2006 BMW M5

UPON STARTING MY CAR, I RECEIVED AN ERROR MESSAGE " FAULT IN PASSENGER RESTRAINT SYSTEM AFFECTING AIR BAGS, BELT TENSIONER OR BELT FORCE LIMITER" THE MESSAGE CONTINUES TO SHOW UP EVERY DAY.. THIS IS THE SAME ISSUE THAT HAS A RECALL IN ALL OTHER 5 SERIES MODELS FOR THIS YEAR, 2006 AND HAS A RECALL FOR THOSE VEHICLES. THIS MODEL SHOULD BE ADDED SINCE ITS THE SAME ISSUE. SEE ATTACHED.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 BMW M5. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG LIGHT REMAINED ILLUMINATED WHILE A PASSENGER OCCUPIED THE SEAT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE BASE OF THE SEAT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 35,000.

THE CAR HAS AN ISSUE WITH PASSENGER AIRBAG OCCUPANCY SENSOR, WHEN SOMEONE SITS ON THE PASSANGER SEAT THE AIRBAG TURNS ON, THESE BMWS HAS MANY RECALLS FOR THIS ISSUE, FOR SOME REASON MINE DOES NOT FALL INTO THE RECALL. I HAVE SCANNED THE COMPUTER AND CONFIRMED THAT THE SENSOR IS THE ISSUE, I WOULD LIKE THIS ISSUE TO BE RECALLED ON MY CAR BECAUSE THIS A COMMON ISSUE FOR THESE, I HAVE READ MANY OTHER PEOPLE WITH THIS ISSUE, ON FORUMS, BUT A RECALL HAS NOT BEEN ISSUED, I THINK ITS IMPORTANT TO DO THIS RECALL BECAUSE IT IS NOT SAFE FOR MY PASSANGER, IN CASE SOME SORT OF ACCIDENT HAPPENS AND THE AIRBAG DOES NOT DEPLOY.

MALFUNCTION IN PASSENGER RESTRAINT SYSTEM. WARNING MESSAGE STATING "FAULT IN PASSENGER - RESTRAINT SYSTEM AFFECTING AIRBAG, BELT TENSIONER OR BELT FORCE LIMITER" IS ACTIVATED EVERY FEW MINUTES THAT CAR IS IN DRIVE. WAS INFORMED THAT THE PASSENGER AIRBAGS WILL NOT DEPLOY IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH. DEALERSHIP INFORMED ME THAT THIS WAS NOT COVERED BY WARRANTY AND MY EXTENDED WARRANTY PROVIDER (HENDRICKS AUTOGUARD) HAS REFUSED TO HONOR ITS OBLIGATIONS BY CLAIMING THE PART IS A NON-COVERED ELECTRICAL COMPONENT. *TR

WELL DOCUMENTED (ON THE INTERNET) PROBLEM WITH THE PASSENGER SIDE ACTIVE RESTRAINT SYSTEM FAILING, TYPICALLY DUE TO THE PASSENGER SIDE OCCUPANCY MAT. THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN DOCUMENTED IN ALMOST EVERY MODEL MANUFACTURED SINCE 2000, BUT HAS ONLY BEEN ADDRESSED IN A FEW, SELECT, VEHICLES. THIS IS THE MOST COMMON COMPLAINT FOR THIS MODEL ON CARSAFETY.GOV AND HAS NOT BEEN ACKNOWLEDGED BY BMW OF NORTH AMERICA. THIS PROBLEM, IN ITSELF, CAN LEAD TO A VARIETY OF MALFUNCTIONS IN THE EVENT OF AN ACCIDENT CAUSING SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH. THE PROBLEM HAS ALSO LED TO A LARGE MARKET OF "DUMMY SENSORS" BEING SOLD ON EBAY AND SIMILAR SITES, WHICH TRICK THE COMPUTER INTO THINKING THE AIRBAG SENSOR IS CORRECTLY FUNCTIONING. THESE DUMMY SENSORS DO NOT REMEDY THE PROBLEM AND CAN LEAD TO AN INCREASED RISK OF INJURY OR DEATH. SYNOPSIS: AIRBAG SYSTEM WARNING LIGHT AND RESTRAINT SYSTEM WARNING LIGHT APPEAR IN INSTRUMENT CLUSTER. IDRIVE SYSTEM READS: PASSENGER RESTRAINT SYSTEM MALFUNCTION. SEAT SENSOR MAT FOR THE PASSENGER SEAT AIR BAG DISENGAGES WHEN PASSENGER IS SEATED. THE DISENGAGING OF THE PASSENGER AIR BAG POSES A GREAT DANGER FOR THE PASSENGER DUE TO THE PASSENGER AIR BAG WILL NOT DEPLOY IN A ACCIDENT CAUSING INJURY OR DEATH. BMW IS AWARE OF THIS ONGOING PROBLEMS WITH THE M5 E60 SERIES, BUT WILL NOT ADDRESS THIS ISSUE OF SAFETY. BMW CHARGES THE OWNER UP TO 5000.00 DOLLARS TO FIX THIS SAFETY ISSUE. *TR

