2006 BMW 3 Series Air Bags

2006 BMW 325I, VIN #[XXX]. BEGINNING IN 2007 THE SENSOR FOR THE PASSENGER AIR BAG HAS BEEN OFF, REGARDLESS OF THE WEIGHT OF THE PASSENGER. CURRENT RECALL STATES THAT MY MODEL VEHICLE IS NOT COVERED FOR THE RECALL OF THE FRONT PASSENGER AIRBAG SEAT SENSOR MAT, BUT IF IT WENT OUT AFTER ONLY ONE YEAR IT WOULD APPEAR THAT IT, TOO, IS DEFECTIVE. I WAS NEVER CONTACTED BY BMW ABOUT A RECALL SINCE MY VEHICLE IS NOT LISTED AS BEING DEFECTIVE, BUT IT CLEARLY IS. I'M CERTAIN THAT I AM NOT THE ONLY 2006 BMW 325I OWNER THAT HAS HAD THIS ISSUE, AND THE RECALL SHOULD BE EXTENDED TO ALL MODELS, NOT JUST THE SPORT SEAT MODEL. THE INDICATOR LIGHT INDICATING THAT THE SEAT BELT IS OFF REMAINS ON CONSTANTLY, REGARDLESS OF THE WEIGHT OF THE PASSENGER. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

MY 2006 BMW 525I PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG MALFUNCTION LIGHT CAME ON AND IS A BAD SENSOR IN THE SEAT. THERE HAS BEEN A RECALL ON THIS FOR OTHER 2006 BMW'S BUT MINE IS NOT INCLUDED IN THIS. IT IS THE SAME PROBLEM AS ALL OF THE OTHER RECALLED ONES. THE NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID# IS 08V384000. I BELIEVE THE PROBLEM IS MORE WIDESPREAD THAN THE ONES RECALLED. *TR

2006 BMW 330I WITH SPORT PACKAGE; WITH PASSENGER IN FRONT SEAT THE AIR BAG TURNS OFF AND MESSAGE IS SENT SAYING PASSENGER RESTRAINT SYSTEM MALFUNCTION. THERE IS A RECALL ON THIS YEAR AND MAKE AND MODEL BUT THE DEALERSHIP SAYS NOT ON MINE. THEY SAY IT IS VIN SPECIFIC. I SAY THEY KNOW THERE IS A PROBLEM SO FIX IT. I THINK THEY SHOULD REIMBURSE FOR THE PAYMENT TO FIX THE ISSUE. I PAID TO GET IT FIXED. *TR

I AM VERY FRUSTRATED AS I OWN A 2006 BMW 325XI WITH APPROX 55K MILES AND HAVE A PASSENGER SEAT AIRBAG MALFUNCTION. AT THIS TIME THE PASSENGER AIRBAG IS DEACTIVATED ALL THE TIME. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT HAS A RECALL BUT IT IS VIN SPECIFIC AND MY VEHICLE ISN'T INCLUDED. IF A QUICK INTERNET SEARCH IS PERFORMED THERE ARE MANY FORUMS WHERE PEOPLE HAVE THIS SAME EXACT ISSUE AND THEY ARE NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE RECALL DESCRIBES MY PROBLEM VERBATIM BUT I AM NOT COVERED. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE BECAUSE MY PASSENGER AIRBAGS WILL NOT DEPLOY IF THERE WAS A CRASH. THEY WOULD NOT DEPLOY BECAUSE THE SENSOR IN THE SEAT IS BAD AND WAS ADMITTEDLY A POOR DESIGN. I DON'T THINK CONSUMERS SHOULD BE ON THE HOOK TO FIX SUCH A CRUCIAL FEATURE SUCH AS AIRBAGS OR ANY PART WITH A BAD DESIGN THAT COULD MEAN LIFE OR DEATH. I HAVE ALREADY SPENT MORE TIME ON THIS THAN I SHOULD HAVE BEEN REQUIRED TO. I TALKED TO MECHANICS AND THEY COULDN'T TELL ME WHY ONE WAS COVERED AND ANOTHER ONE NOT AS THEY ARE EXACTLY THE SAME SENSOR. I WOULD ASSUME MORE COMPLAINTS ARE NOT MADE BECAUSE OF THE TIME REQUIRED TO DO SO AND MOST PEOPLE JUST TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO THE DEALER AND PAY THE PRICE. ESPECIALLY MOST BMW OWNERS. I HAVE BEEN AROUND AND WORKING ON VEHICLES MY WHOLE LIFE AND VERY SELDOM TAKE A VEHICLE TO A SHOP FOR REPAIR. I RESEARCH EVERYTHING I DO AND MY RESEARCH HAS SHOWN ME THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE AND IT SHOULD NOT COST ME ANY MONEY. *TR

