Passenger restraint malfunction

Mageshkk · 09-02-2017, 01:43 PM

So I was vacuuming the interior other day and when I started the car the warning pops out. I thought may be I dislocated a plug under the seat. Checked the connections - no issues there. Went to the dealer and SA says it's the occupant sensor mat and it's gonna cost $2500 in total.

Now, what are my options?

-
1. Is it possible to code out the need for sensor? Meaning leaving the passenger airbag always ON?
2. Can I buy a replacement seat off eBay? I'm pretty sure it will still be cheaper that $2500.

Also, what's the status now? Will the passenger airbag deploy if I'm in a wreck. Please advise - thanks in advance.

champignon · 09-02-2017, 08:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mageshkk

So I was vacuuming the interior other day and when I started the car the warning pops out. I thought may be I dislocated a plug under the seat. Checked the connections - no issues there. Went to the dealer and SA says it's the occupant sensor mat and it's gonna cost $2500 in total.

Now, what are my options?

-
1. Is it possible to code out the need for sensor? Meaning leaving the passenger airbag always ON?
2. Can I buy a replacement seat off eBay? I'm pretty sure it will still be cheaper that $2500.

Also, what's the status now? Will the passenger airbag deploy if I'm in a wreck. Please advise - thanks in advance.

That sounds unbelievably expensive, but then I don't know anything about that part or repair.

You have a 2013, so it must have just come off warranty in the last few months, at most. Given that this is a safety-related issue, I think you should politely request that BMW make an accommodation for you, either asking your dealer to contact BMW or for you to do this yourself, directly. I know that there was a common issue with some E36 cars and their occupant seat sensors. I believe that you could buy a small plug off of ebay for a very cheap price that would plug into the sensor under the seat and defeat it, and it's warning light on the dash. I believe that part came from an English seller. What this part did as relates to airbag deployment, I don't know. If this is a common problem with some other relatively recent BMWs, then there may exist a cheap "fix" like this for our cars.

Esteban · 09-02-2017, 09:28 PM

I agree about some sort of a grace period considering your warranty has probably just recently expired. It would help if you had a good relationship with your dealer, but if that's not the case you could always contact BMWNA to see if they might offer you a courtesy in the form of no charge to you for the repair or at least go 50/50 with you. Couldn't hurt to ask.

Mageshkk · 09-02-2017, 10:46 PM

Thank you. I'm going to request the dealer on Tuesday about the grace period. Else, I'm going to buy the bypass from eBay UK for $40.

Mageshkk · 09-04-2017, 10:53 AM

Hey guys.. I cleared the code using INPA. Didn't fix anything else. The dash lights are gone. Now the passenger airbag light near the map lights (above rear view mirror) is always Off. How's the light supposed to behave? Does it turn on when there is a passenger or turn off when a passenger is present?

champignon · 09-04-2017, 03:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mageshkk

Hey guys.. I cleared the code using INPA. Didn't fix anything else. The dash lights are gone. Now the passenger airbag light near the map lights (above rear view mirror) is always Off. How's the light supposed to behave? Does it turn on when there is a passenger or turn off when a passenger is present?

The light turns on when a passenger sits in the seat AND farts. There are three levels of illumination depending on the intensity and duration of the farts. This is an undocumented safety feature of the vehicle and can only be coded out by the dealer, however they usually will refuse to do so.

Hope this helps.

Mageshkk · 09-04-2017, 03:45 PM

Okay. The light turns on when I first start the vehicle. Then it stays off irrespective of passenger occupancy. Does it mean the airbag is always activated? I'm happy if that's that and I can save myself $2500. I am not going to have child seat in the front anytime.

Dackelone · 09-04-2017, 04:06 PM

Mageshkk did you stand up or lean into the passenger seat with one of your knees ? Not sitting with your butt in the seat but leaning into the car with one of your knees.

