Owner-reported complaints naming the airbag system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming the air-bag system — deployment behaviour, inflators, sensors and warning lights. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2006 BMW X5 submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 83 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.
The 25 most recent of 83, in the owner's own words
I have recently received a message from my city’s social media page stating that bmw vehicles 17-22 years or older with over 99,000 miles have had complaints of default airbags exploding which are injuring/killing people out of nowhere and was told to get it changed at no cost at all!.
The contact owns a 2006 BMW X5. The contact stated that he initially received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 08V384000 (Air Bags). The vehicle was taken to the dealer where the recall repair was performed. Three years later, with the passenger’s side front seat unoccupied, the passenger’s side air bag light illuminated and a warning chime was audible. The passenger’s side seat belt had to be engaged to correct the failure. The dealer was notified of the failure and provided an estimate for a diagnostic test. The manufacturer was also notified of the failure and referred the contact back to the dealer. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 60,000.
This car has relatively few miles (85k), and has always been operated by a single person. The passenger seat cushion has a sensor mat that activates the passenger airbag. With relatively fewer miles and very few passengers, the passenger seat didn't experience the normal use as likely modeled by BMW. However, during the fall of 2020, (during the height of covid), a warning light stating the passenger air bag had a malfunction. We were in the midst of nursing and the warning light then went out during the first three months of 2021. When it came on again in May, 2021, I asked BMW about it as was told, "That's Campaign 13V-564. The front passenger airbag seat occupancy sensor mat isn't working. This means, if there's an accident, the airbag protecting the passenger won't deploy." Apparently there as a "safety check" on this in 2014 and the recall closed as of January 2021....so, I was four months past the expiration date of their safety check for this important malfunctioning seat cushion. As advised by a BMW representative, I requested "goodwill assistance" with covering all or some of this repair (estimated at approx $2k). I was just told that BMW will not provide any goodwill assistance with this and there is apparently no one within BMW Customer Relations I can escalate this to. So, I am reaching-out to the NHTSA in hopes someone can assist me in navigating this. It seems to me, an important safety item such as a passenger sensor for airbag deployment on a car with fewer miles (and passengers) than average, experiencing a brief warning that didn't repeat during covid when we were unable to get to a BMW dealership, and for a "safety check" issue that just ended prior to us contacting BMW to repair is something I don't think BMW should be able to dodge.
The contact owns a 2006 BMW X5. The contact stated that the driver’s and passenger’s side air bags warning lights were illuminated. The contact had initially notified the dealer about the defect and was referred to the manufacturer. The manufacturer informed the contact that there were no recalls on the Vin. The contact was referred to the dealer for the repair. The contact was informed that he might be entitled to a reimbursement if the Vin gets added to a recall. Upon investigation, the contact linked the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 13V564000 (Air Bags) however, the vin was not included in the recall. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 150,000.
Airbag light on, passenger airbag off light illuminated. Diagnostic scan showed faulty Front Passenger seat occupancy detector. BMW Issued recall campaign 13V-564 for vehicles manufactured from DEC 05 to sept 06. My vehicle was manufactured 06/06 and is displaying all the symptoms from recall 13v-564 yet BMW USA claims my vehicle is not effected.
MY VEHICLE WENT ON LIMP MODE I'M PRETTY SURE IT HAS TO DO WITH THE TRANSMISSION GEARS. MY PASSENGER SIDE DOOR LOOKS LIKE THE AIR BAG WANTS TO POP OUT.
MY VEHICLE HAS HAD THE RECALL FOR THE AIR BAG COMPLETED. THE LIGHT CONTINUES TO COME BACK FOR THE PASSENGER SIDE SRS. WHY CAN'T BMW FIX THIS RECALL ONCE AND FOR ALL?
MY PASSENGER AIRBAG IS DEFECTIVE DUE TO MICRO CRACKS IN THE WEIGHT SENSOR MAT.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 BMW X5. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, IT RAINED AND WATER ENTERED THROUGH THE SUNROOF AND CREATED MOISTURE IN THE VEHICLE. THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT THEN ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT BELIEVED THAT THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATING WAS RELATED TO THE WATER ENTERING THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER OR MECHANIC INDEPENDENT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000.
1) THE AIR BAG LIGHT DOES NOT GO OFF. IT STAYS ON. AIR BAGS ENGAGE BUT LIGHT IS JUST AS BRIGHT AS CAN BE. 2) IGNITION SWITCH SECURITY LATCH DOES NOT RELEASE. HAVE TO SMACK STEERING WHEEL AFTER TURNING OFF ALARM TO PLACE KEY INTO IGNITION SLOT.
