2018 BMW X5
Safety record from NHTSA: recalls, owner complaints, investigations and service bulletins.
Safety record from NHTSA: recalls, owner complaints, investigations and service bulletins.
These records cover every 2018 BMW X5. To see whether one car still needs a recall repair, decode its VIN or check it with NHTSA.
5 recalls name the 2018 BMW X5. Newest first.
BMW of North America, LLC. (BMW) is recalling certain 2012-2015 X1 sDrive28i, X1 xDrive28i, 2012-2016 Z4 sDrive28i, 528i, 528i xDrive, 328i, 328xi, 2016-2018 X5 xdrive 40e, 2014-2016 228i, 228xi, 428i, 428i xDrive, 328xi Gran Turismo, 2013-2017 X3 sDrive28i, X3 xDrive28i, 2015-2018 X4 xDrive28i, 2015-2016 428xi vehicles. An improperly sealed electrical…
An electrical short increases the risk of a fire.
Dealers will inspect and replace the water pump and plug connector as necessary, and install a protective shield, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on March 28, 2025. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2014-2018 328d, 328d xDrive, X5 xDrive35d, 2014-2016 535d, 535d xDrive, 2015 740Ld xDrive, and 2015-2017 X3 xDrive28d vehicles. The high-pressure fuel pump may fail.
Fuel pump failure can cause an engine stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.
Dealers will replace the high-pressure fuel pump, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on January 14, 2022. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2018 BMW 330e iPerformance, i3 Rex, i3 Sport Rex, X5 xDrive40e, i3 BEV, i3 Sport BEV and 2019 i8 and i8 Roadster vehicles and 2018-2019 530e iPerformance, 530e xDrive iPerformance and 740Le xDrive iPerformance vehicles. Capacitors within the TurboCord Portable Chargers may fail, possibly resulting in a…
An electrical shock or a fire can increase the risk of injury or death.
BMW will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the charging cable, and replace it if necessary, free of charge. The recall began February 22, 2019. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2018 BMW X5 xDrive35i, X5 xDrive50i, X5 xDrive35d, and X6 sDrive35i vehicles. The pivot bolt on the front lower-left control arm may not have been properly hardened, which may cause the control arm to break.
If the lower control arm breaks, vehicle handling and control can be affected, increasing the risk of a crash.
BMW will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the lower-left control arms and replace if necessary, free of charge. The recall began July 11, 2018. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2018 BMW X5 SAV, X5 M SAV, X6 SAV, and X6 M SAV vehicles. Bolts that secure the front suspension may not have been properly tightened.
Loose bolts can affect the performance of the suspension, thereby increasing the risk of a crash.
BMW will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and tighten the wishbone suspension bolts, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin January 8, 2018. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
Four Michelin Latitude Tour HP tires, size 255/50R19, were installed on my 2018 BMW X5 in May 2026. Soon after installation, the vehicle began to feel less directionally stable than before. At highway speed it would sometimes drift or react more strongly than expected to steering input. About two weeks after installation, the vehicle was returned for alignment/service because of the handling concern, but the problem continued. The most serious incident occurred during a highway lane change on a downhill section. After steering into the adjacent lane, the vehicle developed several alternating left-right movements. Each steering correction seemed to be amplified rather than damped, causing the vehicle to zigzag before finally stabilizing. Fortunately, the adjacent lanes were empty, and no collision occurred. The event created a serious risk of losing control and striking nearby vehicles. After the incident, the vehicle was inspected by an independent BMW specialist. The steering, suspension, wheel mounting, alignment, and related vehicle systems were checked. No mechanical defect was identified that explained the behavior, and the alignment was redone. During a road test, the technician independently noticed the same abnormal drifting or unbalanced handling that we had been experiencing. Tire pressures were checked and were consistent with the BMW door-jamb specification: approximately 36 psi front and 44 psi rear when cold. There were no warning lights or dashboard messages before or during the incident. All four tires are Michelin Latitude Tour HP 255/50R19 107H XL and have the same DOT/TIN: 1B9XX 03CX 1326. The tires are currently available for inspection upon request. The abnormal handling began after installation of these tires and has persisted despite alignment and mechanical inspection. I am reporting this because of the near-loss-of-control event and concern about a possible tire-related stability issue.
