BMW has declared a stop-sale and recall of its i3 electric city cars due to an issue with recent NHTSA front crash testing results.
In recent testing by the National Highway Safety Administration, the i3 failed a frontal crash protection test (officially called the "unbelted small adult rigid barrier test") that endangers 5 percent of female drivers.
Specifically, it affects those females who are roughly 5 feet tall and 110 lbs, recognized as a group with a marginally higher risk of receiving a neck injury when not wearing a seatbelt while driving 20 to 25-mph.
First introduced in 2014, this recall affects every i3 sold plus all those already in the pipeline, including 2018 models. In all, roughly 30,000 vehicles have been affected by the recall, approximately 29,000 of them which have already been sold. BMW has projected that one out of every 40 owners is affected, limiting the issue to roughly 735 owners.
Additionally, state laws have expedited the recall, with all but one state (New Hampshire) not requiring the use of seat belts, compounding the issue further.
No fix has been announced. However, BMW is currently working on the issue and continues to advise owners to wear seatbelts. If customers have any questions, they can reach BMW Customer Relations by emailing [email protected] or calling (800) 525-7417.
To check if a recall has affected your vehicle, visit the NHTSA's recall page, enter your vehicle's VIN, and see what you find.
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