Cape Town - BMW is recalling about 6 000 of its E46 cars in South Africa because of an airbag problem that prompted five other major automakers to recall a total of 3.4-million vehicles.
The affected vehicles were made during 2002/03.
A BMW SA spokesperson said customers would be contacted within the next month as a precautionary measure.
'SUPER SUPPLIERS'
The Detroit News reported that the recall, originated in the US and blamed on an airbag made a decade earlier, is the latest in a series of high-profile airbag recalls in recent years. In April 2013 Toyota, Honda, Nissan, Mazda and General Motors said they would recall 3.4-million vehicles worldwide because airbags could catch fire or send metal fragments into occupants.
Motoring website Edmunds.com’s senior analyst Michelle Krebs said the recall showed the effect of automakers using common parts.
"This recall is an example of the downsides of using 'super suppliers' for important vehicle components.”
The affected vehicles were made during 2002/03.
A BMW SA spokesperson said customers would be contacted within the next month as a precautionary measure.
'SUPER SUPPLIERS'
The Detroit News reported that the recall, originated in the US and blamed on an airbag made a decade earlier, is the latest in a series of high-profile airbag recalls in recent years. In April 2013 Toyota, Honda, Nissan, Mazda and General Motors said they would recall 3.4-million vehicles worldwide because airbags could catch fire or send metal fragments into occupants.
Motoring website Edmunds.com’s senior analyst Michelle Krebs said the recall showed the effect of automakers using common parts.
"This recall is an example of the downsides of using 'super suppliers' for important vehicle components.”