BMW E46 airbag recall!

[Cord Fourteener]

https://www.bmw.co.uk/en/footer/quick-links/bmw-vehicle-recalls.html

Fellow E46 owners, get your airbags replaced! Lest they could discharge shrapnel shot-gun style into your face.

[Iamgroot]

Oh shit, better check the old man's car, I'll get his vin number off him later and have a look. Thanks very much

[Jamie]

Been around for a good few years now this, I've probably took about 17 e46s in and enjoyed free Coffee and a free valet. 

[Tamworthbay]

And me, poked around lots of expensive cars whilst enjoying free drinks and biscuits, even got a voucher for a free meal for myself and the other half when it took longer than expected! Decent pub meal it was too. And the car came back so clean I wondered whose car it was for a week,

[Jamie]

And some nice eye candy - not the modern shite either ? 

[colino]

This has been an issue for a while, but you may see a slight increase in urgency when other countries spot the problem and have far, far better consumer legislation. https://www.recall.bmw.com.au/

 

[Six-cylinder]

nothing due on Mrs6C's 330Ci

[Cord Fourteener]

1 hour ago, colino said:

This has been an issue for a while, but you may see a slight increase in urgency when other countries spot the problem and have far, far better consumer legislation. https://www.recall.bmw.com.au/

 

I gather the issue is more prevalent in US made cars such as those in Australia. And it wasnt' just BMWs, the airbag scandal has hit a number of manufacturers who used the same airbag manufacturer.

[Lord Sterling]

It's easy to do. Phone your local BMW dealer, tell them that you want to book your car in for an airbag recall and tell them its an e46. Its free but it will take some time out of your day, usually about 2 to 3 hours. 

[Matty]

Worries me this cos when I bought mine last year I rang bowkers up with the reg number and they said it wasn't subject to any recalls. I asked specifically about airbags. Is this a new recall do we know?

[Lord Sterling]

1 hour ago, Matty said:

Worries me this cos when I bought mine last year I rang bowkers up with the reg number and they said it wasn't subject to any recalls. I asked specifically about airbags. Is this a new recall do we know?

Try again. You might have got through to someone unhelpful.

[Cord Fourteener]

2 hours ago, Lord Sterling said:

It's easy to do. Phone your local BMW dealer, tell them that you want to book your car in for an airbag recall and tell them its an e46. Its free but it will take some time out of your day, usually about 2 to 3 hours. 

Indeed, in Llandudno Junction they told me 2 hours. I booked in sharp after I found out this morning mine is under recall.

[Matty]

2 hours ago, Lord Sterling said:

Try again. You might have got through to someone unhelpful.

Doing it now mo using v5c with the link provided

[Matty]

According to the BMW link provided by Tim the answer is the same. Mine isn't subject to any open recalls. Good do really cos I don't much fancy a BMW tech working for nowt fucking about with it. Though the free valet would've been welcome ?

[Lord Sterling]

50 minutes ago, Matty said:

According to the BMW link provided by Tim the answer is the same. Mine isn't subject to any open recalls. Good do really cos I don't much fancy a BMW tech working for nowt fucking about with it. Though the free valet would've been welcome ?

I'd use this link for the UK:

https://www.check-mot.service.gov.uk/?_ga=2.154401464.1279272139.1573345971-1421293471.1563825692

It'll tell you if your vehicle has an outstanding recall.  BMW techie wouldn't be working for nowt. BMW have a responsibility to put things right.

Its odd that BMW Australia say cars affected from 1997 to 2000. My BMW is a 2003 model and got sorted for free.

Here was mine some years ago at Rybrook Worcester for the recall:

[Jamie]

The dvla system isn't very effective for recall information. 

 

My e90 has an outstanding one for battery positive lead, though it doesn't say so on dvla site, a quick call to  bmw emergency assist they confirm it does indeed need recall work. 