I did that once on my old e36 and caused the SRS light to come and stay on. My friend's at my dealer just bypassed the "occupancy sensor" on the bottom part of the seat. You can just use a jumper wire to do the "repair". Now IDK if our e8x cars are the same... but I bet they have something similar.

Mageshkk · 09-05-2017, 08:17 AM

Dackelone: Yes sir. There's a good chance I kneeled in the seat trying to reach back seats. Now the dash light is gone after I cleared using INPA. When I start the car, the passenger airbag off light lite up.. then flashes once and gradually fades to off. I assume this means the passenger airbag is always armed. Is that correct?

jlc45 · 09-10-2017, 11:50 AM

When I read the title of this thread I thought it was going to be about the guy's wife going off on him!

Dackelone · 09-12-2017, 02:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mageshkk

Dackelone: Yes sir. There's a good chance I kneeled in the seat trying to reach back seats. Now the dash light is gone after I cleared using INPA. When I start the car, the passenger airbag off light lite up.. then flashes once and gradually fades to off. I assume this means the passenger airbag is always armed. Is that correct?

As long as your SRS light is off... the air bags should work. Only real way to know is read your SRS codes with a code reader.

When you knelt with your knee... you damaged the seat sensor... so the SRS system doesn't know how big(weight) of your passenger... so the air bag might not inflate properly in a crash.

Dack

DVMs135 · 07-18-2021, 07:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dackelone

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mageshkk

Dackelone: Yes sir. There's a good chance I kneeled in the seat trying to reach back seats. Now the dash light is gone after I cleared using INPA. When I start the car, the passenger airbag off light lite up.. then flashes once and gradually fades to off. I assume this means the passenger airbag is always armed. Is that correct?

As long as your SRS light is off... the air bags should work. Only real way to know is read your SRS codes with a code reader.

When you knelt with your knee... you damaged the seat sensor... so the SRS system doesn't know how big(weight) of your passenger... so the air bag might not inflate properly in a crash.

Dack

I checked this link a few months ago when my sensor light came on, it has been pissing me off enough that I found myself toggling to get air temp to avoid looking at it!
So this morning when I was cleaning her up and, vaccuuming the seat top crevasses, and pulling up on the seat top. Got into the car for a cruise with my co-pilot and NO WARNING AIRBAG ICON !!!! Can't say how happy I am, so I had to share with you 1er's out there

lvfb · 10-16-2021, 07:36 PM

here is the cheap and easy CORRECT way to fix this

find local junk yard that has a car from your generation that DOES NOT have its airbags deployed

take box cutter or knife and cut the sides of the seat out so you can quickly and easily get to the sensor.

unplug the sensor mat and keep the cut up leather and foam with it.

when you go to check out they will think its just a shit seat (got mine for 7usd)

put it in your seat (disconnect batter, wait an hour, remove whole seat, look on google for how to remove the part of the seat you sit on, and put new mat on there)

take to indy shop to clear codes OR use inpa/ista or whatever bmw software will clear airbag codes (i had indy shop do it and they didnt charge me)