THE AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT IS CONSISTENTLY ACTIVATED ON THE DASH AND IN THE WARNING COMPUTER DISPLAY ALONG WITH THE PASSENGER AIRBAG "OFF LIGHT" ON THE CEILING WHICH IS ILLUMINATED EVEN IF A PASSENGER IS SITTING IN THE SEAT. ACCORDING TO THE BMW DEALERSHIP, THIS PROBLEM WAS DIAGNOSED AS A FAULTY CENSOR DETECTION MAT. THIS ISSUE SEEMS TO MATCH THE BMW RECALL LISTED AS: UPDATED 12/16/11 *BF NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 08V384000 NHTSA ACTION NUMBER: EA08001 ACCORDING TO BMW, THIS VEHICLE DOES NOT FALL UNDER THE VIN NUMBERS THAT WERE UNDER THE RECALL BUT THE PROBLEM DOES SEEM TO MATCH THE SAME ISSUES THAT WARRANTED THE INITIAL RECALL ON JULY 18, 2008. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 BMW 330I. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED WITH THE PASSENGER SEAT OCCUPIED. THE FAILURE WOULD RECUR INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO ADVISED THAT THE SENSOR MAT LOCATED IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE SEAT WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 42,000. UPDATED 11/15/11*LJ UPDATED 11/18/11

THE FRONT PASSENGER-SEAT OCCUPANCY DETECTOR FAILED, RESULTING IN THE AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT TURNING ON, WARNING OF AN AIRBAG MALFUNCTION. INITIALLY, THE AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT ONLY TURNED ON WHEN A PASSENGER OCCUPIED THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT, BUT LATER IT REMAINED ON REGARDLESS, MOST OF THE TIME. HAD THE PASSENGER-SEAT OCCUPANCY DETECTOR REPLACED, AND THAT FIXED THE PROBLEM. NOTE THAT THIS IS EXACTLY THE SAME PROBLEM AS A BMW RECALL, EXCEPT THAT I WAS TOLD BY BMW THAT MY VIN WAS NOT COVERED. *TR

I PURCHASED A 2006 BMW 330I. THERE IS A RECALL FOR THE PASSENGER AIRBAG SENSOR MAT. MY VEHICLE EXHIBITS THE SYMPTOMS THAT LED TO THE RECALL, INCLUDING THAT THE PASSENGER AIRBAGS WILL NOT WORK AS A RESULT OF THE FAULTY SENSOR MAT. BMW WILL NOT REPAIR THE ISSUE CLAIMING THAT MY VEHICLE'S VIN DOES NOT HAVE AN OPEN RECALL. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 BMW 330I. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG WARNING LAMP AND THE PASSENGER ON-OFF LAMP WERE ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE SEAT MAT WAS DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE BUT DID NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 08V384000 (AIR BAGS:FRONTAL ). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 70,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 71,400. THE MANUFACTURER PAID FOR THE PARTS AND THE CONSUMER PAID FOR THE LABOR. STATUS UPDATE 07/26/11

TL * THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 BMW 3 SERIES. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND A MESSAGE DISPLAYED ON THE MESSAGE BOARD STATING THAT THE PASSENGER RESTRAINT HAD MALFUNCTIONED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHO WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL ASSOCIATED WITH NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 08V384000 (AIR BAGS:FRONTAL). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 62,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 62,383.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 BMW 325I. WHILE PARKED THE CONTACT NOTICED THE AIR BAG LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE LIGHT REMAINED ON CONSTANTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE MECHANIC STATED THE PASSENGER SEAT COVER AND OCCUPANCY SENSOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THERE WAS A RECALL UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 08V384000 (AIR BAGS:FRONTAL) BUT THE MANUFACTURER STATED THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 29,000.

