BMW Recalls 45,000 7 Series Sedans Because Doors Could Fly Open

BMW has announced a new recall that will affect certain 7 Series models produced between 2005 and 2008. The reason – the doors of those cars may appear to be closed and locked, but may open inadvertently due to road or driving conditions or occupant contact with the door. This may result in occupant ejection or increase the risk of injury in the event of a crash.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) says that the Bavarian manufacturer will inspect the BMW 745i, 745Li, 750i, 750Li, 760i, 760Li, and B7 Alpina models, equipped with the Comfort Access or Soft Close Automatic features. BMW met with NHTSA agents in April to discuss the complaints received from customers and decided to issue a recall in May.

The campaign for the 45,484 affected cars probably won't start before the end of the month, as BMW still hasn't developed a solution for the problem. When a fix is available, a BMW spokesman has confirmed to Automotive News, customers will be contacted through email to make an appointment with a BMW service center. No injuries related to the defect have been reported so far.

Interestingly, the automaker issued a similar recall back in 2012, when some of the vehicles affected now were inspected. Then, BMW said a software problem is to blame for the opening doors and updated the code on 7,500 examples of the 7 Series.