BMW was recalling 394,000 vehicles in the United States due to faulty airbag inflators which could potentially cause serious or fatal injuries, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said on Wednesday.

An air bag inflator could explode, sending potentially deadly sharp metal fragments flying and striking the driver or others in the vehicle, NHTSA told Reuters.

According to BMW, the issue covers air bag inflators that had been previously recalled but the vehicles could have had a replacement steering wheel installed with a defective air bag.

Owners would take vehicles to dealers for inspections, and if a steering wheel with a recalled airbag is found it will be replaced. BMW said it was unaware of any crashes or injuries tied to the new recall.

The faulty airbag inflators manufactured by Japanese automotive parts company Takata Corp are still at the centre of the largest, most complex recall process in auto history, Reuters noted.

Around 30 deaths - including at least 26 in the United States - and hundreds of injuries since 2009 have been attributed to Takata airbags fitted to vehicles made by various automakers.

Over the past decade, around 100m vehicles fitted with Takata airbag inflators have been recalled worldwide.