NHTSA Complaint #11115628 — 2007 BMW 750I

A SEAT OCCUPANCY DETECTOR FAULT PREVENTS THE ENTIRE AIRBAG SYSTEM FROM WORKING. THIS FAULT SIGNAL APPEARS WHEN THE CAR IS STARTED AND CONTINUES UNTIL IT IS OFF. THE AIRBAG FAULT SIGNAL WAS CHECKED AND CONFIRMED TO BE A FAILURE OF THE PASSENGER SEAT DETECTOR. THIS IS A COMMON BMW PROBLEM. IT CAUSED NHTSA RECALL 13V564000 (11/12/13) AND IS NOW THE SUBJECT OF AN EXTENSIVE BMW WARRANTY EXTENSION FOR MANY MODELS IN LIEU OF A RECALL, BUT NOT FOR THE 2007 7 SERIES. BMW SERVICE BULLETIN SI B01 01 18 (MAY 2018) IDENTIFIES 12 MODEL TYPES GIVEN A LIFETIME WARRANTY EXTENSION FOR SPECIFIED YEARS: E53 (X5) FOR 2001-2006; E60 (5 SERIES) 2004-2008; E61 (5 SERIES WAGON) 2006-2007; E63 (6 SERIES) 2004-2008); E64 (6 SERIES CONVERTIBLE) 2004-2008; E65-E66 (7 SERIES) 2002-2006; E83 (X3) 2004-2010; E85 (Z4) 2003-2007; E86 (Z4 COUPE) 2006-2008; E90 (3 SERIES SEDAN) 2006-2007; AND E91 (3 SERIES TOURING) 2006-2007. FOR NO APPARENT REASON, THE 2007 7 SERIES IS EXCLUDED FROM THIS WARRANTY EXTENSION. A SPECIALTY BMW REPAIR SHOP THAT USES BMW TRAINED PERSONNEL CONFIRMED THAT THERE WAS NO MATERIAL DIFFERENCE IN THE SEAT DETECTION SYSTEM BETWEEN MODELS INCLUDED IN THE BMW WARRANTY EXTENSION AND THOSE EXCLUDED FROM IT, LIKE THE 2007 7 SERIES. THE BMWS HAVE A DESIGN SHORTCOMING THAT REQUIRES THAT A REPAIR OF A FAILED PASSENGER SEAT OCCUPANCY DETECTOR IS EXTREMELY EXPENSIVE, REQUIRING EXTENSIVE WORK TO REWORK THE ENTIRE PASSENGER SEAT. THAT EXPENSE IN THE RANGE OF $2,000, IS A GREAT DISINCENTIVE TO REPAIRING OLDER MODELS WITH DIMINISHED VALUE. THAT CREATES ADDITIONAL DANGER OF NO AIR BAG PROTECTION IN THESE CARS. WHEN ASKED, BMW REPRESENTATIVES MADE NO ATTEMPT TO EXPLAIN WHY THE 2007 7 SERIES IS EXCLUDED FROM THE WARRANTY EXTENSION, SAYING ONLY THAT THE CHOICE OF MODELS COVERED IS BASED ON INTERNAL DATA AND BMW CUSTOMER SERVICE HAS NO DISCRETION TO COVER OR REDUCE COSTS FOR MODELS NOT INCLUDED.