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2008 BMW 528I Airbags Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the airbag system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Airbags reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
14
Latest Jun 13, 2024
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
12%
of 118 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
1
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
1

What this page shows

Reports naming the air-bag system — deployment behaviour, inflators, sensors and warning lights. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2008 BMW 528I submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 14 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.

Owner reports naming airbag

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

Airbags
Filed Jun 13, 2024

My BMW i528 was parked on May 23, 2024, and the driver airbag deflated without being tampered with. The incident is on surveillance camera. Since the car was manufactured in 2008, the insurance company will not cover the cost of the incident because it was not the result of a collision. There was no light that came on prior to the incident. A diagnostic check was performed and there was no indication of a problem with the airbag.

NHTSA ID
11594190
Incident
May 23, 2024
Airbags
Filed Jun 20, 2020

VEHICLE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT SENSOR MAT (SRS) FAILURE. 2ND TIME THIS SAFETY RELATED SENSOR HAS FAILED. FIRST TIME DEALERSHIP REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY. DEALERSHIP WANTS TO CHARGE FOR REPLACEMENT NOW. THIS IS A SAFETY RELATED ITEM AND IT HAS FAILED FOR THE SECOND TIME. I HAVE RESEARCHED AND FOUND THAT SAME ITEM HAS BEEN RECALLED FOR PRIOR MODELS AND YEARS. I BELIEVE THIS ITEM SHALL BE RECALLED. *TR

NHTSA ID
11329844
Incident
Jan 1, 2020
Airbags
Filed Jan 22, 2020

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 BMW 528I. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE INSTRUMENT PANEL INDICATED, THAT THE PASSENGER RESTRAIN SYSTEM WAS DEACTIVATED AND TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT OCCUPANCY SENSOR MAT WAS DEACTIVATED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 13V564000 (AIR BAGS). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER OR AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR A DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 119,000.

NHTSA ID
11301050
Incident
Jul 10, 2019
Mileage
119,000 mi
Airbags
Filed Dec 14, 2019

FAULT IN PASSENGER-RESTRAINT SYSTEM AFFECTING AIRBAG, BELT TENSIONER OR BELT-FORCE LIMITER. THIS STARTED HAPPENING A YEAR AGO AFTER VISITING DEALERSHIP FOR OIL CHANGE. I CANNOT HAVE PASSENGER NEXT TO ME BECAUSE WE ARE AFRAID OF MALFUNCTION IN AIRBAG SYSTEM.

NHTSA ID
11289086
Incident
Dec 31, 2018
Airbags
Filed Apr 1, 2019

SEAT AIRBAG SENSOR MALFUNCTIONING

NHTSA ID
11193043
Incident
Apr 1, 2019
AirbagsInterior & seatsSeat belts
Filed Jan 6, 2019

AIR BAG SENSOR FOR FRONT PASSENGER SEAT NOT WORKING. REPLACED ONCE WHILE VEHICLE UNDER WARRANTY. SAME SENSOR MALFUNCTION AGAIN. BMW WILL NOT REPLACE UNLESS I PAY, COST OF REPLACING SENSOR OVER 4,000.00. I BELIEVE IT SHOULD BE COVERED BY BMW SINCE SAME PART IS AGAIN NOT WORKING.

NHTSA ID
11165539
Incident
Jun 1, 2018
AirbagsElectricalSeat belts
Filed Oct 14, 2017

ERROR CODE 93C8 - DRIVER SIDE FRONT AIR BAG SENSOR MALFUNCTION

NHTSA ID
11033324
Incident
Apr 5, 2017
Mileage
176,000 mi
AirbagsSeat belts
Filed Apr 24, 2017

CAR HAS PASSENGER RESTRAINT SYSTEM MALFUCTION SINCE FABRICATION.WAS NEVER HANDLED. I AM NEW OWNER AND TRYING TO GET TO THE BOTTOM OF THIS.MANY PEOPLE HAVE THIS ISSUE WITH THIS MODELL AND APPARENTLY THERE WAS A RECALL FOR IT BUT MY VIN DOESNT FALL UNDER IT. VERY FRUSTRATING AND DANGEROUS.

