Vehicle recall R/2016/265

BMW 5 Series and BMW 7 Series recall: Front airbags and seat belt tensioners may fail to deploy when needed

DVSA recall R/2016/265 names the BMW 5 Series and BMW 7 Series. It was launched 16 November 2016. It covers vehicles built 2 December 2011 to 28 June 2012.

Recall data updated 22 September 2026

Recall: R/2016/265
Launched: 16 November 2016
Issued by: BMW
Manufacturer reference: 0065940200
Vehicles: DVSA lists 1,047 on each model line

What can go wrong

It has been identified that the airbag/SRS central sensor has been programmed with faulty software. If the vehicle is involved in a frontal or rearward collision then the airbag and seat belt tensioners may not be triggered which could lead to an increased risk of injury to the occupants.

The fix

Recall all affected vehicles for the replacement of the airbag/SRS central sensor.

Models and build dates

As listed in the DVSA recall file. DVSA lists the same vehicle number on each line: 1,047. It may be a figure per line or for the whole recall.
Model	Built	Vehicles
BMW 5 Series	2 December 2011 to 28 June 2012	1,047
BMW 7 Series	2 December 2011 to 28 June 2012	1,047

Is a specific car affected? A recall lists models and build dates, not individual vehicles, so these pages cannot tell you whether one car is included. Enter the registration on the DVSA vehicle recall checker on GOV.UK, or give the vehicle identification number (VIN) to the manufacturer or one of its dealers. Buying used? Ask the seller for proof that any recall work was done.

Other recalls for these models

R/2016/252 Drivers airbag may deploy incorrectly 1 November 2016, BMW 5 Series, BMW 3 Series, BMW X5
R/2017/011 Airbags may not deploy 10 January 2017, BMW M4, BMW 4 Series, MINI Cooper and One and others
R/2016/176 Airbag may not function as intended 21 July 2016, BMW 7 Series
R/2017/132 Driveshaft universal joint may break 11 April 2017, BMW X1, BMW 5 Series, BMW 6 Series and others
R/2017/167 Front brake efficiency may be reduced 22 May 2017, BMW 7 Series
R/2017/193 Brake switch may be activated permanently 20 June 2017, BMW 7 Series, BMW 5 Series

Found one you might buy?

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Source

Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: DVSA vehicle recall records (RecallsFile.csv), recalls launched 1992 to 2026. Recall data updated 22 September 2026.

Recall wording is DVSA's, with capitals and punctuation tidied and American spellings such as tire, center and windshield given in British English. We list a recall when its make and model match a car or van family with at least 1,000 DVSA MOT tests from 2022 to 2025, and when the maker of the vehicle issued it.

Not affiliated with or endorsed by DVSA. Methodology · Data sources