER GOES OUT. I HAD AN AUTO MECHANIC LOOK AT IT BUT HE HAD NOT KNOWLEDGE OF WHAT IT MIGHT BE. I CONTINUED TO DRIVE THE CARE AND THE LIGHT REMAINED ON. I WASN'T DRIVING IT EVERYDAY SO I WAS NOT WORRIED VERY MUCH. BUT I HAD READ ABOUT A RECALL OF SOME BMW'S WERE HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THEIR AIRBAGS AND I THOUGHT THAT COULD BE IT. I AM GOING TO GET TO THE BOTTOM OF THIS PROBLEM AS THAT SEEMS TO BE THE ONLY PROBLEM I HAVE BEEN EXPERIENCING WITH MY CAR, HOPE THIS WORKS OUT AND IT CAN BE REPAIRED AS IT IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND HOW WOULD I KNOW IF THE AIRBAG WILL DEPLOY IF I SHOULD NEED IT FOR PROTECTING ME AND MY FAMILY. *TR

NHTSA ID

10627931

Incident

Dec 19, 2013

Mileage

39,000 mi