on [XXX] I was going into a Parking Garage in Beverly Hills, CA. I got a little too far from the ticket machine so I put the BMWX3 in PARK and PUT the Emergency Brake on so I could open my door, step out and grab the ticket. The car immediately rolled backwards into a Dodge Charger behind me. That woman is suing for $150,000. It caused my insurance to double, I had to have PT on my pelvis. I had to pay the deductible to get the car repaired. BMW will not take responsibility for the malfunction. My Dad was a professional driver for FORD and I have never caused an accident in my [XXX] years of driving. The woman claims that she and her children were injured but no air bags deployed. the car rolled. It did give me quite a jolt. Her car showed no visible damage but mine was damaged - tail pipe and bumper. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
BMW X3 no deployment problems
19 of the 2,025 owner complaints about the BMW X3 describe airbags did not deploy in a crash, most of them for the 2004 model year.
- owner complaints
- 19
- worst model year
- 2004
- typical mileage
- 90,000
By model year
- 20261
- 20221
- 20211
- 20201
- 20153
- 20141
- 20101
- 20072
- 20062
- 20052
- 20044
Often reported together
What owners say
The contact owned a 2026 BMW X3. The contact stated while reversing at an undisclosed speed out of the garage at the residence, the vehicle became difficult to maneuver. The contact stated that the vehicle skidded on the ice, and the rear end crashed into a tree. There was no warning light illuminated during the failure. There was no air bags deployed during the crash. A Police report was not filed. The vehicle was drivable and was taken to a Collision Center in Bloomington, Illinois, where it was inspected, and the vehicle was deemed a total loss by the Insurance Provider. The contact research and was made aware of an the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 25V857000 (STEERING). The contact stated that the VIN was not under recall when the crash occurred but had since received the recall notification. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 900.
The contact owned a 2021 BMW X3. The contact stated while parked and occupied in the vehicle, while shifting the gear shift into park, the vehicle accelerated independently and collided with a Tesla occupied by a mom and daughter, which was in front of her. The contact mentioned that the Tesla collided with another vehicle. The vehicle then reversed independently at a high speed and then accelerated again, and collided a second time with the Tesla and then into a BMW several times. The contact, while depressing the brake pedal, the vehicle failed to respond as intended. After accelerating independently, the vehicle came to a complete stop. The contact stated that no air bags deployed. The vehicle was towed was B&D Towing, and the vehicle was then towed to Copart. The contact sustained an injury in her lower back. The contact mentioned the doctor informed her that she sustained whiplash as well. No medical attention was required. No police report was filed. The vehicle was deemed a total loss. The contact mentioned that the seat belt had retracted during the impact. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, and they informed her that they would send someone from BMW to inspect the vehicle. The approximate failure mileage was 57,303.
The accident happened at Noon on [XXX] at the Amazon Fresh/Post office parking lot’s far right exit lane facing [XXX] The address is [XXX] . We were leaving the parking lot and I stopped at the exit lane with 2 cars in front of us. After the first car exited, the second car, a black Ford Explorer, moved forward. I released the brake slightly but my foot was still on the brake pedal. At this moment, my car suddenly accelerated and quickly approached the Explorer. I immediately pressed the brake pedal hard but was unable to stop my car and hit the back of the Explorer. The Explorer was forced out in front of the stop sign but the driver was able to turn right to park at the roadside. With my foot still firmly on the brake pedal, my car kept on accelerating into [XXX] , crossing 5 lanes of traffic until we hit the roadside curb of westbound [XXX] . The car then swerved left and hit a roadside tree, turning sideways into [XXX] middle turn lane. During this entire time, I did not press the accelerator and the car was violently shaking and jerking right and left. As the car slowed down, I was able to steer the car to the right eastbound lane of [XXX] , next to the parking lot near Bank of America’s ATM sign. After I got out of the car, I noticed the front and right sides of the body and tires were damaged including crushing, dents, and significant scratching. The problem I believe is as follows: 1.Sudden Unintended Acceleration and Control Circuit Malfunction. 2.Airbags did not deploy even though we hit a car, curb and tree. 3.Onboard Data Recorder should have the information needed. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
The contact owns a 2007 BMW X3. The contact stated that while driving approximately 40 MPH the vehicle T-bone crashed into the side of a tractor trailer. During the crash the front driver side and passenger side airbags did not deploy. The driver sustained head, neck, back and internal injuries and the front passenger sustained head, neck, back and leg injuries. No further information was available. Both occupants were transported to the hospital. A police report was taken at the scene and the vehicle towed away. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The local dealer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 127,000.
