Investigations
INADVERTANT SIDE AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT
NHTSA Recall Query RQ99018 — closed, opened 1999-09-03 and involving the BMW 328I.
NHTSA investigation RQ99018 is a Recall Query opened on 1999-09-03 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 1999-12-08 — 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 Recall Query like RQ99018 evaluates whether a previously issued recall is actually fixing the problem. NHTSA opens an RQ when owners continue to report the original defect after the recall remedy is installed, or when completion rates fall short of the agency's expectations for that risk tier.
Investigators summarized the matter as follows: "ON MARCH 26, 1999, BMW OF NORTH AMERICAN, INC. RECALLED 32,500 1999 323I AND 328I MANUFACTURED UP TO APRIL 1999, FOR INADVERTENT DEPLOYMENT OF THE SIDE AIRBAG SYSTEM IN CERTAIN NON-CRASH IMPACTS SUCH AS CONTACTING LARGE..." 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
ON MARCH 26, 1999, BMW OF NORTH AMERICAN, INC. RECALLED 32,500 1999 323I AND 328I MANUFACTURED UP TO APRIL 1999, FOR INADVERTENT DEPLOYMENT OF THE SIDE AIRBAG SYSTEM IN CERTAIN NON-CRASH IMPACTS SUCH AS CONTACTING LARGE POT HOLES OR CURBS AT SUBSTANTIAL SPEED. AS A REMEDY, BMW WILL RECODE THE AIR BAG CONTROL MODULE OF THE AFFECTED VEHICLES WITH UPDATED SOFTWARE. THE RECALL WAS A RESULT OF AN ODI SAFETY DEFECT INVESTIGATION. ODI RECEIVED 1 CONSUMER COMPLAINT OF A 1999 MODEL YEAR M3 ALLEGING THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR AIRBAG DEPLOYED WITHOUT SIDE IMPACT TO THE VEHICLE CAUSING ONE INJURY. THE COMPLAINANT'S M3 USES THE SAME CHASSIS AS THE 3-SERIES AND WAS BUILT IN MARCH 1999. THE PURPOSE OF THIS RQ IS TO DETERMINE THE ADEQUACY OF THE SCOPE OF THE RECALL. CLOSING NOTE: BMW HAS DECIDED TO CONDUCT A SAFETY RECALL CAMPAIGN UNDER SAFETY RECALL NUMBER 99V-063.001.
About This Investigation Type
A Recall Query (RQ) evaluates the effectiveness of a previously issued recall. NHTSA opens an RQ when consumer complaints suggest that a recall remedy may not be adequately addressing the safety issue, or when the recall completion rate appears insufficient.
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.