BMW X5 (2011) Air Bag Recall: Risk of Serious Injury from Inflator Explosion
BMW is recalling certain 2009-2012 X5 models with passenger air bags that may explode due to propellant degradation, risking serious injury or death. Owners must stop driving until repairs are completed.
Stop using this now
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 specific 2009-2012 X5 models with passenger air bags that could explode, causing serious injury or death. Owners must stop driving until the air bag is replaced by BMW. Read more at govinfonow.com/recall/1252291-bmw-x5-2011-air-bag-recall-risk-of-serious-injury.
Source Summary by GovInfoNow · govinfonow.com/recall/1252291-bmw-x5-2011-air-bag-recall-risk-of-serious-injury · Updated October 5, 2026 · Official notice: NHTSA #20V016000
Cite this page
“BMW X5 (2011) Air Bag Recall: Risk of Serious Injury from Inflator Explosion.” GovInfoNow, updated October 5, 2026. https://govinfonow.com/recall/1252291-bmw-x5-2011-air-bag-recall-risk-of-serious-injury. Based on NHTSA recall #20V016000 (https://www.nhtsa.gov/recalls?nhtsaId=20V016000).
Why it’s dangerous
The air bag inflators contain a propellant that degrades over time when exposed to high humidity, heat, and temperature changes. This degradation can cause the inflators to explode, sending sharp metal fragments that may injure or kill occupants.
Who’s affected
Owners of specific 2009-2012 BMW X5 models with passenger air bags are affected. Drivers and passengers in these vehicles are at risk of serious injury or death if the air bag explodes.
How to tell if you have this one
Check if your vehicle is a 2009-2012 X5, 2008-2012 X6, or 2010-2011 X6 ActiveHybrid with passenger air bags. The recall applies to models that used interim parts from previous Takata recalls.
- Brand
BMW- Category
Vehicle
What to do — step by step
Stop Using Vehicle Now
Do not drive your vehicle until BMW replaces the passenger front air bag.
Contact BMW Customer Service
Call 1-800-525-7417 to schedule the air bag replacement.
What NHTSA says to do
Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until this remedy is performed. BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger front air bag, 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.
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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 #20V016000 (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.