NHTSA Complaint #10586556 — 2006 BMW M5

THE DASHBOARD AIR BAG AND SEAT BELT WARNING LIGHTS WOULD ACTIVATE WHENEVER ANYONE WOULD SIT IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT. THEY EVENTUALLY WOULD GO OUT, BUT NOW ARE PERMANENTLY ON. THE CENTRAL COMPUTER DISPLAY ALSO PUTS OUT A SIMILAR TEXT WARNING MESSAGE WHENEVER I START UP THE CAR. IT CLAIMS THAT THE SEAT BELT AND AIRBAG ARE MALFUNCTIONING FOR THE FRONT PASSENGER AND I PRESUME ARE NOW DISABLED. LOOKING INTO THIS, IT IS A FAULTY SENSOR MAT WITHIN THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT. THIS PARTICULAR MAKE AND MODEL (E60) IS PLAGUED WITH THIS ISSUE, AND BMW OFFERED A RECALL ON EARLY (2005 BUILD?) CARS, BUT HAS REFUSED COVERAGE FOR ANYONE ELSE ALTHOUGH IT IS THE EXACT SAME ISSUE. MY CAR IS A 04/2006 BUILD. THE JOB HAS BEEN QUOTED FOR SOME AT THE DEALERSHIP UP TO $3,500 IN PARTS AND LABOR AND REQUIRES A WHOLE NEW SEAT BOTTOM (WHICH CONTAINS COMPLICATED HEATING, COOLING, ADJUSTMENT MECHANISMS, AND LEATHER). A FRIEND WITH A MUCH EARLIER MODEL (1999 BMW M3 COUPE) E36 HAD THE EXACT SAME ISSUE IN < 100K MI, SO THIS IS NOT NEW TO BMW. *TR