Two incidents accured with 24hrs. My wife called me informing that the 2018 X5 was smoking from the front and making a weird noise, she stopped the vehicle and the vehicle started again. When she got home, I checked the under the hood, but could not see anything. But, can smell like burned wiring, but not visible. I connected EV wire to the vehicle and next morning disconnected the cable and when I started the vehicle, I saw smoke coming out of the inside bottom of the rear where the batteries are located. I opened the rear door and raised the cover to see smoke coming from melted wiring. I immediatelly disconnected one of the battery wires.
The windshield wiper reservoir leaks fluid. The reservoir has been filled by the dealership and I was informed it is a safety hazard to not have it repaired. After some research, this is a common issue in 2016-2018 BMW X5 models.
The driveshaft malfunctioned which caused the vehicle to lose control. Yes, it is available at the repair shop. Wife was driving with mother-in-law and [XXX] child at highway speeds (55) requiring her to maintain control and pull over without getting hit by other cars. Independent repair shop confirmed the driveshaft failed and took out the transmission and transfer case. No warning/engine lights or other indications of any issues. Reading online confirms this to be a case for these vehicles - here is one example [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
On August 4, 2026, my vehicle was involved in a direct frontal collision with a brick wall. I was driving with two minor passengers, one seated in the front passenger seat and one seated in the rear passenger seat. The collision resulted in significant front-end damage and a total loss determination by USAA. Despite the frontal impact, none of the vehicle's airbags deployed. Prior to the collision, I observed no Airbag/SRS warning lights, Check Control warnings, or other indications of a restraint-system malfunction. I respectfully request that NHTSA review this incident for a potential Supplemental Restraint System safety issue involving the airbag control module, front impact sensors, deployment logic, passenger occupancy system, seat-belt pretensioners, or related SRS components. I am specifically requesting review of whether similar airbag non-deployment complaints, manufacturer communications, technical service bulletins, field reports, investigations, or other defect information exist for the 2018 BMW X5 or related F15-generation vehicles. I am a disabled military veteran and experienced injuries and aggravation of pre-existing service-connected disabilities following the collision. Two minor passengers were also involved. The attached complaint contains the complete incident description, vehicle information, insurance claim information, and requested safety investigation. Please confirm receipt of this complaint and advise if any additional documentation would assist NHTSA's review. I can provide accident photographs, insurance records, vehicle inspection information, medical documentation, and other supporting evidence. Because the vehicle has been declared a total loss, preservation of the vehicle and its safety-system data may be time-sensitive. Thank you for reviewing this serious safety concern.
I am reporting a recurring catastrophic high-pressure fuel-pump/fuel-system failure in my 2018 BMW X5 after BMW previously repaired the same type of failure, and subsequently performed the NHTSA HPFP recall on my vehicle. I am a 71 year old driver. This was a repeat catastrophic failure after Recall 21V-586 was performed and the loss of propulsion on the freeway was terrifying, and I almost crashed into other cars! At 42,763 miles, the vehicle experienced a catastrophic failure while being driven. The vehicle shut off while driving and would not restart. Santa Monica BMW documented a “HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP MALFUNCTION” and fault codes. BMW's technician followed the fuel-system test plan and reported that the fuel quality control valve had metal shavings. See Invoice 42,763.pdf BMW subsequently issued NHTSA Recall 21V-586 concerning the HPFP on affected BMW diesel vehicles, including my vehicle. BMW performed the recall repair at Weatherford BMW at approximately 58,292 miles. The repair order identifies the work as “PERFORM RECALL B130121 HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP” and documents replacement of the high-pressure fuel pump. See Invoice 58,292. At 120,945 miles, the vehicle experienced another, similar catastrophic failure while I was again driving on a freeway. Weatherford BMW subsequently diagnosed multiple fuel/rail-pressure faults. The technician removed the fuel quantity control valve to check for swarf and found magnetic metal shavings in the fuel system. See Invoice 120,945 These failures are particularly concerning to my safety. I am submitting this complaint to the NHTSA because I believe the recurrence of a catastrophic system failure, including metal contamination and loss of propulsion, after BMW previously replaced the complete fuel system under warranty and subsequently performed the HPFP recall remedy, warrants investigation to determine whether the recall remedy or the underlying HPFP/fuel-system defect can cause a subsequent failure of this nature.
