NHTSA Complaint #10490393 — 2005 BMW 545I

GOT INDICATION PASSENGER AIR BAG/ RESTRAINT SYSTEM MALFUNCTION ON IDRIVE. TOOK CAR TO REPAIR SHOP AND I WAS TOLD OCCUPANCY SENSOR IN PASSENGER SEAT WAS BAD. I CHECKED FOR A RECALL FOR THIS VEHICLE WITH BMW. I WAS TOLD NO RECALLS FOR THIS PROBLEM ON THIS VEHICLE WAS COVERED. I CHECKED WITH THE PARTS DEPARTMENT AND WAS TOLD THERE WAS ONLY ONE SENSOR FOR THIS CAR. IF THAT'S THE CASE HOW CAN BMW ONLY COVER 200,00 OF THE DEFECTIVE UNITS AND NOT ALL THAT WERE MADE DURING THIS TIME PERIOD. FURTHER, ON THE ONES THEY DID COVER THEY INCREASED THE WARRANTY PERIOD TO 10 YEARS FROM DATE OF ORIGINAL SALE WITH NO MILEAGE RESTRICTIONS? IT SEEMS TO ME A DEAL WAS MADE WITH THE NTSB TO COVER AT LEAST SOME OF THE DEFECTIVE UNITS BUT NOT ALL. BY EXTENDING THE WARRANTY PERIOD TO 10 YEARS ON THE SAME PART THAT IS USED IN ALL VEHICLES ON THIS CLASS, INDICATES BMW HAS ADMITTED ALL THE PARTS ARE FAULTY. BMW SHOULD INCLUDE ALL VEHICLES THAT USE THIS PART IN THE RECALL, RECALL #08V384000 NOT JUST A LIMITED NUMBER. ACCORDING TO MY RECORDS THIS IS THE SECOND OCCURRENCE OF THIS ISSUE, AND WELL BEFORE 2015 WHEN THE 10 YEAR WARRANTY EXTENSION WOULD HAVE EXPIRED. ALSO THIS INDICATES THE REPLACEMENT SENSOR ARE NOT HOLDING UP WELL. IT IS MY OPINION A PROGRAMMING CHANGE SHOULD BE MADE, WHERE THE ONBOARD COMPUTER, CONTROLLING THE AIR BAG, USES A INPUT FROM A SEAT BELT CONNECT SENSOR TO DETERMINE IF THE PASSENGER SEAT IS OCCUPIED? NOT THE FAULTY MAT IN THE SEAT. *TR