2008 BMW 328I Interior & seats Problems

The vehicle’s "Passenger Airbag Off" light and dashboard SRS warning lamp are illuminated. A diagnostic scan using a BMW-specific tool confirms manufacturer Fault Code 93C3 (Passenger Seat Occupancy Detector). This indicates a hardware failure of the OC3 internal seat sensor mat. Safety Risk: The failure of this sensor prevents the vehicle from correctly identifying if an adult is in the passenger seat. This compromises the Supplemental Restraint System (SRS) and may result in the passenger airbag failing to deploy during a collision, posing a significant risk of injury or death to the occupant. Confirmation of Problem: The fault was confirmed via a digital diagnostic system (Foxwell NT510) which identified the specific "Open Circuit" within the seat mat. The component is currently installed in the vehicle and is available for inspection. Connection to Existing Recalls: This failure is identical in symptoms and fault code to those described in NHTSA Safety Recall 17V-428. Although this vehicle is the same year and model (2008 BMW 3-Series) as those covered in the recall, the VIN was excluded from the initial recall range. This appears to be a recall omission of a known manufacturing defect, as the failure occurred despite minimal use of the passenger seat.

NHTSA ID

11711445

Incident

Dec 1, 2025

The contact owns a 2008 BMW 328I. The contact stated while the vehicle was parked, the contact stated that the manual door locks became inoperable. The contact had to climb out of the driver's side window to exit the vehicle. The contact was able to enter the vehicle by using the key fob. The dealer was contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 170,000.

NHTSA ID

11613049

Incident

Sep 6, 2024

Mileage

170,000 mi

WHEN FRONT PASSENGER IS SEATED, LIGHT INDICATES PASSENGER SEAT AIR BAGS ARE TURNED OFF! EVEN WITH ADULTS SEATED. MAINTENANCE STATED LIKELY SEAT SENSOR FAULTY. FRUSTRATED TO SEE THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM FOR THIS VEHICLE THAT WAS REPAIRED FOR ONLY ONE YEAR OF THE 3 YEARS AFFECTED. HOW MANY PEOPLE MUST DIE FIRST? HAPPENS STOPPED AND IN MOTION. *TR

NHTSA ID

11324210

Incident

May 9, 2020

Mileage

70,000 mi

AS SOON AS THE VEHICLE IS STARTED A WARNING WILL POP UP FOR 'PASSENGER RESTRAINT SYSTEM MALFUNCTION' CAUSED BY THE SEAT OCCUPANCY SENSOR FAILING ON THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT. THE WARNING WILL STAY ON AND NOT GO AWAY. A PREVIOUS RECALL FOR SIMILAR YEAR MODELS HAS BEEN ANNOUNCED BUT IT DIDN'T COVER ALL AFFECTED VEHICLES DUE TO SIMILAR SENSORS BEING USED ACROSS ALL THESE YEAR MODELS. BMW WANTS TO CHARGE 1000+ DOLLARS FOR THIS SENSOR REPAIR DUE TO THEM SAYING THIS IS AN 'UNAFFECTED VEHICLE'. WITHOUT THIS SENSOR WORKING PROPERLY, IN THE EVENT OF A COLLISION, THE PASSENGER AIRBAG COULD NOT DEPLOY WHICH CAN CAUSE SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH. BMW REFUSES TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT THIS WITHOUT A RECALL ANNOUNCED, OR WITHOUT THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS BEING SPENT JUST FOR THE SAFETY OF MY PASSENGERS.

