NHTSA Complaint #11101211 — 2009 BMW 328I

SEAT OCCUPANCY DETECTOR FAULTY. PASSENGER AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON SO TOOK TO BMW DEALER. (AS AN ASIDE THIS OCCURRED SHORTLY AFTER (WI 3-4 MONTHS) AIR BAG REPLACED DUE TO TAKATA AIRBAG RECALL). TOLD RELATED TO SEAT MAT SENSOR, WHICH WAS UNDER/IN PASSENGER SEAT. NOT TOLD THAT COULD DISABLE FRONT AIR BAG. NOT TOLD THAT MULTIPLE BMW MODELS INCLUDING 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009 AND 2010 MODELS HAVE SAME DEFECT, INCLUDING THE 3 SERIES, AND THE 328I MODEL, AND THE 5 SERIES,AND IN PARTICULAR, MODELS WITH CLIMATE OR SPORT SEAT (LIKE MINE). TOLD REPLACEMENT COST WELL OVER $1,000. DECLINED SERVICE THINKING IT WAS JUST A DEFECTIVE SEATBELT NOTICE ISSUE (AND SEATBELT WORKED), NOT REALIZING IMPACTED SAFETY. WHEN AIR BAG LIGHT CONTINUED TO STAY ON AND CAME ON MORE FREQUENTLY, TOOK CAR TO A NON-BMW REPAIR SHOP FOR A SECOND OPINION, WHICH TOLD ME THIS IS A VERY COMMON ISSUE WITH BMWS AND THAT DEFECT PREVENTS PASSENGER AIR BAG FROM DEPLOYING. CALLED BMW DEALERSHIP BACK AND RESTATED WHAT OTHER REPAIR SHOP HAD SAID AND THIS TIME SERVICE PERSON TOLD ME MAY BE SUBJECT TO RECALL, BUT WHEN HE LOOKED UP VIN NUMBER THIS PARTICULAR MODEL NOT INCLUDED. THIS TIME BMW SERVICE PERSON ALSO TOLD ME THAT ISSUE WILL DEACTIVATE AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT. BMW REFUSED TO REPAIR WITHOUT CHARGING FULL AMOUNT. CALLED BMW CUSTOMER RELATIONS AND SERVICES AT BMW USA TO COMPLAIN AND WHILE ACKNOWLEDGING ALL OF THESE ISSUES WITH OTHER MODELS/YEARS CLAIMED THEY COULD NOT ASSUME THE SAME ISSUE OCCURRING HERE. REALLY??? THIS IS AN ISSUE THAT CAN SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASE RISK OF INJURY IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH. BMW IS AWARE OF THE ISSUE AND REFUSES TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. SHAME ON BMW.