Recalls
| Campaign | Manufacturer | Manufacturing date | Type | # of units affected | Date Owner notified Mfg | Recall Initiated by | Manufacturers of recalled vehicles/products | Report Recieved Date | Record Creation Date | Regulation Part Number | FMVSS Number | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AIR BAGS - FRONTAL | ||||||||||||||||
| 08V384000 | BMW OF NORTH AMERICA, LLC | V (Vehicle) | 200000 | 11/06/2008 | ODI | BMW OF NORTH AMERICA, LLC | 08/05/2008 | 08/05/2008 | ||||||||
| Defect Summary | Bmw is recalling 200,000 my 2006 3 series sport seat, my 2004-2006 5 series standard and sport seat, and my 2004-2006 x3 passenger vehicles. depending on the manner and frequency of the front passenger's entry and exit, small cracks have developed in the mat. if this occurs, the front passenger air bags, with the exception of the head protection system, will be deactivated and the air bag warning lamp as well as the passenger air bag on-off lamp will be illuminated. | |||||||||||||||
| Consequence Summary | In this situation the front passenger air bags will not deploy even if a sufficiently severe accident would occur and occupant protection provided by the system would not be possible. | |||||||||||||||
| Corrective Summary | Dealers will rework the front passenger seat sensor mat so that external force application to the seat does not cause a crack to the mat. the recall began on november 6, 2008. bmw will also extend the warranty on these vehicles to 10 years from first registration without any mileage limit. owners may contact bmw at 1-800-525-7417. | |||||||||||||||
| Notes | Bmw is extending the warranty to 10 years from first registration without any mileage limit to the following vehicles:my 2006 6-series, 3-series (standard seat), my 2004-2005 z4, my 2004-2006 7-series, my 2006 x5, and my 2004-2006 5-series (comfort seat).under the extended warranty program, the occupant detection mat in a vehicle that experiences this specific issue will be replaced at no charge to the customer.customers may also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's vehicle safety hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (tty 1-800-424-9153), or go to http://www.safercar.gov. | |||||||||||||||
Bulletins
| Bulletin | Bulletin date | Replacement Bulletin | Item no. | Summary | Added |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AIR BAGS | |||||
| SI-B65-75-06 | 04/01/2009 | 10029605 | Bmw: the airbag warning lamp (awl) is illuminated, together with the passenger airbag status lamp (pol). the problem may be intermittent. microcracks in the oc3 seat mat. *pe | 07/13/2009 | |
Investigations
| NHTSA ID | Manufacturer | Date open | Date close | Subject | Recall campaign | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AIR BAGS | ||||||
| EA08001 | BMW OF NORTH AMERICA, LLC | 01/04/2008 | 12/31/2008 | BMW AIRBAG LIGHT ILLUMINATION | 08V384000 | |
| Bmw is conducting a safety recall campaign on approximately 200,000 my04 through my06 subject vehicles built through 11/30/05 to correct the front passenger seat air bag occupant detection mat. the specific vehicles included in the recall aremy04- 06/ 5-series with standard and sport seats, my04-06/ x3-series and my06/ 3-series with sport seats. in addition, bmw will extend the warranty coverage of the passenger seat air bag occupant detection mat to 10-year/unlimited mileage on approximately 120,000 remaining my04-06 subject vehicles built through 11/30/05. the specific vehicles included in the extended warranty are my 06/ 6 series, my 06/ 3-series with standard seats, my04-05/ z4, my04-06/ 7 series, my 06/ x5, and my04-06/ 5-series with comfort seats.the average frequency of failures among the extended warranty groups was less than 1/7th of the recall vehicle groups.please see bmw's 08v-384 recall notification for further detailsdepending on seat configuration and vehicle geometry, the occupant detection mat can fatigue during use depending on the manner and frequency of the front passenger's entry and exit.specifically, over time, micro-cracks could develop in the side flanks of the mat causing a broken circuit.a brokencircuit can lead to the deactivation of the passenger air bag and the illumination of both the air bag warning light and the passenger air bag light. | ||||||
| AIR BAGS - FRONTAL | ||||||
| EA08001 | BMW OF NORTH AMERICA, LLC | 01/04/2008 | 12/31/2008 | BMW AIRBAG LIGHT ILLUMINATION | 08V384000 | |
