Side/window Air Bag problems of the 2004 BMW Z4

After cranking my 2004 Z4 in the drive way, my wife in the car with me at the time, the drivers side airbag went off for no reason. Had just put the car into reverse to back it up and then "pow" sounded like a gunshot going off. I looked over to see my wife panicked as she was stunned that this went off right in her face. It scuffed her arm a bit and got the powder residue in her face. This car has been driven very little, only about 6000 miles a year roughly. This kind of thing should not happen. The car had not even moved it was just put into reverse and then it unexpectantly exploded. I had previously taken the car in to check on a recall they had on some vehicles for the airbag mat in the passenger side, was told that my model was not effected. I think that may have been a lie, and if was not a lie then it clearly should have been included in the recall.

My passenger-side airbag literally "exploded" as I was walking up to my car this morning. Of course, I didn't realize that was what it was until I unlocked my car and opened the door. The airbag was exposed and there was "smoke" in the car. It appears what happened is the exact reason given for recalling the 3 series vehicles due to the takata airbag problem, the reason given are incidents such as this occur in florida and puerto rico due to the high heat and humidity. . Read more...

Airbag deployment while vehicle in motion. 9/27/2012 approx. 6:20pm had one of the passenger side airbags deploy without warning while vehicle was being driven. No accident involved, no striking curb, no pothole. . . Nothing untoward. BMW dealer now has vehicle to determine cause of malfunction. I have requested that BMW north America have a representative inspect the vehicle to assist in determining cause of this malfunction and to pass along his findings to the appropriate individuals at BMW. Had one of the driver's side airbags malfunctioned and deployed while this vehicle was being driven, the results could have easily been catastrophic!.