Investigations
INADVERTENT SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYMENTS
NHTSA Preliminary Evaluation PE99017 — closed, opened 1999-03-02 and involving the BMW 328I.
NHTSA investigation PE99017 is a Preliminary Evaluation opened on 1999-03-02 and currently closed. The subject of record is BMW 328I, which places this file inside the Office of Defects Investigation queue for BMW. Latest activity on this investigation was logged on 1999-05-11 — NHTSA updates that field whenever an Information Request goes out, a supplement is filed, or a status change is recorded in the public docket.
A Preliminary Evaluation like PE99017 is the entry point of the federal defect-investigation process. NHTSA engineers scan complaint databases, field reports, and manufacturer data to decide whether an Engineering Analysis is warranted, whether a voluntary recall is already sufficient, or whether the pattern does not rise to a defect finding.
Investigators summarized the matter as follows: "IN A LETTER DATED MARCH 26, 1999, TO NHTSA, BMW STATED THAT IT WILL RECALL APPROXIMATELY 32,500 MODEL YEAR 1999 BMW 323I AND 328I 4 DOOR VEHICLES BUILT FROM JUNE 1998 TO MARCH 1999. REFER TO NHTSA RECALL NO. 99V-063 FOR..." Investigations are the early-warning layer of the federal auto-safety system, sitting upstream of formal recalls and defect orders. Whether this one closes without action or escalates into an Engineering Analysis, the full history stays in the ODI archive so researchers, litigators, and buyers can pull the paper trail at any time. Related BMW files, listed below, give context on whether this is an isolated concern or part of a broader pattern across the brand.
Investigation Summary
IN A LETTER DATED MARCH 26, 1999, TO NHTSA, BMW STATED THAT IT WILL RECALL APPROXIMATELY 32,500 MODEL YEAR 1999 BMW 323I AND 328I 4 DOOR VEHICLES BUILT FROM JUNE 1998 TO MARCH 1999. REFER TO NHTSA RECALL NO. 99V-063 FOR DETAILS. IN ITS DRAFT LETTER DATED APRIL 1999 TO VEHICLE OWNERS, BMW STATED THE REMEDY WILL BE TO RE-CALIBRATE THE CENTRAL AIR BAG CONTROL MODULE TO REDUCE SENSITIVITY TO NON-CRASH EVENTS SUCH AS DRIVING OVER POTHOLES AND CURBS. THIS SHOULD HELP PREVENT INADVERTENT OR NON-CRASH SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYMENTS.
About This Investigation Type
A Preliminary Evaluation (PE) is the first phase of NHTSA's investigation process. It is opened when the agency identifies a potential safety defect pattern, usually triggered by consumer complaints, manufacturer reports, or field monitoring. During a PE, NHTSA gathers information to determine whether a formal engineering analysis is warranted.
Other BMW Investigations
Brake fluid leak at front brake caliper
Steering Oscillation
Steering Oscillation
Idler Pulley Bolt Failure
BMW Safety Act Violations
Data from NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Cross-references: NHTSA recall campaign API and NHTSA FARS where fatality records overlap. PlainCars does not rate or recommend vehicles. Learn more.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.