German manufacturer BMW issued the recall of more than 1.3 million vehicles in China that may contain Takata airbag inflators, following a similar announcement from the United States last month, AP News reported.
The State Administration for Market Regulation of China said the recall covers nearly 600,000 vehicles manufactured in China between 2005 and 2017 and more than 750,000 imported vehicles manufactured between 2003 and 2018. The vehicle models include BMW 1-series to 6-series and X1, X3, X4, X5 and X6 SUVs.
The recall comes as a small number of cars may have Takata inflators if the owner changes the steering wheel, causing the inflator to explode when the airbag deploys, sending shrapnel into the car and injuring passengers.
Inflators have caused at least 35 deaths in three countries – the US, Australia and Malaysia. As a result, US regulators said last month that BMW would recall more than 390,000 vehicles because the original steering wheel may have undergone replacement with a sport or sport steering wheel fitted with the Takata inflator.
The Chinese regulator, for its part, said BMW owners can visit a dealer to have the steering wheel checked, or upload a photo of the steering wheel and vehicle identification number to get a response in a fortnight. BMW will replace the driver’s side airbag in affected vehicles free of charge.
In addition, Ford and Mazda, whose vehicles built between 2003 and 2015, this week warned owners of more than 475,000 vehicles in the US not to drive them because they have Takata airbag inflators.