09-02-2017, 01:43 PM	#1
Mageshkk Canyon Carver 50 Rep 185 Posts Drives: 135is 6MT; 2000 M5;1991 M5 Join Date: Aug 2016 Location: Alpharetta, ga iTrader: (1)	Passenger restraint malfunction So I was vacuuming the interior other day and when I started the car the warning pops out. I thought may be I dislocated a plug under the seat. Checked the connections - no issues there. Went to the dealer and SA says it's the occupant sensor mat and it's gonna cost $2500 in total. Now, what are my options? - 1. Is it possible to code out the need for sensor? Meaning leaving the passenger airbag always ON? 2. Can I buy a replacement seat off eBay? I'm pretty sure it will still be cheaper that $2500. Also, what's the status now? Will the passenger airbag deploy if I'm in a wreck. Please advise - thanks in advance.
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09-02-2017, 09:28 PM	#3
Esteban Major General 43672 Rep 7,224 Posts Drives: a slow car fast Join Date: Jun 2014 Location: SoCal iTrader: (0)	I agree about some sort of a grace period considering your warranty has probably just recently expired. It would help if you had a good relationship with your dealer, but if that's not the case you could always contact BMWNA to see if they might offer you a courtesy in the form of no charge to you for the repair or at least go 50/50 with you. Couldn't hurt to ask. __________________
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09-02-2017, 10:46 PM	#4
Mageshkk Canyon Carver 50 Rep 185 Posts Drives: 135is 6MT; 2000 M5;1991 M5 Join Date: Aug 2016 Location: Alpharetta, ga iTrader: (1)	Thank you. I'm going to request the dealer on Tuesday about the grace period. Else, I'm going to buy the bypass from eBay UK for $40.
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09-04-2017, 10:53 AM	#5
Mageshkk Canyon Carver 50 Rep 185 Posts Drives: 135is 6MT; 2000 M5;1991 M5 Join Date: Aug 2016 Location: Alpharetta, ga iTrader: (1)	Hey guys.. I cleared the code using INPA. Didn't fix anything else. The dash lights are gone. Now the passenger airbag light near the map lights (above rear view mirror) is always Off. How's the light supposed to behave? Does it turn on when there is a passenger or turn off when a passenger is present?
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09-04-2017, 03:45 PM	#7
Mageshkk Canyon Carver 50 Rep 185 Posts Drives: 135is 6MT; 2000 M5;1991 M5 Join Date: Aug 2016 Location: Alpharetta, ga iTrader: (1)	Okay. The light turns on when I first start the vehicle. Then it stays off irrespective of passenger occupancy. Does it mean the airbag is always activated? I'm happy if that's that and I can save myself $2500. I am not going to have child seat in the front anytime.
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09-04-2017, 04:06 PM	#8
Dackelone European Editor 10539 Rep 22,992 Posts Drives: N54 e82 Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Bayern, Germany iTrader: (1)	Mageshkk did you stand up or lean into the passenger seat with one of your knees ? Not sitting with your butt in the seat but leaning into the car with one of your knees. I did that once on my old e36 and caused the SRS light to come and stay on. My friend's at my dealer just bypassed the "occupancy sensor" on the bottom part of the seat. You can just use a jumper wire to do the "repair". Now IDK if our e8x cars are the same... but I bet they have something similar. __________________ Dackel's European Delivery Museum Guide
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09-05-2017, 08:17 AM	#9
Mageshkk Canyon Carver 50 Rep 185 Posts Drives: 135is 6MT; 2000 M5;1991 M5 Join Date: Aug 2016 Location: Alpharetta, ga iTrader: (1)	Dackelone: Yes sir. There's a good chance I kneeled in the seat trying to reach back seats. Now the dash light is gone after I cleared using INPA. When I start the car, the passenger airbag off light lite up.. then flashes once and gradually fades to off. I assume this means the passenger airbag is always armed. Is that correct?
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09-10-2017, 11:50 AM	#10
jlc45 Private First Class 48 Rep 154 Posts Drives: 2012 BMW 135i 6MT Join Date: Sep 2016 Location: Ancaster ON iTrader: (0)	When I read the title of this thread I thought it was going to be about the guy's wife going off on him!
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10-16-2021, 07:36 PM	#13
lvfb Private First Class 33 Rep 141 Posts Drives: BMW 128i cabrio Join Date: Aug 2020 Location: Las Vegas iTrader: (0)	here is the cheap and easy CORRECT way to fix this find local junk yard that has a car from your generation that DOES NOT have its airbags deployed take box cutter or knife and cut the sides of the seat out so you can quickly and easily get to the sensor. unplug the sensor mat and keep the cut up leather and foam with it. when you go to check out they will think its just a shit seat (got mine for 7usd) put it in your seat (disconnect batter, wait an hour, remove whole seat, look on google for how to remove the part of the seat you sit on, and put new mat on there) take to indy shop to clear codes OR use inpa/ista or whatever bmw software will clear airbag codes (i had indy shop do it and they didnt charge me)
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