NHTSA ID
10980259
Incident
Apr 1, 2010
Mileage
90,000 mi
AirbagsInterior & seatsSeat belts
Filed Jan 20, 2017

I WAS DRIVING MY CAR AND SUDDENLY THE RESTRAINT SYSTEM MALFUNCTION LIGHT TURNED ON AND THE SEATBELT LIGHT TURNED ON. I DID NOT HIT A BUMP OR ANYTHING. THERE WAS NO PASSENGER CURRENTLY SITTING ON THE PASSENGER SEAT WHEN THE LIGHT CAME ON. I HAVE TRIED SITTING DOWN ON THE PASSENGER SEAT AND PUT ON MY SEAT BELT TO SEE IF IT WILL GO AWAY BUT NO LUCK. ALSO, THE SEAT BELT LIGHT WILL NOT GO AWAY EVEN IF I BUCKLE THE DRIVERS SEAT AND PASSENGER SEAT BELT. *TR

NHTSA ID
10946824
Incident
Jan 20, 2017
Mileage
136,298 mi
AirbagsSeat belts
Filed Oct 19, 2016

I HAVE A 2008 528I AND I GOT AN ERROR MESSAGE SAYING THE PASSENGER RESTRAINT SYSTEM, OR AIR BAG HAD AN ERROR REGARDLESS OF A PASSENGER PRESENT OR NOT ANY TIME THAT CAR IS TURNED ON. I RESEARCHED IT AND IT SEEMS THAT THIS PROBLEM IS QUITE COMMON ON BMWS AND I FEEL AS ITS AN ISSUE WITH THE PRODUCTION OF THE CAR AND THE REPAIR SHOULD NOT BE AT THE OWNER'S EXPENSE. *TR

NHTSA ID
10917423
Incident
Oct 1, 2016
Mileage
90,000 mi
Airbags
Filed Apr 23, 2015

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 BMW 528I. WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE AIR BAG AND THE RESTRAINT SYSTEM WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED WHILE A PASSENGER WAS OCCUPYING THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE SEAT. THE INTERIOR WARNING LIGHTS STARTED TO FLICKER AND THE CHIME SOUNDED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE PADDED SENSOR IN THE PASSENGER SIDE SEAT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 13V564000 (AIR BAGS). THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,200.

NHTSA ID
10712451
Incident
Apr 19, 2015
Mileage
100,200 mi
Airbags
Filed Jun 24, 2014
Crash reported1 injury reported

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 BMW 528I. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH, THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO A PARKING BARRIER ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE VEHICLE AND THE DRIVER SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED. AS A RESULT OF THE IMPACT FROM THE AIR BAG, THE CONTACT SUSTAINED A BROKEN LEFT ARM. THE CONTACT WAS NOT AWARE IF A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DESTROYED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF HIS DEFECT. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,000.

NHTSA ID
10605619
Incident
Sep 10, 2012
Mileage
60,000 mi
AirbagsSeat belts
Filed Apr 13, 2014

DURING AN AUTOMATED CAR WASH, THE FOLLOWING WARNING DISPLAYS: "FAULT IN PASSENGER RESTRAIN SYSTEM AFFECTING AIRBAG, BELT TENSIONER, OR BELT FORCE LIMITER". THE AIRBAG AND SEAT BELT LIGHT BECOME ACTIVATED WHEN THIS HAPPENS AS WELL. THE WARNING MESSAGE WILL STAY ON FOR HOURS AFTER THE CAR GETS MODERATELY WET, EITHER IN A RAIN STORM OR A CAR WASH. EVEN IF THE CAR IS TURNED OFF AND THEN TURNED BACK ON THE MESSAGE AND ERRORS WILL PERSIST. IT TAKES ABOUT 8-10 HOURS FOR THE ERROR TO GO AWAY. THIS HAPPENS CONSISTENTLY AND IS EASILY REPEATABLE. THE MOST RECENT OCCURRENCE WAS APRIL 13, 2014, WHILE DRIVING THROUGH A RAIN STORM. *JS

NHTSA ID
10579456
Incident
Jun 6, 2013
Mileage
65,000 mi
AirbagsSeat belts
Filed Jul 31, 2013

RESTRAINT SYSTEM MALFUNCTION WARNING PERIODICALLY COMES ON WHILE DRIVING UNDER NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS. THIS DEFAULT DEACTIVATES AIRBAGS. HAVE TAKEN TO DEALER TO FIX 4 TIMES, AND TODAY THEY DECIDED TO CHARGE A FEE. THIS IS AN ONGOING ISSUE WITH MY CAR AND MANY OTHERS WITH RECALLS OF THE EXACT SAME MODEL BUT 2 YEARS OLDER. *TR

NHTSA ID
10532957
Incident
Jul 22, 2013
Mileage
79,700 mi

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.

Other components reported on this vehicle

Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .