2008 BMW 535XI

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.

WEDNESDAY JULY 25TH, 2018, AS I WAS GETTING READY TO LEAVE WORK, I STARTED MY CAR WHICH WAS PARKED IN MY COMPANY'S UNDERGROUND GARAGE AND THE INTERIOR BECAME ENGULFED WITH SMOKE. I TURNED THE CAR OFF AND GOT OUT TO CHECK THE ENGINE. THERE WAS NO SMOKE COMING FROM THE UNDER THE HOOD OF THE CAR. I GOT BACK INTO THE CAR AND STARTED IT AGAIN AND MORE SMOKE ENTERED INTO THE CAR. I TURNED THE CAR OFF AND WENT BACK TO MY OFFICE TO CALL AAA. APPROXIMATELY 20-30 MINUTES LATER I WENT BACK TO THE CAR AND IMMEDIATELY SMELLED SMOKE IN THE GARAGE. AS I APPROACHED THE CAR IT WAS COMPLETELY FILLED WITH SMOKE BUT I COULD TELL THAT THE BOTH THE BACK AND FRONT WINDOW SHIELDS AND THE SUNROOF WERE SCORCHED. MY KEY FOB DID NOT WORK SO I HAD TO OPEN THE CAR WITH THE KEY. WITH THE DOOR OPEN THE THICK SMOKE ESCAPED AND THEN I WAS ABLE TO SEE THE DAMAGE TO THE CAR AS A RESULT OF A FIRE. I HAVE ATTACHED SOME PICTURES SO YOU CAN SEE. I DID SOME RESEARCH AND FOUND THAT THERE HAVE BEEN SOME INSTANCES WHERE THIS HAS HAPPENED TO OTHER BMW OWNERS IN THE PAST AND THAT THIS WAS A COURSE OF ACTION TO TAKE IN LETTING YOU KNOW.

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.

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?