SEAT SENSOR MAT FOR THE PASSENGER SEAT AIR BAG DISENGAGES WHEN PASSENGER IS SEATED. THE DISENGAGING OF THE PASSENGER AIR BAG POSES A GREAT DANGER FOR THE PASSENGER DUE TO THE PASSENGER AIR BAG WILL NOT DEPLOY IN A ACCIDENT CAUSING INJURY OR DEATH. BMW IS AWARE OF THIS ONGOING PROBLEMS WITH THE M5 E60 SERIES, BUT WILL NOT ADDRESS THIS ISSUE OF SAFETY. BMW CHARGES THE OWNER UP TO 5000.00 DOLLARS TO FIX THIS SAFETY ISSUE. I HAVE A CAR THAT'S UNSAFE FOR MY FAMILY OR ANY PASSENGER. *TR

THE VEHICLE WARNING SYSTEM DISPLAYED A PASSENGER RESTRAINT FAULT WHICH DISABLES THE PASSENGER AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT. THE PROBLEM WAS INITIALLY INTERMITTENT, BUT WITHIN ONE WEEK IS NOW PERMANENTLY DISPLAYED. A DIAGNOSTIC SCAN BY MY DEALER INDICATES A FAULT WITH THE PASSENGER SEAT OCCUPANCY SENSOR(S). THIS SAME PROBLEM RESULTED IN A RECALL FOR OTHER MODELS/YEARS, BUT APPARENTLY NOT THIS ONE FOR SOME REASON. THE DEALER QUOTED $2500 FOR THE REQUIRED REPAIR/REPLACEMENT. MEANWHILE, ANY PERSON IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT IS NOT PROTECTED BY THE AIR BAG. *TR

MY VEHICLE IS REPORTING A PASSENGER RESTRAINT SYSTEM MALFUNCTION AS REPORTED IN THE NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 08V384000. I HAVE CONTACTED BMW NA MULTIPLE TIMES AND THE STATE MY VIN IS NOT LISTED IN THE RECALL. I FIND THIS VERY ALARMING AND UNSAFE. MY VEHICLE FITS ALL PARAMETERS AS STATED BY THE RECALL DOCUMENTATION BUT I AM STILL LEFT IN THIS POSSIBLY UNSAFE SITUATION WHEN A PROBLEM HAS BEEN DOCUMENTED AND RECALLED. PLEASE ASSIST IF POSSIBLE. THANK YOU IN ADVANCE FOR YOUR TIME. *TR

THE DASHBOARD AIR BAG AND SEAT BELT WARNING LIGHTS WOULD ACTIVATE WHENEVER ANYONE WOULD SIT IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT. THEY EVENTUALLY WOULD GO OUT, BUT NOW ARE PERMANENTLY ON. THE CENTRAL COMPUTER DISPLAY ALSO PUTS OUT A SIMILAR TEXT WARNING MESSAGE WHENEVER I START UP THE CAR. IT CLAIMS THAT THE SEAT BELT AND AIRBAG ARE MALFUNCTIONING FOR THE FRONT PASSENGER AND I PRESUME ARE NOW DISABLED. LOOKING INTO THIS, IT IS A FAULTY SENSOR MAT WITHIN THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT. THIS PARTICULAR MAKE AND MODEL (E60) IS PLAGUED WITH THIS ISSUE, AND BMW OFFERED A RECALL ON EARLY (2005 BUILD?) CARS, BUT HAS REFUSED COVERAGE FOR ANYONE ELSE ALTHOUGH IT IS THE EXACT SAME ISSUE. MY CAR IS A 04/2006 BUILD. THE JOB HAS BEEN QUOTED FOR SOME AT THE DEALERSHIP UP TO $3,500 IN PARTS AND LABOR AND REQUIRES A WHOLE NEW SEAT BOTTOM (WHICH CONTAINS COMPLICATED HEATING, COOLING, ADJUSTMENT MECHANISMS, AND LEATHER). A FRIEND WITH A MUCH EARLIER MODEL (1999 BMW M3 COUPE) E36 HAD THE EXACT SAME ISSUE IN < 100K MI, SO THIS IS NOT NEW TO BMW. *TR

MY VEHICLE HAS A LIGHT ON FOR AN AIR BAG HAVING A FAULT. AFTER VISITING THE BMW DEALERSHIP, THEY HAVE INFORMED ME THAT THIS IS A USUAL PROBLEM ON THIS VEHICLE. THE SPECIFIC PROBLEM IS THE SENSOR ON THE PASSENGER SEAT. THE SENSOR DETECTS IF THERE IS A PASSENGER SITTING OR THE SEAT IS VACANT. BMW HAS INFORMED ME THAT ITS A SIMPLE SENSOR, AND USUALLY WOULD HAVE A MINIMAL COST. BUT INSTEAD BMW WANTS TO CHARGE YOU FOR REPLACING THE ENTIRE SEAT. SO THE $20 SENSOR TURNS INTO A $4000 JOB. THE MOST INTERESTING THING, IS THAT BMW KNOWS ABOUT THIS PROBLEM AND DOES NOT WANT TO DO ANYTHING TO RECTIFY IT. *TR