The attaching nut and bolt holding the left suspension to the rear subframe worked itself lose. The nut had completely fallen off. The corresponding bolt was merely hanging on but was about to fall off too. The vehicle was behaving weirdly and unstable even at slower speeds.
On March 9, 2026, I brought the vehicle to BMW of Fairfax for a scheduled appointment. In the week leading up to the visit, the vehicle intermittently failed to start and required jump-starting using a portable battery starter. Despite this issue, the car drove normally, showed no warning lights or error messages, and had approximately 69,000 miles on the odometer at the time. After jump-starting the vehicle, I personally drove it to the dealership. I paid for a diagnostic evaluation and also authorized completion of a minor recall. Two days later, I was informed that the vehicle was no longer able to shift into gear and was now completely inoperable. I was told I would be responsible for towing the vehicle off their premises. According to the service department, the vehicle now requires replacement of the EME module, at an estimated cost of $12,000. This assessment was particularly troubling because the vehicle was fully drivable when it arrived at the dealership. At no point prior to service did the car have difficulty shifting into gear. It is deeply concerning that the vehicle became a “brick” while under the care of an authorized BMW service center, with no accountability taken for what occurred during their diagnostic process.
EGR system coolant leak and white smoke from exhaust
I experienced a complete failure of the rear pneumatic (air) suspension system on my vehicle. This system uses rubber air springs (“airbags”) rather than conventional coil springs. When it failed, the rear of the vehicle dropped significantly, causing metal-to-metal contact, an extreme upward pitch of the front end, and pronounced instability. The vehicle became difficult to control, with excessive rear sway creating an unsafe driving condition. Based on my experience and publicly available information, this appears to be a known and recurring issue affecting BMW X5 and X6 models (E70, F15, and G05). The failure is commonly attributed to degradation of the rubber air springs, which can dry out, crack, or leak. When leaks develop, the compressor runs excessively and may fail, resulting in sudden loss of suspension support. While these components may be considered wear items, the frequency and relatively early occurrence of these failures suggest a design or engineering vulnerability rather than typical maintenance. Failures are widely reported between approximately 50,000 and 100,000 miles or within 4–7 years, indicating a pattern of premature degradation. This condition can occur without clear warning, including after the vehicle has been parked, meaning drivers may not recognize the issue until the vehicle is unsafe to operate. Once the system fails, handling is severely compromised, increasing the risk of loss of control. Repair costs often exceed $5,000, which may discourage timely repairs and leave vehicles in unsafe condition. BMW characterized this as a maintenance issue despite the apparent pattern. I am submitting this complaint because this condition poses a serious safety risk. A sudden loss of rear suspension support at speed could result in loss of control, increasing the risk of a crash, injury, or fatality.
Vehicle: 2018 BMW X5 xDrive40e Recall: NHTSA Safety Recall 24V-608 Complaint Description: My 2018 BMW X5 xDrive40e experienced a sudden Electric Motor Electronics (EME) failure that rendered the vehicle inoperable. This occurred before the recall remedy for NHTSA Safety Recall 24V-608 was completed. It is available for inspection upon request. Recall 24V-608 addresses fluid intrusion into the electric coolant water pump electrical connector, which can cause electrical shorts, overcurrent conditions, and power instability. The EME is directly dependent on stable electrical conditions. After the vehicle failed, the recall repair was performed; however, completion of the recall does not reverse electrical damage that may have occurred prior to the repair. Prior to the EME failure, I made multiple attempts to have the recall addressed by contact BMW authorized dealers, but the recall condition remained unresolved. Following the failure, BMW of North America denied responsibility in writing, closed my case, and did not identify any alternative root cause or provide technical findings explaining the EME failure. The vehicle is not drivable and requires approximately $12,000 in repairs. I also incurred rental vehicle expenses as a result of BMW’s refusal to repair. This appears to be recall-related electrical damage affecting a critical control module, creating a safety concern due to sudden loss of vehicle function putting safety of myself and others at risk. I am submitting this complaint to document a safety-related electrical failure associated with Recall 24V-608 and BMW of North America’s refusal to remedy the resulting damage.
