Manufactured by mega supplier Continental, the module controls when airbags are deployed. A manufacturing error may have left metallic residue in some modules, creating the potential for a short circuit, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) report on the 7 Series recall.
Under certain conditions, including “excessive vibration or acceleration,” residue particles may separate from the module housing and contact the circuit board, causing a short circuit, the report says. If a short occurs, the module will reset. The airbags can’t deploy while the module is inactive, creating greater risk of injury if a short occurs during a crash.
The remedy is to simply replace the airbag control module, which BMW will do free of charge. The recall is expected to begin May 16, and BMW will mail owners notices detailing when to take their cars to dealerships to have the module replaced, which should take about four hours. Dealers will have to do the same work on unsold cars before they can be sold.
The recall affects 6,110 cars built between July 1, 2015, and December 11, 2015. That includes both six-cylinder 740 models and V8 750 models. This is the first recall for the current-generation 7 Series, which went on sale in the U.S. last fall.
Owners looking for more information can contact BMW customer service at 800-525-7417, or the NHTSA’s Vehicle Safety Hotline at 888-327-4236. The reference number for this recall is 16V173000. Recall information is also available on the NHTSA’s Safercar.gov website.
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