SRS LIGHTS ACTIVATE WHILE DRIVING. IT DEACTIVATE THE PASSENGER AIRBAG SYSTEM. PASSENGER SRS LIGHT ACTIVATED DUE TO FAULTY OCCUPANCY SEAT SENSOR. THE OCCUPANCY SENSOR MUST BE REPLACED TO CORRECT THE ERROR. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 BMW 325I. UPON STARTING THE VEHICLE WITH A PASSENGER SEATED IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT, THE AIR BAG LIGHT BEGAN ILLUMINATING ON THE DASHBOARD. THE FAILURE RECURRED WHENEVER A PASSENGER WAS SEATED IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND THE CONTACT WAS TOLD THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL ASSOCIATED WITH NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 08V384000 (AIR BAGS:FRONTAL). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 65,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. UPDATED 05/12/11 *BF UPDATED 07/11/11

WHEN A PASSENGER SITS IN THE PASSENGER SEAT, THE AIRBAG LIGHT WILL ILLUMINATE ON THE DASH. BMW SAYS THERE WAS A RECALL AND EXTENDED WARRANTY ISSUED, BUT NOT FOR MY VIN NUMBER. I FEAR THAT THEY DID NOT RECALL ALL OF THE CARS THAT WOULD BE AFFECTED BY THE FAULTY AIRBAG SENSOR MAT. I HAVE NO OTHER OPTION THAN TO PAY $2,000 TO HAVE THE MAT REPLACED. THE SERVICE ASSISTANT EVEN TOLD ME THAT IT WAS THE SAME ISSUE THAT THE RECALLED/EXTENDED WARRANTY CARS WERE HAVING WITH THE SEAT MAT. I DO NOT UNDERSTAND WHY THEY WOULD NOT RECALL ALL OF THE AFFECTED VEHICLES. IT IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE.

PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT IS ON AT ALL TIMES AND AIR BAG DISENGAGES WHEN SOMEONE SITS ON IT...SRS WARNING LIGHT. REPLACE SEAT MAT SENSOR NOT COVERED BY RECALL FOR E90 2006 330I SEDAN WITH SPORTS PACKAGE. I WANT TO KNOW WHY IS MY CAR NOT INCLUDED ON RECALL...IT IS EXACTLY THE SAME ISSUE AS WITH THE OTHER MODELS...THIS IS A POTENTIAL SAFETY ISSUE AND CAN CAUSE INJURY.... *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 BMW 325I. THE CONTACT STATED THE AIR BAG LIGHT INTERMITTENTLY ILLUMINATED ON THE DASHBOARD WHILE THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT WAS OCCUPIED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER BUT THE FAILURE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 50,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 82,000. UPDATED 05/03/11*LJ UPDATED 05/11/11

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 BMW 330I. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG LIGHT CONTINUED TO DISPLAY THAT THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT WAS EMPTY EVEN WHEN SOMEONE WAS SITTING THERE. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AFTER READING ONLINE NHTSA RECALL CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 08V384000 (AIR BAGS: FRONTAL), BUT WAS TOLD THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 58,600 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 65,000.

I OWN A 2006 BMW 3 SERIES. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH, I NOTICED THAT THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTICS WHERE THE TECHNICIAN ADVISED THAT THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT SENSOR MAT WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED. I REFERENCED NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 08V384000 (AIR BAGS:FRONTAL) THAT COULD HAVE BEEN RELATED TO THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 65,000. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 BMW 330I. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE DEALER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE MANUFACTURER MADE THE CONTACT AWARE OF THE NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 08V384000 (AIR BAGS:FRONTAL) RECALL, BUT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 50,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 61,000.

