Due to continuing safety concerns, BMW recently announced that it has expanded a recall for certain vehicles with driver-side air bag inflators made by Takata Corp. The recall will now cover the entire country. Other luxury brands had already taken this action prior to BMW following their lead. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has recommended for carmakers to broaden the recall beyond a limited area with high humidity. Many have subsequently followed suit.

Takata has stated that extended exposure to high humidity could damage the propellant in the inflators. This could cause them to spray vehicle occupants with metal shrapnel when the air bags inflate; a grave concern in the US South and East. BMW has told the NHTSA that it will replace driver-side front air bags in about 140,000 BMW 3 Series vehicles in the U.S. from model years 2004 to 2006. Exact vehicles have not been specified and BMW will alert owners to the recall.

BMW has said none of its vehicles have been involved in improper airbag deployments.

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