NHTSA ID

11291193

Incident

Mar 1, 2019

Mileage

100,000 mi

THE PASSENGER AIRBAG LIGHT IN MY DASHBOARD IS CONSTANTLY ON. THE CAR THINKS THAT A SMALL CHILD IS SITTING ON THE SEAT AND DISENGAGES THE AIRBAG. SO NOW THE AIRBAG IS IS COMPLETELY DISENGAGED EVEN WHEN SOMEONE IS SITTING IN THE PASSENGER SEAT. I'VE TAKEN MY VEHICLE TO BMW DEALERSHIP AND THEY CHECKED MY VIN AND SAID IT'S NOT PART OF THE RECALL AND WANT TO CHARGE ME $2000 FOR THE REPAIR. I BELIEVE MY SEAT SENSOR IS THE SAME ONE THAT IS BEING RECALLED BUT NOT ENOUGH OWNERS WITH THE SAME VEHICLE HAVE FILED A FORMAL COMPLAINT WITH NHTSA. THE TWO RECALLS THAT THE NHTSA HAS RECALLED ARE 17V-428 AND 17V-605. WHY ARE THOSE MODELS THE ONLY ONE BEING RECALLED WHEN THERE'S DEFINITE MALFUNCTION WITH THE OC3 AIRBAG SEAT SENSOR? MY CAR IS THE E93 MODEL WHICH IS THE CONVERTIBLE MODEL, I BELIEVE THAT BECAUSE THIS MODEL WAS PRODUCED LESS THAN THE 4 DOOR SEDAN AND THAT MOST PPL WITH CONVERTIBLES DON'T HAVE A PASSENGER SITTING IN THE PASSENGER SEAT. I HAVE A DAUGHTER THAT SITS IN THE PASSENGER SEAT EVERYDAY AND I BELIEVE THAT IS WHY IT MALFUNCTIONED. MY CAR IS A 2008 E93 328I. I BELIEVE THE SAME AIRBAG PASSENGER MAT SEAT SENSOR IS THE SAME ONE BMW HAS RECALLED FOR THEIR 2006 AND 2007 E90 AND E91 MODELS AS WELL AS THE 2006-2010 X3 MODELS THAT ARE BEING RECALLED. PLEASE INCLUDE THE 2008 E93 MODELS AS THESE ARE THE SAME AIRBAG SENSORS THAT NEED TO BE RECALLED.

NHTSA ID

11243478

Incident

May 1, 2019

Mileage

100,000 mi

USE OF THE RIGHT FRONT (RF) PASSENGER SEAT WOULD CAUSE AN AIR BAG AND SEAT BELT MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LIGHT. THE LIGHTS WOULD GO OUT AFTER A NUMBER OF IGNITION CYCLES IF THERE WAS NO RF PASSENGER, BUT WOULD REAPPEAR AFTER A PASSENGER USED THE SEAT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A BMW DEALER ON 10/12/18 AND THEY FOUND THAT THE "OC3 MAT" WAS FAULTY AND THEY RECOMMENDED THAT IT BE REPLACED AND PROGRAMMED. THIS IS A SIMILAR ISSUE TO TWO OTHER BMW RECALLS (17V-428 AND 13V-564) RELATED TO THE FRONT PASSENGER AIR BAG SEAT OCCUPANCY SENSOR MAT. THIS VEHICLE IS A 2008 BMW E90 3-SERIES WITH SPORT SEATS BUT IS NOT INCLUDED IN EITHER RECALL.

NHTSA ID

11140570

Incident

Oct 12, 2018

Mileage

104,100 mi

PASSENGER SIDE FRONT SEAT CAUGHT FIRE.

NHTSA ID

11133434

Incident

Oct 5, 2018

Mileage

128,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 BMW 328I. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY AND WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE AIR BAG INDICATOR ILLUMINATED WITHOUT WARNING. BILL PEARCE MOTORS (11555 SOUTH VIRGINIA STREET, RENO, NEVADA 89511, (775) 826-2100) WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND PERFORMED A DIAGNOSTIC TEST. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE SENSOR UNDER THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 76,000.

NHTSA ID

11127870

Incident

Jan 1, 2017

Mileage

76,000 mi

PASSENGER RESTRAINT MALFUNCTION.

NHTSA ID

11099820

Incident

May 30, 2018

SEAT SENSOR MALFUNCTIONING SHOWING NO PASSENGER WHEN PASSENGER IS SEATED. THIS MAY PREVENT SEAT BELTS FROM FUNCTIONING AND AIR BAG DEPLOYING IN THE EVENT OF AN ACCIDENT AND INCREASING INJURIES

NHTSA ID

11033190

Incident

Oct 9, 2017

Mileage

70,000 mi

PASSENGER SEAT OCCUPANCY MAT SENSOR BROKEN. PROBLEM STARTED, 5 YEARS AGO. THIS SEEMS TO BE A WELL DOCUMENTED PROBLEM AFFECTING MANY DIFFERENT BMW MODELS/YEARS. BMW WILL NOT TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE SITUATION. PLEASE HELP.