2006 BMW 325I PASSENGER SEAT MAT SENSOR FOR AIRBAG SYSTEM HAS FAILED BUT MY MODEL/YEAR IS OUTSIDE THE RECALL RANGE HONORED BY BMWUSA. *KB

WHEN AN ADULT IS SEATED IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT OF THE VEHICLE, THE AIR BAG SERVICE INDICATOR, NO SEATBELT INDICATOR, AND "PASSENGER AIRBAG IS DISABLED" INDICATOR ARE ALL ILLUMINATED. WHEN TAKING MY VEHICLE IN TO THE LOCAL BMW SERVICE CENTER TO DIAGNOSE THE ISSUE, I WAS TOLD THE CAUSE WAS A FAULTY PASSENGER SEAT SENSOR MAT (HAVE DOCUMENTATION), WHICH IS MEANT TO DETECT WHEN A PASSENGER IS PRESENT. IN ADDITION, I WAS TOLD IN MY VEHICLES CURRENT STATE, IF I WERE TO GET IN AN ACCIDENT WITH A PASSENGER PRESENT, THE PASSENGER AIRBAG WOULD NOT DEPLOY. WHILE PERFORMING INDEPENDENT RESEARCH, I FOUND THAT BMW HAS RELEASED AN OFFICIAL RECALL (#08V384000) WHICH DESCRIBES THESE SAME SYMPTOMS, CAUSED BY A DEFECTIVE PASSENGER SEAT SENSOR MAT. IN THE RECALL DETAILS, THE MAKE, MODEL, YEAR AND SEAT TYPE ALL MATCH THE SPECIFICATIONS OF MY VEHICLE. AFTER DISCOVERING THE RECALL INFORMATION, I CONTACTED BMW OF NORTH AMERICA REPRESENTATIVE BY TELEPHONE. I WAS TOLD THAT BECAUSE MY VEHICLE VIN IS NOT ON THE RECALL LIST, THE REPAIR MUST BE DONE AT AN OUT OF POCKET EXPENSE. I AM FILING THIS COMPLAINT BECAUSE THE DEFECTIVE SEAT SENSOR REDUCES THE SAFETY OF THE VEHICLE PASSENGERS, AS WELL AS VIOLATES AIR BAG REGULATIONS ESTABLISHED BY THE NHTSA. SINCE THIS IS A DEFECT, THE COST SHOULD BE COVERED 100% BY THE MANUFACTURER, BMW. *TR

2006 BMW 325I AIRBAG LIGHT AND SEAT BELT LIGHT WILL NOT TURN OFF. IT JUST CAME ON 2 DAYS AGO. NOTHING CAUSED THE LIGHTS TO GO ON. THEY WILL NOT TURN OFF. EVIDENTLY THERE IS A RECALL FOR THE ISSUE, HOWEVER, MY CAR IN NOT LISTED AS ONE OF THE PROBLEM CARS BASED ON THE VIN #. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 BMW 325I. THE CONTACT STATED THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG WARNING LAMP ILLUMINATED INDICATING THAT THE PASSENGER AIR BAG WAS NOT ACTIVATED. THE FAILURE WOULD OCCUR WHETHER THE PASSENGER SEAT WAS OCCUPIED OR NOT. THE CONTACT LOCATED A RECALL FOR THE FAILURE UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 08V384000 (AIR BAGS: FRONTAL) AND THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR REPAIRS HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE DEALER THEN ADVISED THAT THERE WAS A FRACTURE IN THE PASSENGER SEAT SENSOR MAT THAT WOULD NEED REPLACING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED BUT WOULD OFFER NO ASSISTANCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 67,000.

I HAVE A 2006 325I AND MY AIRBAG SENSOR LIGHT WARNING LIT UP - I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND THEY RAN A DIAGNOSTIC TEST IT WAS THE AIRBAG SENSOR THAT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED - OVER $1000. THERE IS A RECALL LISTED FOR MY YEAR AND MODEL BUT MY VIN IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. I CALLED BMW USA AND THE NHTSA - THEY SAY THERE IS NOTHING I CAN DO. I DO NOT UNDERSTAND WHY MY VIN IS NOT INCLUDED WHEN I HAVE THE MODEL AND YEAR LISTED IN THE RECALL. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 BMW 330I. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH WHEN THE AIR BAG WARNING LAMP AS WELL AS THE PASSENGER AIR BAG ON-OFF LAMP ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT BOTH LIGHTS REMAINED ILLUMINATED WHETHER THE PASSENGER SEAT WAS OCCUPIED OR NOT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR THE FAILURE AND THE CONTACT WAS ADVISED THAT HIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 08V384000 (AIR BAGS:FRONTAL). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 92,000.