NHTSA Complaint #10298530 — 2003 BMW 325I

1-AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT WOULD NOT TURN OFF AFTER START UP. TOOK VEHICLE TO LOCAL BMW DEALER. WAS INFORMED THAT I NEEDED TO FIX THIS PROBLEM SO AIR BAG WOULD DEPLOY PROPERLY ON PASSENGER SEAT . WAS TOLD THIS IS A 'COMMON' PROBLEM ON E46 MODELS! VERY COSTLY TO REPAIR..NOT TO MENTION THAT THE PARTS THAT NEEDED REPLACEMENT ARE WELL STOCKED AT ALL BMW DEALERS THAT I CALLED..VERY RARELY HAS ANYONE SAT ON PASSENGER SEAT..THE DEFECT IN THE SEAT SENSOR IS DISCUSSED IN INTERNET WEB SITES AS FAR BACK TO THE E39 SERIES MODELS AS WELL AS THE E90 SERIES MODELS. 2- RADIATOR EXPANSION TANK FAILS TOO OFTEN ON THIS SERIES MODEL. I DEVELOPED A ANTI-FREEZE LEAK ON A RETURN VACATION TRIP. NO WARNING WAS GIVEN.. PARKED CAR IN GARAGE IN THE EVENING, NOTICED A FAIR AMOUNT OF ANTI-FREEZE ON GROUND. AGAIN, WAS TOLD THIS IS COMMON ON THIS SERIES E46 MODEL.. SINCE WHEN IS EQUIPMENT FAILURE A STANDARD FOR THE SAFE OPERATION OF ANY MOTOR VEHICLE? THE PARTS THAT FAIL IN THIS VEHICLE CAN CAUSE GREAT INJURY TO ITS OCCUPANTS ESPECIALLY THE PASSENGER IN THE CASE OF AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT. IN THE CASE OF THE RADIATOR EXPANSION TANK,FOR THIS PART TO FAIL WITHOUT WARNING CAN BE CATASTROPHIC TO THE ENGINE, WHICH WILL CAUSE SEVERE DAMAGE. IF ENGINE IS NOT OPERATIONAL, ONE CAN LOSE POWER STEERING OR BRAKE CAPABILITY, OR BOTH. *TR