BMW Checking Airbag Control Unit and Mechanical Brake System on the new 3 Series

BMW requests owners of the new 3 Series launched in April 1998 to have their car checked by an authorised BMW dealer. Owners of these cars will receive notification from BMW. The actual process of examination and the modifications on the car itself take approximately half an hour.

Ongoing quality observation has shown that under certain circumstances the side airbags may be activated without a cause, ie without car being involved in a collision. To avoid such an eventuality the airbag control unit is being re-coded, ie, the software is being modified.

Product observation has also shown that on a small number of cars in this model series a retention bracket on the connection between the brake pedal and brake servo might possibly not be fitted properly. Depending on how often the brake pedal is used and the forces exerted on the pedal, the bracket might come loose, causing the car's brakes to fail. To avoid even the slightest residual risk of this kind, BMW is checking the correct installation and position of the bracket on all cars of this type.