NHTSA Complaint #10593698 — 2008 BMW X5

WHEN A PEOPLE SEAT ON THE PASSENGER SEAT, THE LIGHT "AIRBAG OF THE PASSENGER SEAT IS OFF" IS ON. AND THE LED PANEL SHOWS "RESTRAIN SYSTEM MALFUNCTION". I GET MY CAR CHECKED AT THE DEALERSHIP, THEY SAID THIS IS DUE TO THE FAULT OF THE SENSOR IN THE SEAT AND WILL MAKE THE AIRBAG NOT DEPLOY IN AN ACCIDENT. ACTUALLY, THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN THERE FOR A WHILE BUT ONLY HAPPEN OCCASIONALLY (ONE TIME A MONTH), AND CAN BE SOLVED BY CHANGE SITTING POSITION A LITTLE BIT. WHEN I CHECKED IN THE SERVICE, NOTHING WRONG WAS FOUND. HE SAID THE SAME PROBLEM EXISTS IN OLDER MODELS (E.G. 2005, 2006), WHICH ARE IN THE RECALL LIST OF BMW. BUT MINE IS NOT IN AND I NEED TO PAY $1400 TO GET IT REPAIRED. I THINK THIS IS A REALLY IMPORTANT ISSUE SINCE IT DISABLES THE AIRBAG, WHICH IS THE MOST IMPORTANT SAFETY EQUIPMENT. MY CAR IS IN A VERY GOOD CONDITION AND SERVICED REGULARLY. THERE IS NO REASON IT FAULTS IN SUCH A LOW MILEAGE AND AGE. MANY USERS IN THE BMW FORUM HAS THE SAME ISSUE, BUT IS UNDER RISK OR GOT TO PAY FOR THE REPAIR. I HOPE BMW CAN TAKE CARE OF THIS ISSUE TO RECALL THE CARS THAT ARE POTENTIALLY IN RISK. *TR