I replaced an Electric Auxillary Heater on my vehicle in 2024 part that was subsequently offered an warranty extension on 8/1/2025 by BMW in Service bulletin SIB 01 10 25. The bulletin had a provision for customer reimbursement of repairs and they are refusing to honor my claim. I think they should be forced to place this part into a recall by NHTSA. These vehicles are lemons. A High Voltage AC compressor, Electric Auxillary Heater Issues, High Voltage power supply cables, Turbocharger, Electric Suspension compressor, Air suspesion Springs, Evaporative Emissions Purge Valve all had to be replaced before the vehicle hit 90,000 miles.
Driving the vehicle a short distance, I can smell oil burning after the car is stopped. I have had to put oil in the car twice because the warning light came on suggesting that a quart of oil is needed. The vehicle has less than 122,000 miles. Also, the car idles a lot before I put it in gear. I was told at the last oil change that I need spark plugs. The battery and tires were replaced by a BMW dealership over a year ago.
I am writing to formally report an issue with my vehicle involving a persistent parking brake malfunction. The yellow parking brake indicator light remains on and will not reset. After researching the issue, I’ve found that this is a common problem among other vehicle owners of the same make and model. The malfunction appears to be related either to a faulty sensor or the entire parking brake module assembly, and the cost to diagnose and repair can exceed $2,000, which places a significant burden on owners for what appears to be a widespread defect. Given the importance of the parking brake system for vehicle safety and reliability, I believe this issue warrants further investigation and potentially a recall or service campaign.
On July 9, while accelerating on a busy freeway during rush hour, the car stalled in the middle lane and was unable to be driven off to the side. I called 911 and a tow truck came to tow the vehicle. The problem was diagnosed by BMW as the high pressure fuel pump, which was determined to have blown out and sent metal into the entire fuel system - with a repair estimate of $26k. The high pressure fuel pump had already been replaced by BMW under a recall and the remedy was to replace it with the same faulty component, which failed again. There was no warning or signs of impending failure. The 2018 BMW X5 has been serviced solely by BMW and inspected multiple times with no suggestion there were any issues. I called BMW after the incident, and since the car is 3k miles over the extended warranty on this part, they have denied any help in remedying this issue.
The contact owns a 2018 BMW X5. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V608000 (Engine and Engine Cooling, Electrical System); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had 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. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
The contact owns a 2018 BMW X5. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle inadvertently lost motive power. The contact was able to pull to the shoulder of the roadway, where the vehicle was able to restart. After restarting the vehicle, the contact observed white smoke and embers coming from the EGR cooler and intake manifold. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer but was not diagnosed. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V907000 (Fuel System, Diesel); the VIN was included, but the vehicle was already repaired in 2022. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, a case was opened, and the contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 66,000.
The contact owns a 2018 BMW X5. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V608000 (Engine and Engine Cooling, Electrical System); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had 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. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
The contact owns a 2018 BMW X5. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V608000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had 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. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
The contact owns a 2018 BMW X5. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V608000 (Engine and Engine Cooling, Electrical System); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
BMW issued a recall in October 2024 regarding the engine coolant pump electrical connector on my 2018 BMW X5 xDrive40e, warning of electrical shorts and fire risks. It's now late March 2025—approximately six later—and BMW dealerships still state explicitly they have no available remedy and no timeline for repair. Recently, my vehicle showed a drivetrain warning message, which I suspect is recall-related. I called BMW corporate recall hotline and my local BMW dealership (BMW of Tenafly) today (March 24, 2025). The dealership explicitly stated that they can only perform diagnostics, and even if their diagnostics confirm my drivetrain issue is recall-related, they 'cannot do anything' due to BMW's lack of available recall remedy. When I expressed concern to BMW of Tenafly representative that this recall involves serious safety risks (electrical shorts and potential fire), the dealership representative dismissed my concern by simply saying, 'every recall is urgent.' This response underscores my concern that BMW and its dealerships are not treating this recall issue with adequate seriousness or urgency, leaving consumers like myself at ongoing safety risk. They also mentioned charging $150/day storage if I leave my vehicle at their facility beyond diagnostics, which discourages vehicle owners from having their recall-related safety issues adequately addressed. I’m escalating to NHTSA now because BMW has not provided a recall remedy within a reasonable period, and I'm concerned about ongoing safety issue.