| Bmw is conducting a safety recall campaign on approximately 200,000 my04 through my06 subject vehicles built through 11/30/05 to correct the front passenger seat air bag occupant detection mat. the specific vehicles included in the recall aremy04- 06/ 5-series with standard and sport seats, my04-06/ x3-series and my06/ 3-series with sport seats. in addition, bmw will extend the warranty coverage of the passenger seat air bag occupant detection mat to 10-year/unlimited mileage on approximately 120,000 remaining my04-06 subject vehicles built through 11/30/05. the specific vehicles included in the extended warranty are my 06/ 6 series, my 06/ 3-series with standard seats, my04-05/ z4, my04-06/ 7 series, my 06/ x5, and my04-06/ 5-series with comfort seats.the average frequency of failures among the extended warranty groups was less than 1/7th of the recall vehicle groups.please see bmw's 08v-384 recall notification for further detailsdepending on seat configuration and vehicle geometry, the occupant detection mat can fatigue during use depending on the manner and frequency of the front passenger's entry and exit.specifically, over time, micro-cracks could develop in the side flanks of the mat causing a broken circuit.a brokencircuit can lead to the deactivation of the passenger air bag and the illumination of both the air bag warning light and the passenger air bag light. | ||||||
| AIR BAGS - FRONTAL - SENSOR/CONTROL MODULE | ||||||
| EA08001 | BMW OF NORTH AMERICA, LLC | 01/04/2008 | 12/31/2008 | BMW AIRBAG LIGHT ILLUMINATION | 08V384000 | |
| Bmw is conducting a safety recall campaign on approximately 200,000 my04 through my06 subject vehicles built through 11/30/05 to correct the front passenger seat air bag occupant detection mat. the specific vehicles included in the recall aremy04- 06/ 5-series with standard and sport seats, my04-06/ x3-series and my06/ 3-series with sport seats. in addition, bmw will extend the warranty coverage of the passenger seat air bag occupant detection mat to 10-year/unlimited mileage on approximately 120,000 remaining my04-06 subject vehicles built through 11/30/05. the specific vehicles included in the extended warranty are my 06/ 6 series, my 06/ 3-series with standard seats, my04-05/ z4, my04-06/ 7 series, my 06/ x5, and my04-06/ 5-series with comfort seats.the average frequency of failures among the extended warranty groups was less than 1/7th of the recall vehicle groups.please see bmw's 08v-384 recall notification for further detailsdepending on seat configuration and vehicle geometry, the occupant detection mat can fatigue during use depending on the manner and frequency of the front passenger's entry and exit.specifically, over time, micro-cracks could develop in the side flanks of the mat causing a broken circuit.a brokencircuit can lead to the deactivation of the passenger air bag and the illumination of both the air bag warning light and the passenger air bag light. | ||||||
Consumer Complaints
| Fail date | miles | occurences | Purchase date |
|---|---|---|---|
| AIR BAGS | |||
| 04/05/2012 | 123208 | ||
| Passenger airbag off overhead console light is illuminated intermittently even when 140 lb passenger occupies the front passenger seat. sometimes when passenger moves around in the seat the light will go away. talked to service advisor at bmw of sterling, virginia on 4/5/12. they acknowledged four facts (1) it is a passenger seat occupancy detection mat failure, and (2) if the light is on in the event of an accident, the passenger airbag will not deploy no matter how severe the accident is, and (3) the mat in question was replaced on 02-16-2007 at 40,788 miles for an identical problem under manufacturer defect code 6577081500, and (4) there is a recall for the issue, but my vin is not covered under the recall. they told me they will not cover the previous repair and will charge me $1,290 for it. research on this web-site shows nhtsa active ea08001 pertains to an identical issue. this is a serious safety defect that the manufacturer has already acknowledged on certain cars and they should cover my car for the same defect as well. | |||
| 05/01/2011 | 35000 | ||
| Without cause or incident, the passenger seat mat of our airbag system has failed and disabled the entire airbag system for our vehicle. a recall was issued for the same problem for the same model and year of manufacture, but our vin was excluded from the recall. the repair costs are extraordinary and the manufacturer has refused to offer any assistance. furthermore, the manufacturer is unable to explain why my particular vehicle was not part of the recall and how the airbag system works. the vehicle has very low mileage and has been well maintained. | |||
| 09/18/2010 | 82200 | ||