The contact owned a 2007 BMW X3. The contact stated that while driving at mid-range speed, another vehicle ran a two-way stop sign and hit the front end of the vehicle. The air bags did not deploy upon impact. A police report was filed. The contact and his wife were taken to the hospital where his wife was treated for an injury to her foot (foot location unknown) and the contact was treated for the pain in his back and neck. He was also treated for respiratory issues related to his defibrillator. The whereabouts of the other driver were unknown. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where it was deemed a total loss by his insurance. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and a case was filed. The vehicle was destroyed. The failure mileage was approximately 130,000.
The contact ownd a 2004 BMW X3. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 60 MPH, she dozed off behind the wheel when the vehicle crashed into the rear of a tow truck. As a result, the front end of the vehicle was damaged. The air bags failed to deploy. The contact sustained an injury to the head and bodily soreness. Medical attention was required. No police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to a tow yard however, the vehicle was then towed to the contact’s residence. The vehicle was diagnosed by an air bag specialist and it was determined that the air bag was not connected. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the air bags failed to deploy due to minimal impact. The vehicle was deemed a total loss by the insurance company. The contact referenced the federal safety agency Campaign Number 08V384000 (Air Bags). The manufacturer was notified of the failure however, the contact had not received a response back. The failure mileage was unknown.
Tl* the contact owned a 2004 bmw x3. The contact stated while she fell asleep behind the wheel while driving at unknown speed, the vehicle crashed into a tow truck. The contact stated she pulled over after the impact woke her up. The air bags failed to deploy. The vehicle was towed to a lot and a police report was not filed. The crash was a front end collision. The dealer was not notified of the crash. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown. The vehicle was deemed a total loss. The vehicle was previously serviced under the federal safety agency campaign number: 08v384000 (air bags). *dt
On april 15 the vehicle was in a collision with severe front end damage. The tear down estimate was over $10,000. Funny thing was the air bag did not deploy.
Bmw was rear-ended when vehicles were slowing down at signal. The impact forced my car to it the vehicle at front. Bmw had good impact both at rear and front portion. The front driver airbag did not deploy for the force of impact my vehicle had.
Related recalls
Air bags: side/window: curtain
- What is wrong
- BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2025 X3 30 xDrive vehicles. The gas generator in the right-side head curtain air bag may have been assembled incorrectly.
- Risk
- An incorrectly assembled air bag can result in delayed activation or improper deployment of the head curtain air bag, increasing the risk of injury in a crash.
- Remedy
- Dealers will inspect and replace the right-side head curtain air bag, if necessary, free of charge. The vehicles have not been sold from dealer inventory and therefore no owner letters will be mailed. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1‑800‑525‑7417.
Recall number 24V856000 · Recall details
Air bags: passenger side frontal: cushion
- What is wrong
- BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2025 X3 xDrive30i and X3 M50i vehicles. The front passenger air bag fabric may have been damaged during transport between suppliers.
- Risk
- A damaged air bag may not inflate properly, increasing the risk of injury in a crash.
- Remedy
- Dealers will replace the front passenger air bag, free of charge. None of the affected vehicles have been sold yet and therefore no owner notification letters will be mailed. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1‑800‑525‑7417.
Recall number 24V772000 · Recall details
Air bags: frontal: driver side: inflator module
- What is wrong
- BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2015 6 Series Gran Coupe, 2014 5 Series Gran Turismo, 2014 5 Series Sedan, 2015 6 Series Convertible, 2015 6 Series Coupe, 2014 X5, 2013-2014 X3, 2014-2015 3 Series Sedan, 2014 4 Series Coupe, 2014 4 Series Convertible, 2014 3 Series Gran Turismo, and 2015 4 Series Gran Coupe vehicles. Please see the recall report for the complete list of models. The driver's air bag inflator may explode during deployment, due to a manufacturing defect.
- Risk
- An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants, increasing the risk of injury or death.
- Remedy
- The driver's front air bag will be replaced, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 6, 2024. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1‑800‑525‑7417.
Recall number 24V527000 · Recall details
Air bags: frontal
- What is wrong
- BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2014 X3 xDrive28i, X3 xDrive35i, X5 sDrive35i, X5 xDrive35i, and 2015 X4 xDrive35i vehicles. The driver's air bag inflator may explode during deployment, due to a manufacturing defect.
- Risk
- An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants, resulting in serious injury or death.
- Remedy
- Dealers will replace the driver's front air bag, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 19, 2024. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1‑800‑525‑7417.
