2000 BMW 328I

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 BMW 328I. THE CONTACT STATED THAT NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V428000 (AIR BAGS) EXCEEDED THE REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR REPAIR. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE DELAY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED THE FAILURE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 BMW 328I. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH, THE AIR BAGS INADVERTENTLY DEPLOYED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE AIR BAG CONTROL MODULE WOULD HAVE TO BE RECALIBRATED AND REFERRED THE CONTACT TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER. THE AIR BAGS WERE REPLACED. THERE WAS A RECALL UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 02V223000 (AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW), THAT MAY BE RELATED TO THE FAILURE. THE DEALER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE FAILURE OCCURRED A SECOND TIME. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT WAS MADE AWARE BY A POLICE OFFICER THAT THE BRAKE LIGHTS WERE NOT ILLUMINATING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTICS. THE TECHNICIANS STATED THAT THE BULBS WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED. THE FAILURE CONTINUED AFTER REPLACING THE LIGHT BULBS SO THE BRAKE LIGHT ASSEMBLY WAS THEN REPLACED. THE FAILURE CONTINUED. THERE WAS A RECALL UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 00V048000 (EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS:SWITCH), THAT MAY BE RELATED TO THE FAILURE. THE DEALER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THIS RECALL EITHER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 54,000. UPDATED 01/04/12*LJ

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE AIRBAG LIGHT ILLUMINATED WITHOUT INCIDENT RIGHT AFTER STARTING THE ENGINE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A SERVICE DEALER WHO DETERMINED THE CONTROL SENSOR UNDERNEATH THE PASSENGER SEAT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED IN ORDER TO AVOID FUTURE AIRBAG FAILURES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS ALSO ALERTED OF THE POTENTIAL PROBLEM.

THE AIR BAG SYSTEM ON MY 2000 BMW 328I HAS FAILED (RED WARNING LIGHT ON) 3 TIMES. ALTHOUGH THE RED LIGHT HAS BEEN ON, MY WIFE AND I ALWAYS DRIVE WITH OUR BELTS FASTENED AND DUE TO THE NATURE OF THE PROBLEM (TWO TIMES IT HAS REQUIRED RETURNING THE VEHICLE A SECOND TIME DUE TO AVAILABILITY OF REPLACEMENT PARTS), WE HAVE OPTED TO DRIVE WITH THE LIGHT ON UNTIL THE NEXT SCHEDULED VEHICLE SERVICE. THE LAST TIME THE AIR BAG FAILED WE WERE CHARGED APPROXIMATELY $500 FOR THE REPAIR. THIS REPAIR WAS OCTOBER 2004. THE DEALERSHIP REPRESENTATIVE TOLD US THAT ALTHOUGH IT WAS DECEMBER 2003 WHEN WE HAD THE NEXT MOST RECENT FAILURE, THE REPAIRS WERE NOT RELATED AND THEREFORE NOT WARRANTABLE. WHEN WE SAID WE DID NOT AGREE WITH HAVING TO PAY FOR A SAFETY RELATED DEFECT, THEY TOLD US TO CONTACT BMW. WE THEN CONTACTED BMW, WE WERE TOLD THEY COULD NOT HELP US, SEE THE DEALERSHIP SERVICE DEPARTMENT. WE ARE CONCERNED THAT THERE IS A DEFECT IN BMW'S SRS SYSTEM. THE ONLY OTHER VEHICHLE WE HAVE HAD ON WHICH THE AIR BAG LIGHT LIT INDICATING AN SRS FAILURE WAS A 1994 BMW 325TD WE OWNED WHEN WE LIVED IN EUROPE. WILL THE SRS SYSTEM WORK IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH? IN ADDITION, WE HAVE READ THAT US LAW REQUIRES THE MANUFACTURER TO PAY FOR A SAFETY RELATED DEFECT, AND WE FEEL THAT 3 FAILURES IN 4 YEARS INDICATES A DESIGN OR MANUFACTURING DEFECT. *AK

2000, 328I BMW. MY DRIVERSIDE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED WITH NO IMPACT OR ACCIDENT. BMW HAS OFFERED TO SETTLE IF I SIGN A BROAD RELEASE SAYING I CAN'T TALK TO ANYONE IN THE MEDIA, ETC. THEY INSIST I HIT SOMETHING IN THE ROAD WHICH I DID NOT. MY SON WAS IN THE PASSENGER SEAT NEXT TO ME WHEN THIS OCCURRED. I THOUGHT THAT WE HAD BEEN SHOT, MY ARM HURT SO BAD. BUT MY SON SCREAMED, "MOM IT IS YOUR AIRBAG". WE CALLED BMW ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE AND TOWED IT TO THE BMW DEALERSHIP. I THOUGHT THAT WE DID EVERYTHING RIGHT. BUT, BMW IS CALLING ME A LIAR. THEY SAID THERE IS LEFT STRUT TOWER DAMAGE. WHEN I TALKED WITH MY INSURANCE COMPANY THEY SAID THEY COULD NOT SEE ANY DAMAGE AND WAS THERE WHILE BMW WAS INVESTIGATING. I DON'T WANT THIS TO HAPPEN TO ANYONE ELSE, YET THEY DON'T SEEM TO CARE. I HAVE DONE RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET, IT LOOKS LIKE 2000 WAS A BIG YEAR FOR RECALLS ON AIRBAGS. THE BMW IS NOT LISTED AND I WONDER IF THEY HAVE COVERED UP OTHER PROBLEMS. I ASSURE YOU I DID NOT HIT ANYTHING, THE DEPLOYEMENT HAPPENED WHILE DRIVING DOWN A WELL MAINTAINED ROAD. PLEASE LET ME KNOW YOUR FINDINGS, THANK YOU.*AK