| Tl-the contact owns a 2004 bmw x3. the contact stated that the air bag light illuminated on the instrument panel. the contact assumed that the failure was caused by faulty air bag sensors. the vehicle had not been inspected or repaired at the time of the complaint. the contact called both the dealership and the manufacturer and was informed that the vehicle was not included in recall 08v384000 (air bags:frontal). the current mileage was approximately 82,400. the failure mileage was approximately 82,200-bk | |||
| 07/20/2009 | 74568 | 1 | |
| Started the car and the airbag warning lamp came on and will not go off. the airbag has not been deployed and there has not been an accident. the passenger airbag status lamp is also on all the time. i am concerned the airbags are not working. the warning lights have been on for about 2 weeks. *tr | |||
| 08/15/2006 | 20347 | 1 | |
| Tl*the contact owns a 2004 bmw x3. while driving at an unknown speed, the air bag deactivation light illuminated on the instrument panel. the vehicle was taken to the dealer and they stated that the air bag sensor was malfunctioning in the front passenger seat. the contact had the same failure repaired two years ago. the current mileage was 93,500 and failure mileage was 20,347. updated 11/17/08 *bf updated 11/18/08.*jb | |||
| 09/03/2008 | 68000 | 1 | 06/01/2007 |
| Tl- the contact owns a 2004 bmw x3. the contact stated that the vehicle was impacted and the rolled over several times but the driver side nor passenger side air bags deployed. the contact sustained injuries to the neck, head and upper back. the vehicle sustained major damage. the current and failure mileage is 68000. jp updated 10/14/08. *lj the right rear power window would not roll up. updated 10/16/08. *jb | |||
| 08/05/2005 | 12000 | 1 | 09/27/2004 |
| Dt: 2004 bmw 300 series. the consumer states the driver side air bags deployed spontaneously. she was driving 10-15 mph when this occurred. the consumer was not injured. the sensor strip beneath the driver's seat shows an area of impact. the vehicle has never been in an impact; the consumer has always had this vehicle. the vehicle stalled when the airbags deployed. this occurred on a flat residential road. she was at a stop sign and when she started to accelerate, the air bags deployed.*ak | |||
| AIR BAGS - FRONTAL | |||
| 06/15/2010 | 80000 | ||
| Tl-the contact owns a 2004 bmw x3. while the vehicle was parked the contact noticed the air bag light came on and stayed on. the vehicle was taken to the dealer. the dealer advised him that the seat sensor mat needed repairs. the contact referenced recall 08v384000, air bags:frontal and was advised by the dealer that his vehicle was not part of the recall. the vehicle has not been repaired. the approximate failure mileage was 80,000 and the current mileage was 99,000. vwb | |||
| 03/01/2010 | 100000 | ||
| Http://www.aboutautomobile.com/investigation/2004/bmw/x3/airbag bmw has only recalled a partial list of vehicles for the ongoing issue with the passenger airbag not functioning. this needs to be expanded to the entire vehicle line. i have a 2004 bmw x3 and it is experiencing same issue doccumented in recall list and its not been issued a recall notice. it apepars bmw has limited the amount of vehicles covered by the recall notice to save on dollars. this is serious, if an accident occurs the passenged air bag safety system will not function. | |||
| 09/29/2009 | 1 | ||
| Every once in a while the passenger air bag would not activate when someone of the appropriate weight was sitting in the passenger seat. so, when a passenger was sitting in the seat, the light showing passenger airbag not activated light would still be illuminated. this would happen on and off, not constant. then one day it remained on constant and on the dash a red airbag warning light illuminated. both of these lights have stayed illuminated since the problem began happening. i contacted bmw based on the recall that is listed, they state that even though the error that occurred and problem matches the recall, my vin is not effected. therefore, i would like a review to see if my vin number should be included in this recall or if the recall should be extended to more vehicles that are effected. (nhtsa ea08001) i have contacted bmw and they refuse to repair the defect at no cost to me. i have contacted the main office and dealers. they continue to state that my vin was not effected and i will need to pay to repair the defect. *tr | |||
| 10/01/2009 | 40000 | 1 | |
| I have a 2004 bmw x3. there is a recall on my year and model vehicle for faulty airbag sensors that cause the airbags not to function in a crash. my car is displaying the symptoms of the problem as described in the recall notice. bmw is not including my particular car in the recall. this defect is a safety hazard to my wife and i. it is my wish that bmw will expand the recall to include all vehicles that have this defective condition. *tr | |||