THE FRONT PASSENGER AIR BAG HAS GONE OUT FOR THIRD TIME IN THE NINE YEARS THAT I HAVE OWNED THIS VEHICLE.
I HAVE BEEN INFORMED WHILE CAR SHOPPING THAT MY 2006 BMW X5 HAS A RECALL FOR THE SEAT BELTS BUT I HAVE NEVER BEEN NOTIFIED OF THAT RECALL. I AM DISAPPOINT THAT THE MANUFACTURER SEEM TO BE TAKING THIS RECALL LIGHTLY BUT LIVES ARE AT RISK. WHAT IS THE PLAN TO RESOLVE THIS ISSUE?
MY VEHICLE / VIN SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN THE RECALL CAMPAIGN NO. 13V-564: "FRONT PASSENGER AIR BAG SEAT OCCUPANCY SENSOR MAT." MY VEHICLE IS PART OF THE MODEL YEAR 2006 X5 SAV'S THAT HAS THE DEFECT. BUT MY VIN IS NOT BEING RECOGNIZED IN THE RECALL AND IS EXPERIENCING THE EXACT DEFECT. THE AIR BAG WARNING LAMP ON THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER AND THE FRONT "PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF" LAMP IN THE OVERHEAD CONSOLE ARE ILLUMINATED AT THE SAME TIME. THE SENSOR HAS BECOME DAMAGED OVER TIME DUE TO THE FREQUENCY OF FRONT PASSENGER SEAT USAGE. BMW AG HAS DECIDED THAT THE DEFECT, WHICH RELATES TO MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY, EXISTS IN THE MODEL YEAR 2006 X5'S. WHEN I CONTACTED BMW USA THEY TOLD ME MY VEHICLE WAS PART OF THE RECALL BUT THEY HAD THE LAST DIGIT IN MY VIN AS A "2" INSTEAD OF A "3". THE REST OF THE VIN WAS THE SAME. THE VIN WITH THE LAST DIGIT AS A "2" WAS THE EXACT MODEL AS MY VEHICLE (YEAR, COLOR, INSIDE AND OUT, AND EQUIPMENT). BUT FOR SOME REASON MY VIN IS MISSING FROM THE RECALL. WHY IS MY VIN NOT PART OF THE RECALL IF IT IS THE SAME VEHICLE (YEAR AND MODEL) AS OTHERS THAT ARE PART OF THE RECALL? HOW DO I HAVE MY VEHICLE / VIN ADDED TO THE RECALL CAMPAIGN NO. 13V-564? *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 BMW X5. WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE CONTACT EXPERIENCED A FLAT TIRE. UPON DRIVING TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD TO CHECK THE TIRE, THE PASSENGER SIDE CURTAIN AIR BAG INADVERTENTLY DEPLOYED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TOWED AND WAS ABLE TO BE DRIVEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, BUT WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000.
PASSENGER SEAT AIR BAG SENSOR RECALLED SEVERAL YEARS AGO BY BMW. WAS TOLD THAT I WOULD BE ADVISED WHEN PARTS ARE AVAILABLE. TO DATE BMW HAS NOT MADE THE PARTS AVAILABLE TO THE DEALERSHIPS SO THE PROBLEM CANNOT BE CORRECTED. THIS HAS BEEN CLOSE TO TWO YEARS.
PASSENGER AIRBAG IS OFF AND REMAINS OFF WITH A PASSENGER WEARING SEATBELTS, I AM THE NEW OWNER AND IT WAS LIKE THIS WHEN I GOT IT, PREVIOUS OWNER NEVER HAD PASSENGERS SO WASNT AWARE IT WAS NOT WORKING, LOOKED UP RECALL INFO AND THERE IS A RECALL FOR THAT YEAR AND MODEL IS THERE ANYWAY I CAN GET IT FIXED UNDER THE RECALL
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 BMW X5. AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED, THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG OFF WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. IN ADDITION, THE FAILURE OCCURRED WHEN THE SEAT WAS OCCUPIED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 13V564000 (AIR BAGS). THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 99,999.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 BMW X5. WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE, THE AIR BAG LIGHT WOULD ILLUMINATE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE AIR BAG DETECTION MAT WAS DEFECTIVE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED APPROXIMATELY 4 1/2 YEARS LATER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 13V564000 (AIR BAGS). THE CONTACT INDICATED THAT THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED THE SAME FAILURE LISTED IN THE RECALL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED A SECOND TIME. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 49,407.