NHTSA ID

11015296

Incident

Aug 1, 2012

Mileage

12,000 mi

PASSENGER SEAT MAT FAILED TURNING OFF PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAGS FOR A CAR MANUFACTURED IN FALL 2007 IN GERMANY. BMW DON'T WANT TO TAKE OWNERSHIP OF THE PROBLEM DESPITE THIS BEING A SAFETY ISSUE AND MODELS PRIOR TO THIS CUT-OFF DATE HAVING ALREADY BEEN RECALLED FOR THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM. THE PASSENGER SEAT IS RARELY USED AND THE CAR, DESPITE BEING 9 YEARS OLD, HAS ONLY DONE 39,000 MILES. THIS IS A DANGEROUS CONDITION IF THE AIRBAG IS TRULY TURNED OFF THOUGH NO CODES INDICATE THIS IS THE CASE. DON'T KNOW WHAT TO BELIEVE

NHTSA ID

10979699

Incident

Mar 30, 2017

Mileage

39,000 mi

SEAT BELT AND AIR BAG WARNING LIGHTS GO ON WHEN THERE'S NO ONE SITTING IN THE PASSENGER SEAT. WAS TOLD THIS IS LIKELY A SEAT SENSOR ISSUE. I HAVE THE SPORT PACKAGE AND HAVE READ THAT MANY PEOPLE HAVE THE SEAT SENSOR ISSUE WITH SPORT SEATS. ALSO THERE HAS BEEN A RECALL FOR ALMOST EVERY YEAR MODEL FOR THE BMW 3-SERIES UP TO 2007 FOR SEAT SENSOR RECALL. THE LIGHT IS ON CONSTANTLY NOW WHEN THE CAR IS TURNED ON, WHETHER IT IS DRIVING OR STATIONARY. THE LIGHTS USED TO GO INTERMITTENTLY ON OR OFF BUT NOW THEY ARE STAYING ON. THIS MAKES QUESTIONABLE WHETHER THE SEAT BELTS ARE WORKING OR IF THE AIR BAGS WILL DEPLOY.

NHTSA ID

10871168

Incident

May 30, 2014

Mileage

35,000 mi

I AM UNABLE TO OPEN/UNLOCK THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR. OTHER DOORS ARE FINE BUT I WOULD BE TRAPPED IN CASE OF FIRE OR ACCIDENT. DOOR DOES UNLOCK THROUGH MANUAL KEY (NOT FOB). *TR

NHTSA ID

10652294

Incident

Nov 3, 2014

Mileage

81,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 BMW 328I. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE POWER DOOR LOCKS FAILED ON ALL OF THE DOORS. THE CONTACT STATED THE FAILURE PREVENTED THE DOORS FROM BEING OPEN MANUALLY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT IF YOU WAS INSIDE THE VEHICLE YOU HAD TO ROLL DOWN THE WINDOW AND USE THE KEY ON THE OUTSIDE TO GET OUT OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ONLY DOOR THAT COULD BE UNLOCKED IN THIS SITUATION WAS THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR, ANY ONE ELSE IN THE VEHICLE HAS TO CLIMB OVER TO THE DRIVER SEAT TO EXIT. THE CONTACT FELT THIS WAS A SAFETY HAZARD FOR THE ELDERLY AND PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE DOOR ACTUATORS FAILED AND VERIFIED THAT THE DRIVERS DOOR WAS THE ONLY ONE THAT WOULD OPEN FROM THE OUTSIDE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 31,000. UPDATED 12/06/12*LJ THE CONSUMER STATED ONLY THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR WITH THE USE OF THE KEY WORKED. UPDATED 12/06/12

NHTSA ID

10482178

Incident

Oct 22, 2012

Mileage

31,000 mi

DOORS WILL NOT UNLOCK. MANUAL KEY WILL WORK IN THE DRIVE SIDE DOOR OUTSIDE ONLY. OTHER 3 DOORS WILL NOT OPEN AT ALL. THE ONLY WAY TO GET OUT OF THE CAR IS TO CLIMB THRU THE WINDOW OR CLIMB OUT OF THE DRIVER DOOR. DRIVER HAS TO CLIMB OUT OF WINDOW AND USE MANUAL KEY TO OPEN DOOR. MANY POST ONLINE OF THIS PROBLEM. I WILL HAVE IT FIXED, HOWEVER, THE COSTS ARE VERY HIGH; THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD! IF CAR IS WRECKED OR ON FIRE, RESCUE WOULD NOT LIKELY BE ABLE TO HELP DRIVER OR PASSENGER TIMELY. RECALL IS NEEDED! *TR

NHTSA ID

10432510

Incident

Oct 21, 2011

Mileage

67,800 mi