Airbag recall hits 45,000 BMWs

Airbag recall: The BMW 3 Series – 2002 and 2003 model years – is the target of the airbag recall. These cars are part of 3.4 million vehicles being recalled worldwide by six different automakers, including Toyota, Honda and General Motors.

BMW is recalling 45,500 3 Series sedans in the U.S. and Canada because their passenger air bags may not inflate properly.

The recall affects 3 Series from the 2002 and 2003 model years. The defective air bags have an inflator housing that can rupture during deployment and send shrapnel flying into the vehicle.

The 3 Series is one of 3.4 million vehicles being recalled worldwide by six different automakers, including Toyota, Honda and General Motors. All the companies used passenger air bags made by Takata Corp.

The initial recall was announced last month in Japan, but BMW needed more time to determine which vehicles were affected.

BMW says it has had no reports of injuries because of the issue. It will contact owners and replace the air bags for free.

As The Christian Science Monitor reported last month, "the recall affects passenger-side airbags manufactured at the company’s Mexico plant between 2000 and 2002. All of the vehicles involved thus far were manufactured between 2000 and 2004.

“The involved vehicles are equipped with front passenger airbag inflators which could have been assembled with improperly manufactured propellant wafers,” Toyota USA said in a statement on the recalls section of the automaker’s website. “Improperly manufactured propellant wafers could cause the inflator to rupture and the front passenger airbag to deploy abnormally in the event of a crash.”

Copyright 2013 The Associated Press.