German carmaker BMW is recalling 1.36 million vehicles in China due to faulty airbags that pose a “safety risk,” the market regulator (SAMR) announced on Friday.
The airbag inflation device located in certain models of the brand’s steering wheels “can explode and the debris can injure the vehicle’s passengers,” the regulator explained.
Yet another episode of Takata Reminders
The recall affects both cars produced locally by BMW and vehicles imported by the brand, it said in a press release. Necessary repairs will be carried out free of charge.
The airbags in question come from the Japanese company Takata, which went bankrupt in 2017 following this scandal. Millions of cars from many brands (Mazda, Ford, Honda, BMW) have been subject to several recalls since 2014 to replace the airbags from this supplier.
In France, Stellantis launched a “Stop Drive” recall at the end of April, asking owners of C3s and DS3s manufactured between 2009 and 2019 to stop driving their vehicle and replace their airbag. An operation still ongoing and affecting hundreds of thousands of vehicles.
China is the world’s largest car market. Last month, hybrid and electric vehicles accounted for more than half of sales there, a first for this niche, which is dominated by local brands and where competition is particularly fierce.
Source: BFM TV
