BMW Recalls XM, X7, X6, X5 Over Incorrectly Manufactured Front Passenger Knee Airbag

Founded in 2018 by merging Key Safety Systems with the Takara Corporation we've all heard of, Joyson Safety Systems identified a cushion seam opened by the airbag's deployment. In-depth analysis revealed that a combination of low stitch count and high temperature may lead to the cushion seam opening during the airbag's deployment, which increases the risk of an injury to the front passenger.

BMW initiated a delivery hold on August 24, yet a handful of vehicles were delivered to their rightful owners with iffy front passenger knee airbags. The subsequent review of potentially affected vehicles concluded with an estimated 2,352 sport utility vehicles, namely 2024 X5, X6, X7, and 2023 XM.

One unit of the plug-in hybrid XM is recalled, with BMW determining its production date as being June 19. The 2024 model year X7 is affected to the tune of 586 units produced on June 12 through August 16.

Said vehicles range from the lowly xDrive40i to the S68-engined M60i and go-faster Alpina XB7. The recall population further includes 208 units of the X6 (assembled in Spartanburg in the period from June 12 through August 15) and 513 units of the X5 xDrive50e (June 13 through August 16). The final entries come in the form of combustion-only X5s produced between June 13 and August 16, ranging between the rear-wheel-drive sDrive40i to the M.

BMW dealers nationwide have already been instructed to replace the front passenger knee airbag (part number 72126991408) with one featuring proper stitching. Of course, the replacement also comes from Joyson rather than a different supplier.

Owners will be informed of Joyson's blunder on or about October 30. In the meantime, you can tell whether your sport utility vehicle is recalled by running the VIN on the NHTSA's free look-up tool.

Based on the CLuster ARchitecture that also underpins the X4 and X3, the mid-sized X5 is referred to as G05 since 2018 for the 2019 model year. At press time, you can get a 2024 BMW X5 for as low as $65,200 for the sDrive40i. The M Performance M60i retails at $89,300, whereas the plug-in hybrid xDrive50e can be yours for $72,500.

Not exactly for everyone, the aesthetically challenged X6 ranges between $73,900 for the xDrive40i to $127,200 for the M. The X7 may not have an M variant to call its own, but the Alpina XB7 is more powerful than both the X6 M and X5 M due to 631 horsepower compared to 617 horsepower.

Their twin-turbocharged V8 is shared with the XM, which comes in two flavors in the United States market: 644 ponies from the outset or 738 for the Label Red. Over in China, the 50e packs a non-M sixer rather than eight cylinders arranged in a V.