2008 BMW 535XI

The passenger seat occupancy sensor stopped working. On the NHSTA website I found where BMW offered a 15 year warranty for this part. What was the negotiation with NHSTA that BMW offered this warranty? It is warranty SI B01 01 18. My car on the list is the E60 and E61 with option 456 (Comfort Seat). BMW refuses to honor this warranty and want to charge me $2,700 to repair this. Note that the front passenger seat is rarely occupied. Why should this part fail prematurely?

87,000 MILES WARNING LIGHT PASSENGER AIR BAG NOT ENGAGED AND MAY CAUSE DAMAGE. QUOTED $1800 BMW CERTIFIED MECHANIC TO REPLACE, FIX. LOOKING FOR RECALL AS MANY OTHERS EXPERIENCED THE SAME. WAS TOLD THAT YOU CAN'T TELL WHETHER THE AIRBAG WILL INFLATE OR NOT. AGAINST THE LAW TO DISCONNECT THE LIGHT. UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE WITHOUT TAKING THE SEAT APART.

AT C. 89,000 MILES - WARNING: "DRIVER SIDE AIR BAGS MALFUNCTION". BMW DEALER, ROCKVILLE, MD, WANTS $660 TO TELL ME IF IT'S A REAL PROBLEM WITH THE BAG, AND/OR ITS HOUSING AND/OR ONLY A FAULTY SENSOR SENDING AN INCORRECT MESSAGE (!!) FOLLOWING THAT SUSPICIOUS DRILL THEY CAN THEN FIX IT - A COUPLE HUNDRED DOLLARS IF IT'S ONLY A SENSOR, MUCH MORE $ IF IT'S SOMETHING ELSE. CAR MOVING OR NOT, THE WARNING REMAINS ON.

THE PASSENGER SEAT OCCUPANCY MAT FAILURE LIGHT INDICATOR IS ON. BROUGHT BACK TO THE BMW DEALER, SERVICE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT IT IS A RECURRING PROBLEM FOR BMW. BUT SERVICE WOULD COST $2,300 TO FIX. I ASKED IF IT IS A RECURRING PROBLEM, THEN IT IS A DEFECT. BMW SHOULD FIX THE PROBLEM FREE OF CHARGE AS I SEE IN OTHER RECENT RECALL ANNOUNCEMENTS LIKE LAST MONTH FOR THE BMW X3.

APRIL 2013, BMW DEALER #1 (SELLER) WAS TOLD BY SELLING DEALER THAT RESTRAINT SYSTEM MALFUNCTION LIGHT JUST CAME ON HOURS BEFORE DELIVERY.. WAS TOLD TO BRING CAR TO A DEALER IN MY STATE AND THEY WILL FIX IT, NO CHARGE SINCE CAR IS STILL UNDER MANUFACTURER EXTENDED WARRANTY; MAY 23, 2013 BMW DEALER #2 (SERVICE) RESTRAINT SYSTEM MALFUNCTION LIGH IS ON.. DEALER #2 ADVISED THAT BST CABLE WAS SLICED, HENCE WARRANTY DOES NOT COVER THE REPAIR, WHICH WAS $1,000.00. JUNE 12, 2013 BMW DEALER #3 (SERVICE) WENT TO DEALER #3 FOR SECOND OPINION, SURPRISED WITH TOTALLY DIFFERENT DIAGNOSIS AND FIXED FOR $117.00.. BELOW IS THE ACTUAL DEALER FINDINGS AND FIXED; , , , , 93398 SPORADIC FAULT RAN, SHORT TEST, CONNECTED CHARGER 12.31V , , , , FAULTS ACTIVE HEAD RESTRAIN FIRING CIRCUIT, FAULT OCCURENCE 1, FAULT , , , , CURRENTLY NOT PRESENT INSPECTED CONNECTIONS AND LINES, CHECKED , , , , MEASURED RESISTANCE AS SEEN BY MODUAL, WITHIN SPEC. CLEARED , , , , FAULT MEMORY SEPTEMBER 2014 BMW DEALER #3 (SERVICE) RESTRAINT SYSTEM MALFUNCTION LIGH IS ON IS BACK.!! TOOK IT BACK TO DEALER #3.. THIS TIME DIAGNOSIS WAS THAT THE BST CABLE IS CORRODED DUE TO WATER IN THE REAR VENT IN THE BATTERY AREA.. BST CABLE NEEDS TO BE REPLACED AND COST $919.98. SUMMARY: APRIL 2013 DEALER #1 STATES, RESTRAINT SYSTEM DEALER FIX, NO CHARGE. MAY 2015, DEALER #2 STATES BST CABLE GOT SLICED, $1,000.00 REPAIR JUNE 2013 DEALER #3 STATES HEAD RESTRAINT FIRING CIRCUIT, FIXED IT FOR $117.00 SEPT 2014 DEALER #3 NOW STATES BST CABLE GOT CORRODED, $919.98 TO REPAIR WHY ARE THEIR FINDINGS OF THE PROBLEM ARE SO INCONSISTENT??

I HAD THE PASSENGER RESTRAINT MALFUNCTION ERROR SHOW UP ON MY VEHICLE'S DASH IN 2013. AT THAT TIME, THE DEALERSHIP REPLACED SOME MODULE IN THE DRIVER'S SIDE HEADREST. NOT SURE WHY WOULD THEY HAVE A REPLACE A MODULE IN "DRIVER SIDE" WHEN THE ERROR IS IN "PASSENGER SIDE." BUT I DIDN'T ARGUE AND LET THEM REPLACE IT AND PAID $400 FOR THE PRIVILEGE. NOW AGAIN IN APRIL 2015, SAME ERROR IS HAPPENING. FIRST THE DEALER (BMW OF CLEVELAND, SOLON, OH) COULDN'T FIND THE PROBLEM FOR 2 DAYS. BUT WHEN I TOLD THEM ABOUT THE HISTORY OF THE VEHICLE, THEY SAY THAT NOW THE WHOLE DRIVER'S SIDE HEADREST NEEDS TO BE REPLACED AND THE COST IS A WHOPPING $700. THE CAR SHOWS PROBLEM IN PASSENGER SIDE, AND DEALER SAYS DRIVER SIDE HEADREST NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. THIS IS PREPOSTEROUS! LOOKS LIKE THE DEALER IS TRYING TO SCAM ME ON THIS. IS THERE ANY RECALL ON THIS?