The contact owns a 2018 BMW X5. The contact stated that after restarting the vehicle, while driving approximately 10 MPH, there was black smoke coming from the exhaust pipes. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the EGR cooler and intake manifold had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the VIN was not included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V755000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING). The contact stated that the vehicle had experienced the failure listed in the recall. The failure mileage was 73,000.
The contact owns a 2018 BMW X5. The contact stated that a low coolant message was displayed on the instrument panel while driving at various speeds. The vehicle was initially taken to a dealer where an oil change was performed, and the contact was informed that there were no other defects found with the vehicle. The contact stated that the failure returned a week after the oil change and the vehicle was then taken to an independent mechanic. The mechanic informed the contact that the intake manifold was cracked and that the EGR valve cooler was defective, and that both parts needed to be replaced. The mechanic replaced the intake manifold and the EGR cooler and informed the contact that there was an unknown recall on the vehicle for the defect. The manufacturer was notified of the failure; however, the contact was denied a reimbursement request. The contact was informed that the vehicle was not under recall. The failure mileage was 83,429.
The windshield wiper fluid reservoir failed and leaked out all the fluid at 6.5 years/34,000 miles. Without wiper fluid I am unable to clean the windshield which is a visibility safety issue. The car is currently at the dealer waiting for a repair part.
The contact owns a 2018 BMW X5. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, there was an abnormal sound coming from the engine compartment. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the thermostat was stuck opened, causing the check engine warning light to illuminate and the transmission oil coolant heat exchanger to be damaged by the thermostat failure. The contact was advised that the thermostat and coolant pump needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 74,000.
NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation opened these reviews into vehicles including this one.
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened PE21-021 on October 14, 2021, to investigate incidents alleging a stall/loss of motive power as a result of high-pressure fuel pump failures in certain model year (MY) 2019-2020 Ram 2500, 3500, 4500, and 5500 heavy duty trucks equipped with 6.7L Cummins turbodiesel engines. During the investigation, ODI sought to determine if the related defect allegation was limited in scope to the recalled population. After review of information request response materials from both FCA and BMW, NHTSA determined that sufficient information to identify a comprehensive recall population could not be produced by FCA and BMW.During the investigation FCA filed recalls 22V406, 22E048, 22V767, and 22E087 which include vehicles not identified in the initial subject population by ODI. ODI also received recall 21V586, involving loss of motive power due to failed CP4 fuel pumps on certain BMW manufactured vehicles. An information request letter response received from BMW indicated that failed pumps on their vehicles were caused by an interaction between pump internal components and US market diesel fuel, leading to increased slip and eventual particle-generating wear surface. Additional work will be done to identify whether a similar root cause is associated with the FCA recalled population and if similar wear dynamics occur on pumps supplied to vehicle manufacturers other than those included in the recalled population.ODI has upgraded this investigation to an EA in order to 1) determine engineering specifications of internal pump components that are correlated with pump failure leading to loss of motive power or other safety related hazards, 2) identify vehicle populations equipped with alleged defective pump variants, 3) assess if vehicles equipped with alleged defective pump variants result in an unreasonable risk to motor vehicle safety and 4) gather and review any other relevant information related to high pressure fuel pump failure associated with the subject populations of recalls 21V586, 21V880, 21E094, 22V406, 22E048, 22V767, and 22E087.Review of the above information will allow NHTSA to confirm root cause and recall remedy viability, and identify and evaluate vehicle populations equipped with pump components that may pose an unreasonable risk to motor vehicle safety.The ODI reports cited above can be reviewed at: http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/owners/SearchNHTSAID using the following complaint identification numbers: 11257550, 11351441, 11361603, 11361616, 11365300, 11365426, 11365858, 11366401, 11372337, 11373793, 11374797, 11376793, 11377871, 11378173, 11384377, 11386063, 11387018, 11399710, 11402550, 11415339, 11418868, 11418870, 11427075, 11434276, 11436807, 11437226, 11437249, 11437273, 11437292, 11437294, 11437394, 11437399, 11437403, 11437405, 11437423, 11437528, 11437565, 11437579, 11437580, 11437590, 11437679, 11437744, 11437781, 11437842, 11437993, 11438006, 11438008, 11438121, 11438138, 11438155, 11438392, 11438629, 11439359, 11439879, 11440397, 11443030, 11446542, 11448163, 11453556, 11458918, 11460558, 11469337
NHTSA received a petition on or about July 18, 2022, requesting that Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 141 be applied to all electric and hybrid vehicles operating in the United States. The petition can be reviewed at NHTSA.gov under ODI Number 11486072. FMVSS 141 establishes performance requirements for pedestrian alert sounds for motor vehicles. The standard applies to hybrid and electric vehicles that have a gross vehicle weight rating of 4,536 KG or less or are defined as low-speed vehicles. The standard became fully applicable to all such vehicles manufactured on or after March 1, 2021.On January 27, 2023, NHTSA opened Defect Petition (DP) 22-005 to evaluate the subject matter described in the petition. On June 24, 2023 and as supplemented on June 25, 2023, the petitioner notified NHTSA he was withdrawing his petition. The petitioner indicated that, based on his review of data, there is no justification for asserting potential benefits that could be derived from actions sought by my petition. Based on the petitioner's withdrawal, DP22-005 is closed. Closure of this DP does not represent a determination by NHTSA regarding the subject matter of the petition.
