BMW 328I (2013) Air Bag Recall: Risk of Serious Injury from Inflator Explosion
BMW is recalling 2013 328i models with specific air bag inflators that may explode due to propellant degradation, risking serious injury or death. Owners must have the air bag replaced free of charge by dealers.
Use caution until it’s fixed
An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
What happened, in plain English
BMW is recalling certain 2013 328i vehicles with air bags that could explode, potentially causing serious injury or death. Owners must have the air bag replaced at no cost by a dealer. Read more at govinfonow.com/recall/1250491-bmw-328i-2013-air-bag-recall-risk-of-serious-injury.
Source Summary by GovInfoNow · govinfonow.com/recall/1250491-bmw-328i-2013-air-bag-recall-risk-of-serious-injury · Updated October 5, 2026 · Official notice: NHTSA #20V017000
Cite this page
“BMW 328I (2013) Air Bag Recall: Risk of Serious Injury from Inflator Explosion.” GovInfoNow, updated October 5, 2026. https://govinfonow.com/recall/1250491-bmw-328i-2013-air-bag-recall-risk-of-serious-injury. Based on NHTSA recall #20V017000 (https://www.nhtsa.gov/recalls?nhtsaId=20V017000).
Why it’s dangerous
The air bag inflators contain a propellant that can degrade over time due to high humidity, heat, and temperature changes. When this happens, the inflator may explode, sending sharp metal fragments that can injure or kill occupants.
Who’s affected
Owners of 2013 BMW 328i models with specific air bag inflators are affected. Drivers and passengers in these vehicles are at risk if the air bag explodes.
How to tell if you have this one
Check if your 2013 BMW 328i has an air bag inflator with phase stabilized ammonium nitrate (PSAN) that was used as an interim fix for previous Takata recalls. The recall covers specific models sold between 2006 and 2013.
- Brand
BMW- Category
Vehicle
What to do — step by step
Contact BMW Customer Service
Call 1-800-525-7417 to confirm your vehicle is affected and schedule a free air bag replacement.
Have Air Bag Replaced
Dealers will replace the driver air bag at no cost once the recall is confirmed.
What NHTSA says to do
BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver air bag. On X5 and X6 vehicles, only the inflator will be replaced. All repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began March 11, 2020. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
How this recall unfolded
Recall timeline
2 dated steps over 56 days.
- NHTSA received the defect report
- Recall began
Dates from the agency record only; steps without a date are left out.
Keep exploring
Where this comes from
The facts (hazard, remedy, dates, manufacturer) are pulled from the official NHTSA recall record. The plain-language summary and step-by-step checklist are written by GovInfoNow to make the official notice easier to act on — they don’t replace it.
- Official source: NHTSA Recall #20V017000 (January 15, 2020)
- Plain-language summary written by qwen3:4b on October 5, 2026, from the official record above. Not reviewed by a person — if it conflicts with the NHTSA notice, the notice is correct. Report an error on this page.
- GovInfoNow is an independent service and is not a government agency. We republish official NHTSA recall data; we don’t issue, amend or administer recalls.