[Matty]

8 hours ago, Lord Sterling said:

I'd use this link for the UK:

https://www.check-mot.service.gov.uk/?_ga=2.154401464.1279272139.1573345971-1421293471.1563825692

It'll tell you if your vehicle has an outstanding recall.  BMW techie wouldn't be working for nowt. BMW have a responsibility to put things right.

Its odd that BMW Australia say cars affected from 1997 to 2000. My BMW is a 2003 model and got sorted for free.

Here was mine some years ago at Rybrook Worcester for the recall:

Even more worryingly yours is the same age as mine. Will try the new link, cheers.

[Wingz123]

17 hours ago, jamiechod said:

Been around for a good few years now this, I've probably took about 17 e46s in and enjoyed free Coffee and a free valet. 

+1 I had mine done about 3 years ago

[Cord Fourteener]

21 hours ago, Matty said:

According to the BMW link provided by Tim the answer is the same. Mine isn't subject to any open recalls. Good do really cos I don't much fancy a BMW tech working for nowt fucking about with it. Though the free valet would've been welcome ?

The BMW tech is getting paid by BMW who are surprisingly good, for a car manufacturer, at understanding the concept of 'Goodwill' as a financial asset. It's worth being sure of the state of the recall as the (very unlikely) failure has potentially grim effects should it occur upon the deployment of your airbag.

[Cord Fourteener]

12 hours ago, Matty said:

Even more worryingly yours is the same age as mine. Will try the new link, cheers.

Mine's an 04 E46 and I'm going next monday to get a new airbag after a very easy convo with my local BMW dealer who confirmed mine is needing it done and a positive result on the search. The thing is, I suppose a different airbag could have been used on different cars in the same factory at the same time, if yours is not coming up as needing it done. Confusing.

[Jamie]

All e46s with the round airbags from 2001 to 2006 were affected. I've had 31of the fuckers now so Im well in touch with the recall procedure. 

[Matty]

Will be ringing bowkers again if I ever get this fucking job done I'm on ?

[Jamie]

Ring bmw emergency assist they have a recall team who will probably be more helpful /kniwegeable 

[Tamworthbay]

On 11/10/2019 at 8:39 AM, Matty said:

Even more worryingly yours is the same age as mine. Will try the new link, cheers.

Could it have been done already?

[Lord Sterling]

1 hour ago, Tamworthbay said:

Could it have been done already?

Was thinking that it should be noted on thier system to not to have thier workshops swamped with new e46 owners thinking it hadn't been done or those who have nothing better to do.

They give you a receipt afterwards to show that the work has been done. I've kept mine. 

[Tamworthbay]

15 minutes ago, Lord Sterling said:

Was thinking that it should be noted on thier system to not to have thier workshops swamped with new e46 owners thinking it hadn't been done or those who have nothing better to do.

They give you a receipt afterwards to show that the work has been done. I've kept mine. 

I thought you had my old one HV51DCU? Both were done in that when I had it.

[Matty]

Thanks everybody for the advice. Much appreciated 

[Cord Fourteener]

2 hours ago, Lord Sterling said:

Was thinking that it should be noted on thier system to not to have thier workshops swamped with new e46 owners thinking it hadn't been done or those who have nothing better to do.

They give you a receipt afterwards to show that the work has been done. I've kept mine. 

Could be a new hobby... 'hmm I'm bored. I think I'll go to BMW and get a new airbag, cup of tea and a free valet again!'

[loserone]

The replacement airbags have the same issues and will also eventually be recalled, they're just hoping most affected cars will have been scrapped by the second time around.

 

(The issue is the metal case which directs the explosion degrades in humidity and especially heat, thus becoming shrapnel for a bomb rather than directing the airbag.)

[Matty]

Update!- just rang BMW emergency assist who confirmed that both the drivers and passengers airbags were changed under recall at Cooper's Sunderland in Feb 2018, 3 months before I bought the car. So one less thing to worry about!

Once again lads thanks for the advice, and just to note excellent customer service from BMW for a 17 yr old car that isn't making them any money. Top marks