From 2000 through 2017, Takata produced millions of air bag inflators using two types of phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate ("PSAN") propellant -- propellant 2004 and propellant 2004L. After prolonged exposure to high temperature cycles and humidity, inflators using propellant 2004 can degrade, causing the propellant to burn too quickly when ignited. The rapid burning can cause the inflator to rupture during deployment, potentially causing serious or even fatal injury to vehicle occupants. See 2016 Blomquist Report at www.nhtsa.gov/sites/nhtsa.gov/files/documents/expert_report-hrblomquist.pdf.Consequently, all frontal inflators using propellant 2004 that do not contain a "desiccant" (a substance that traps and holds moisture) in US vehicles are under recall. These "non-desiccated" inflators either have been or are required to be replaced.In some cases, the remedy part for these recalled inflators was, or will be, an inflator using either propellant 2004 or 2004L that does contain a desiccant. None of these "desiccated" remedy parts (which were installed in older model year vehicles) are currently under recall for a degradation concern. Certain subsets of desiccated PSAN inflators using propellant 2004 for use as original equipment, however, have been recalled for a degradation concern. All Takata inflators produced with propellant 2004L contain desiccant, and none of these desiccated inflators using propellant 2004L are under recall for a degradation concern. There have been no reported field ruptures in any non-recalled desiccated PSAN inflators.It is understood that desiccants fully saturate at some threshold, at which point any additional moisture will not be captured. This means the degradation process observed in non-desiccated inflators using propellant 2004 may also occur in non-recalled desiccated inflators using propellant 2004, assuming additional moisture enters the inflator and high temperature cycling occurs. Based on available information, desiccant saturation can occur within the first five years in the worst environments, and the time required for full saturation is affected by multiple factors. While no present safety risk has been identified, further work is needed to evaluate the future risk of non-recalled desiccated inflators using propellant 2004.Three entities -- Takata (now known as TK Global), the Independent Testing Coalition, and Exponent -- have been studying the long-term behavior of Takata desiccated PSAN inflators using propellant 2004L (as well as 2004) in the presence of moisture and temperature cycling. The research efforts, which include development of predictive modeling techniques and field sample analysis, are ongoing. To date, none of the researchers have identified field evidence showing that propellant 2004L is undergoing a degradation process that leads to aggressive deployment and potential rupture. However, the time in service of such inflators remains short compared to that of the inflators using propellant 2004. Further study is needed to assess the long-term safety of desiccated inflators using propellant 2004L.The Office of Defects Investigation is opening this investigation to examine whether a safety defect related to propellant degradation exists in non-recalled desiccated PSAN frontal inflators manufactured by Takata. This investigation will require extensive information on Takata production processes and surveys of inflators in the field. Lists of recall actions that may have used desiccated PSAN inflators as remedy parts, as well as the makes and models originally manufactured with them, is available with the downloadable version of this document (see nhtsa.gov/recalls?nhtsaId=EA21002 -- note this information is subject to change/revision as the investigation proceeds). This investigation does not supersede EA15-001, which remains open.
Technical service bulletins and other communications the manufacturer sent dealers about this vehicle. Ask a dealer for the full document by its number.
Bars are owner complaints, dots mark years with recalls. Select a year to open its report.