Logos of Stellantis and BMW | PHOTOS: AFP
New York, United States — Automakers Stellantis and BMW recalled around 725,000 autos for problems related to airbags, according to documents released Wednesday by federal safety officials.
At Stellantis, the issue is that a “seat belt buckle switch sensor may be improperly connected, preventing the front seat air bag from deploying as intended,” the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said in a written notice to US Stellantis unit FCA.
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“A front seat air bag that does not deploy as intended can increase the risk of injury in a crash,” the notice added.
The affected pool of around 330,000 autos includes certain models of Alfa Romeo, Jeep and Fiat between 2017 and 2024.
FCA discovered the issue during a “routine review” of customer feedback. The company said it knows of no injuries or accidents.
“Drivers may notice their airbag light remains illuminated after vehicle start-up, or, the seatbelt reminder sound is activated, even if the seatbelt is fastened,” FCA said in a press release. “The remedy will be provided free of charge.”
BMW said its recall pertained to around 394,000 older vehicles from between 2006 and 2011 containing Takata airbags.
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The airbags are prone to an explosion that “may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants.”
Defects in the airbags have been linked to more than two dozen fatalities in the United States.
The Takata brand disappeared in 2018 following a bankruptcy in the wake of the airbag scandal, which affected almost every major global automaker, including Toyota and General Motors, and triggered the auto industry’s biggest-ever safety recall.