Owner-reported complaints naming the interior system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming seats, latches, locks, linkages and interior fittings. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2009 BMW 328I submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 8 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed
I have the seatbelt and airbag light illuminated on my car for the passenger. I have researched this issue and it seems to be a common problem on BMWs. It was part of a recall for the 2006 model but nothing past that year. Apparently, it is the sensor that is in the passenger seat that has broken. So the airbag can't sense whether or not a person is occupying that seat.
Code is coming up for passenger seat occupancy sensor which possibly affects airbag deployment in the event of a collision. It has been noted that the passenger seat occupancy sensor has been a part of prior BMW for 2008 and earlier.
SENSOR WARNING STATES PASSENGER AIRBAG AND PASSENGER SEATBELT IS NOT ON. *TR
CAR HAS A PASSENGER RESTRAINT SYSTEM ERROR. THIS APPEARS TO BE A VERY COMMON PROBLEM. WARNING COMES ON AS SOON AS THE CAR IS STARTED UNTIL THE VEHICLE IS SHUT DOWN. THE AIRBAG MAY OR MAY NOT DEPLOY IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH.
RESTRAINT SYSTEM FAULTY WARNING CAME ON
THE SEAT AIR BAG SENSOR MAT HAS FAILED THE AIRBAG LIGHT STAYS ON.THE 2006 TO 2008 MODELS WERE RECALLED FOR THIS EXACT PROBLEM BUT NOT THE 2009.THOS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE BECAUSE THE AIR BAG WILL NOT DEPLOY ON THE PASSENGER SIDE WITH A FAULTY SENSOR.CONTACTED BMW WILL NOT REPAIR UNLESS YOU PAY FULL PRICE.THIS IS A JOKE BECAUSE THE REPAIR IS 1500 DOLLARS OR MORE, THE CAR ONLY HAS 77000 MILES AND HAS BEEN WELL TAKEN CARE OF. A RECALL SHOULD BE ISSUED BECAUSE THIS A SERIOUS AND COMMON PROBLEM WHICH IS VERY EXPENSIVE TO REPAIR AND IS A HORRIBLE DESIGN.
THE VEHICLE BRINGS UP A WARNING LIGHT ON THE DASH INDICATING THAT THE PASSENGER AIRBAG IS DISABLED DUE TO SEAT OCCUPANCY, EVEN THOUGH I HAVE A PASSENGER SITTING IN THE PASSENGER SEAT. THIS HAPPENS AT ALL TIMES. THIS IS A SAFETY CONCERN BECAUSE IN THE CASE OF AN ACCIDENT, THE CAR WOULD NOT DEPLOY THE PASSENGER AIRBAG.
WHILE MAKING A LEFT TURN, TO PROCEED UP THE STREET LEAVING WORK, SEVERAL MALFUNCTION LIGHTS DISPLAYED ON THE DASH AND THAN MY CAR SHUTS DOWN COMPLETELY; NO INSIDE NOR OUTSIDE LIGHTS (IT WAS DARK OUTSIDE), NO DINGS OR ANYTHING. I THOUGHT MAYBE I NEEDED A JUMP. CALLED A CO-WORKER BEFORE HE LEFT WORK, WHOM ALSO HAS A BMW. HE SAID IT WAS NOT A JUMP I NEEDED AND PROCEEDED TO GO IN THE TRUNK TO LOCATE MY BATTERY. AS SOON AS HE WAS ABLE TO REMOVE THE PLASTIC SCREWS AND WIGGLE THE PANEL, TRYING TO GET IT FROM UNDER THE WALL PANELS THAT WAS HOLDING IT IN PLACE, ALL MY LIGHTS CAME BACK ON. HOWEVER, A RESTRAINT SYSTEM MALFUNCTION LIGHT REMAINED ON THE DASH. THANK GOD I WAS DRIVING AT A LOW SPEED AND ON A RESIDENTIAL STREET, NO CARS AROUND ME NOR HAD I MADE IT TO THE HWY TO HEAD HOME, SOME 30 MINUTE RIDE. I DON'T WANT TO THINK OF WHAT COULD HAVE HAPPENED! THE RESTRAINT SYSTEM MALFUNCTION IS SAID TO HAVE SOMETHING TO DO WITH THE PASSENGER SIDE AND THE AIRBAG. I FEEL I AM DRIVING IN A VERY UNSAFE HIGH COSTING VEHICLE, AND EITHER WAY, I, MY PASSENGER OR SOMEONE ELSE COULD SERIOUSLY GET HURT WITH THIS CAR ON THE ROAD WITH THESE ISSUES.
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
Data on this page last refreshed .