Recall number 23V797000 · Recall details
Air bags: sensor: occupant classification: front passenger
- What is wrong
- BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2018-2019 X3 sDrive30i, X3 xDrive30i, X3 M40i and 2019 X4 xDrive30i, and X4 M40i vehicles. The front passenger seat occupant classification system may have been improperly assembled, which could result in the misclassification of the seat as unoccupied, and deactivate the front air bag.
- Risk
- A deactivated front air bag will not deploy in the event of a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
- Remedy
- Dealers will replace the seat foam, which includes the occupant classification system, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on September 3, 2021. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1‑800‑525‑7417.
Recall number 21V521000 · Recall details
Air bags: frontal: passenger side: inflator module
- What is wrong
- BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2019-2020 X4 xDrive30i and X4 M40i, and 2018-2020 X3 sDrive30i, X3 xDrive30i, X3 M40i, and X3M vehicles. The instrument panel casing may not have been tightened properly to the passenger air bag.
- Risk
- In the event of a crash necessitating air bag deployment, the air bag could damage the instrument panel and cause small pieces of the panel to strike the driver or other occupants, increasing the risk of injury.
- Remedy
- BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the instrument panel casing, free of charge. The recall began May 15, 2020. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1‑800‑525‑7417.
Recall number 20V152000 · Recall details
Air bags: frontal: driver side: inflator module
- What is wrong
- BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2008-2013 128i and 135i Convertibles, 128i, 135i, and M Coupes, 2007-2010 X3 30si and X3 xDrive30i, 2013-2015 X1 sDrive28i, X1 xDrive28i and X1 xDrive35i, 2007-2013 328i, 328i xDrive, 335i, 335is, 335i xDrive and M3 Coupes, 2006-2011 328i, 328xi, 328i xDrive, 325i, 325xi, 330i, 330xi, 335i, 335xi, 335i xDrive and M3, 2009-2011 335D, 2006-2012 325xi, 328i, 328xi and 328i xDrive, 2010-2011 X6 ActiveHybrid, 2007-2013 328i, 335i, 335is, M3 Coupes, X5 30si, X5 xDrive30i, X5 xDrive35i, X5 48i, X5 xDrive48i, X5 xDrive50i and X5 M, 2009-2013 X5 xDrive35d and 2008-2014 X6 xDrive35i, X6 xDrive50i and X6M vehicles equipped with non-desiccated driver frontal air bag inflators containing phase stabilized ammonium nitrate (PSAN) that were used as interim remedy parts for previous Takata recalls. These inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, high temperatures, and high temperature cycling.
- Risk
- An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
- Remedy
- 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.
Recall number 20V017000 · Recall details
Air bags: frontal: passenger side: inflator module
- What is wrong
- BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2019 X3 sDrive30i, X3 xDrive30i, X3 M40i, and X4 M40i vehicles. The instrument panel assembly may have been improperly manufactured, possibly affecting the deployment of the passenger's frontal air bag.
- Risk
- If the front passenger air bag does not deploy properly in the event of a crash, the occupant has an increased risk of injury.
- Remedy
- BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the instrument panel assembly, free of charge. The recall began June 3, 2019. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1‑800‑525‑7417.
Recall number 19V291000 · Recall details
Air bags: sensor: occupant classification
- What is wrong
- BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2006-2010 BMW X3 2.5i, X3 3.0i and X3 xDrive30i Sports Activity Vehicles. The front passenger seat occupant detection mat that determines if, and how, the passenger frontal air bag should deploy in a crash may fatigue and develop cracks which could lead to a system failure.
- Risk
- Should the system fail, in the event of a crash, the front passenger air bag would be deactivated, increasing the risk of personal injury.
- Remedy
- BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger seat occupant detection mat, free of charge. Interim owner notification letters were mailed on November 27, 2017. A second notification letter will be sent when parts are available. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1‑800‑525‑7417.
Recall number 17V605000 · Recall details
Air bags: frontal: driver side: inflator module
- What is wrong
- BMW of North America, LLC. (BMW) is recalling certain 2012-2013 BMW X3 xDrive28i, X3 xDrive35i, and M6 Convertible vehicles and 2013 M6 Coupe vehicles. The affected vehicles have a driver's frontal air bag inflator that may have been improperly welded.
- Risk
- In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, the inflator housing could separate from the base plate and result in metal striking the vehicle occupants, potentially resulting in serious injury or death.
- Remedy
- BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's front air bag module, free of charge. The recall began October 6, 2017. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1‑800‑525‑7417.
Recall number 17V495000 · Recall details
Questions about the BMW X3 no deployment
Which BMW X3 years have airbags did not deploy in a crash problems?
The model years with the most reports are 2004 (4 complaints), 2015 (3 complaints) and 2005 (2 complaints).
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