2023-2024 BMW X Vehicles Knee Air Bag Defect

BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) has recently issued a voluntary safety recall for certain 2023-2024 X vehicles, urging owners to return to their dealerships to address a problem affecting the driver and/or passenger knee air bags. The issue revolves around the potential failure of the knee air bags to deploy as intended, raising concerns about the safety of occupants in the event of a collision.

The vehicles affected include

BMW became aware of this problem in June 2023 when they were contacted by a supplier who raised concerns about a potential issue affecting the deployment of certain knee air bags. After conducting a thorough review of the Lot Acceptance Test (LAT), the automaker discovered an anomaly during knee air bag deployment, where deployment did not occur as expected. Subsequently, BMW examined knee air bags from the same production lot as the suspect part and found that some of them were not manufactured correctly, leading to the possibility of the knee air bag failing to deploy as intended.

One particular knee air bag, which was examined, revealed a clamped air bag fabric, likely due to an incorrect inflator installation. Additional tests were conducted, and similar deviations in deployment were observed, suggesting a manufacturing issue at a specific station with a particular machine operator during a specific time.

To ensure the safety of their customers, BMW made the proactive decision to initiate a voluntary safety recall on June 30, 2023. The specific component being recalled is the Knee Air Bag, identified by the part numbers 699140712 and 699140812. If the knee air bag fails to deploy properly in the event of an accident, it could increase the risk of injury to the vehicle's occupants.

Owners of the affected 2023-2024 X vehicles are strongly encouraged to contact their local BMW dealership as soon as possible to schedule an appointment for the necessary repairs. The dealership will replace the knee air bag (driver and/or passenger) to ensure it functions correctly, mitigating any potential safety risks associated with the defect.

For reference, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) campaign number for this recall is 23V-471.

Vehicle owners are advised to take this recall seriously and act promptly to have the necessary repairs conducted at an authorized BMW dealership to ensure the continued safety of their vehicles and passengers.