This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.
So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.
I bought this car last year with 140,000 miles on it. The passenger side airbag light and seatbelt light both came on after maybe a month of driving. I took it to the BMW shop and they said that it came on because I had something heavy sitting in the seat---nothing heavier than my purse. They wanted to charge me a diagnosis fee to turn the light off but I refused. That is not a caution in the handbook so how was I suppose to know that was problem. I'm worried that my seatbelt and airbag may malfunction in the case of an accident. I had the same problem with my 2005 BMW 525.
While BMW has recalled many 2005 BMW 530I sedans for the airbag concerns, my VIN is apparently not included in this list. I have contacted BMW directly, as well as many local service departments, with no avail. Both lights indicating seat belt and airbag malfunctions have been illuminated for over a year and I am very concerned that if a crash were to occur, the passengers in the vehicle would not be adequately protected. If there are air bag issues in some BMW 530I sedans, isn't it possible that others may have the same issue?
On the morning of 3/18/2015 at 8 am. I started the car and received a passenger restraint system warning on the display. The car was parked in the garage.
I purchased my vehicle from a dealer on April 2014. Approximately a month later, the passenger frontal airbag automatically disabled and the light illuminated on the dashboard. The frontal passenger seatbelt also disabled and the light illuminated on the dashboard. The brake light is also illuminated. In June 2014, my car was hit by a F150 truck. The impact was so forceful, my car was knocked on the other side of the street. Non of the airbags deployed and there were injuries to the driver. My vehicle was repaired and I was informed by the mechanic that the lights illuminated on my dashboard were recalls and a known safety issue with my vehicle's make and model. I researched the information and did find recalls for the frontal airbag and frontal seatbelt. I contacted a BMW dealership a couple of times and I am told my VIN does not show any open recalls and the repairs will be out of pocket. These problems appears to be defects with the vehicle and a definite safety issue.
- Liverpool, NY, USA
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Nothing crazy happened, was just driving down the street, and all of a sudden message popped on my screen "passenger restraint systems malfunction". it should be fixed by BMW dealership at no cost since there is a recall on this problem, but dealership refused to do it.
Air bag light illuminated, passenger restraint system error. Current recall on over 200,000 cars doesn't include the 05 530I as stated by dealer. Airbag on passages side rendered in operable with fault codes. As per recall this is due to defective passenger side mat. I believe this to be an extremely hazardous safety issue. Airbags will not deploy upon impact ! recall id # 05V504000. As I have seen in the complaints filed I'm not the only 2005 530I with this issue. I have seen numerous complaints, I guess BMW is waiting for a fatality to occur.
Much like the other complaints, I just copied and pasted this from another complainant. The passenger restraint system malfunction alarm came on the idrive. The dealer says that the vehicle is not covered under recall. However, the recall id #73368 exactly matches the description of my problem. Therefore, we believe that our vehicle should be covered. Please advise how to get this resolved as soon as possible so that I can get the car fixed. We are concerned because it's a serious safety issue when the front air bags will not come on in case of an accident. I went as far as to speak with BMW directly and they said it only goes to the 2004 models, and then to the 2006 models....yea, whatever. It's a safety recall, they should honor it, and BMW is completely inflexible when it comes to their customers. It's a shame not only will they not help, they want to charge over $1000 to the customer for a recall part. I'm trading my other BMW in on anything but another BMW and will drive my affected 530I until it reaches the scrap yard.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
- Marion, AL, USA