PASSENGER AIR BAG SENSOR DEFECTIVE RELATED TO RECALL 13V564000. DEFECTIVE SENSOR MAT CAUSES AIRBAG TO BE TURNED OFF AT ALL TIMES. CALLED BMW THEY STATED TO TAKE VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP BEFORE THE END OF 2015. DEALER WOULD NOT HONOR RECALL FOR THIS VEHICLE.
THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG OFF WARNING LIGHT CAME ON AND STAYS ON. THE DEALER RESET THE COMPUTER. LIGHT WENT OFF. THE FAILURE RECURRED AGAIN IN A FEW MONTHS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE SENSOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. I WAS INFORMED THAT MY VIN DID NOT MEET THE RECALL FOR REPLACING THE FAILED MAT SENSOR ALTHOUGH OTHER 2006 BMW X5S WERE RECALLED FOR THAT SAME FAILURE. THE WARNING LIGHT IS PRESENTLY ON. I HAVE READ OF MANY EXAMPLES OF THE SAME PROBLEM. THE AGING MAT BECOME BRITTLE AND CRACKS BREAKING THE CIRCUIT. BMW NEEDS TO SEND ME A LETTER AND REPLACE MY PASSENGER SEAT MAT SENSOR FOR FREE BEFORE I HAVE AN ACCIDENT AND THE PASSENGER IS INJURED.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 BMW X5. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT REMAINED ILLUMINATED. THE FAILURE RECURRED MULTIPLE TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE SENSOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 114,000.
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 BMW X5. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 13V564000 (AIR BAGS) HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE.
IN JANUARY OF 2014, I RECEIVED A LETTER TELLING ME THAT MY VEHICLE NEEDED THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT AIR BAG SENSOR MAT FIXED. THEY WENT ON TO SAY THAT THEY WOULD LET ME KNOW WHEN THE PARTS CAME IN. NEXT, IN JUNE OF 2014, THEY SENT ME A LETTER THAT THE PARTS ARE IN AND TO SCHEDULE THE WORK. I HAVE NOW TAKEN MY VEHICLE BACK MULTIPLE TIMES AND THEY ARE SAYING THAT THEY STILL DON'T HAVE THE PARTS. I HAVE CALLED BMW CORPORATE AND NO ONE WILL HELP ME GET THIS PROBLEM FIXED...THEY JUST KEEP GIVING ME THE RUN AROUND... *TR
BMW ISSUED IMPORTANT SAFETY RECALL 13V-564, WHICH INVOLVES THE FRONT PASSENGER AIR BAG SEAT OCCUPANCY SENSOR MAT, JANUARY 2014. IMPORTANT SAFETY RECALL 13V-564 ALONG WITH AN ILLUMINATED AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT, WHICH MY VEHICLE IS DISPLAYING, EFFECTIVELY DE-ACTIVATES THE PASSENGER AIRBAG CAUSING AN UNSAFE CONDITION. JANUARY 2014 THE IMPORTANT SAFETY RECALL LETTER STATED PARTS WOULD BE AVAILABLE FOR REPAIRS MARCH 2014. MARCH 2014 THE DEALER INSPECTED THE VEHICLE BUT WAS UNABLE TO COMPLETE THE REPAIRS DUE TO PARTS BEING UNAVAILABLE. JUNE 2014 BMW NOTIFIED ME THAT PARTS WERE AVAILABLE AND TO SCHEDULE REPAIRS WITH THE DEALER. THE DEALER INSPECTED THE VEHICLE BUT WAS UNABLE TO COMPLETE THE REPAIRS DUE TO PARTS BEING UNAVAILABLE. AUGUST 2014 I CONTACTED THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD PARTS ARE UNAVAILABLE. OCTOBER 2014 I CONTACTED THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD PARTS ARE UNAVAILABLE. DECEMBER 2014 I CONTACTED THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD PARTS ARE UNAVAILABLE. I CONTACTED BMW CUSTOMER RELATIONS REQUESTING SPECIFIC INFORMATION ON THE AVAILABILITY OF PARTS. BMW INDICATED PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE AND WOULD NOT PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION. BMW HAS NOT REMEDIED THE DEFECT IN A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 BMW X5. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A NOTIFICATION FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 13V564000 (AIR BAGS) AND STATED THAT THE PART NEEDED WAS UNAVAILABLE TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO INFORM WHEN THE PART WOULD BECOME AVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE.
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
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