| 06/11/2009 | 57000 | ||
| Tl*the contact owns a 2004 bmw x3. she states that she noticed the passenger side frontal air bag warning light illuminated on the instrument panel indicating that the air bag system is inoperative. as a consequence the front passenger air bags will not deploy even if a sufficiently severe accident would occur and occupant protection provided by the system would not be possible. she contacted the dealer and the manufacturer and was advised that because her vin number was excluded from the vin range for recall #08v384000 (air bags:frontal) they would not assume responsibility for any repairs. the failure and current mileages were 57,000. bl | |||
| 08/01/2008 | 90000 | ||
| Tl*the contact owns a 2004 bmw x3. whenever a passenger is seated in the front passenger seat, the passenger side air bag light indicates that the air bag is deactivated. as a result, the passenger side air bag would not deploy in the event of a crash. through research, the contact found nhtsa campaign id number 08v384000 (air bags:frontal). the manufacturer stated that the vin was not included in the recall. the contact believes that the vehicle is being excluded because it was imported into the united states. the failure mileage was 90,000 and current mileage was 105,000. | |||
| 03/29/2009 | 45960 | 1 | |
| The airbag warning light on the dashboard stays illuminated while driving. the front passenger airbag light goes on and off intermittently while driving and my husband is sitting in the passenger seat. called local bmw dealership and 800 number- as after researching this issue it is a recall. they said it didn't pertain to my vehicle. the recall states for model years 2004 - 2006 bmw x3. i have a 2004 bmw x3 and am wondering how it doesn't pertain to my vehicle. *tr | |||
| 07/01/2008 | 65000 | 1 | |
| Passenger airbag light goes on and off with seatbelt both on or off. *tr | |||
| 11/13/2005 | 25000 | 1 | 08/17/2004 |
| Air bag warnings in 2004 bmw. brought in for service twice and was ingorned. then, had accident and complained again to bmw customer service. result-they could care less. sent at least three emails-no action, little response . *ak | |||
| AIR BAGS - FRONTAL - SENSOR/CONTROL MODULE | |||
| 09/30/2006 | 1 | 06/14/2004 | |
| I have been having problems with my 2004 bmw x3 2.5l sav in where the airbag light for the front passenger seat will illuminate indicating that the airbag has been deactivated while my wife is sitting in the passenger seat. i have brought my truck into the dealership (jmk bmw in springfield, nj) about 4 times and unfortunately each time the issue has not been resolved. i contacted bmw of north america to report the problem. they were in contact with my dealer and even requested to have my truck brought back to the dealership to have it looked at on more time (by this time it would be the 4th trip back to the dealership for the same problem). after a couple of days the dealership called me stating that the problem has been fixed. but it has not. i reported the issue again to bmw of north america and a couple of days later they told me that the have used every possible solution on my truck and that there is nothing more that can be done to resolve the problem. that | |||
| 12/10/2004 | 600 | 3 | 11/13/2004 |
| Passenger airbag off light comes on very occasionally (3-4 times in 13 months) when a passenger is properly seating in the front passenger seat. the light stays on for several minutes and typically goes out and then comes back on again for a few minutes. then, it will not occur for several months. the problem has been reported to the dealer several times and they simply say they cannot fix a problem that they can't find. the have opened a case to collect information but have not rectified the problem. they say that bmw is collecting information. they cannot definitively tell me how the airbag system will perform if the light happens to be on when a vehicle crash occurs. they do insist that the front airbag will deploy even though the light says the airbag is off but they don't know whether the side airbag will deploy. my primary complaint is that they seem to treat this issue very lightly, both at the local dealer and at the national customer service offices. *jb | |||
| 10/14/2004 | 17000 | 3 | 09/25/2004 |
| 2004 bmw - front air bag disable enabled by it's self. has been repair twice already. now happening for a third time | |||