NHTSA Complaint #11150160 — 2008 BMW 335XI

THE PASSENGER SEAT DETECTION MEANT TO DISABLE THE AIR BAG FOR A CHILD DOES NOT WORK PROPERLY. THE "AIR BAG OFF" LIGHT DOES NOT ILLUMINATE WHILE MY 55 LB CHILD SITS IN THE SEAT. INFREQUENTLY, THE LIGHT WILL ILLUMINATE BRIEFLY WHILE SHE IS IN THE SEAT, AND THEN GO DARK AGAIN. ATTEMPTING TO TEST THE SEAT SENSORS, I USED A SACK OF 20 LB POTATOES PLACED BOTH DIRECTLY ON THE PASSENGER SEAT, AND IN A CAR SEAT. IN BOTH CASES, THE SEAT WOULD INCONSISTENTLY DETECT THE "CHILD" AND ILLUMINATE THE "AIR BAG OFF" LIGHT, AND SOMETIMES WOULD NOT. SOMETIMES IT WOULD DETECT THE "CHILD" INITIALLY AFTER ENGINE START UP AND SUBSEQUENTLY THE LIGHT WOULD GO DIM.OTHER TIMES THE LIGHT WOULD CYCLE ON AND OFF AT ENGINE START UP (NORMAL BULB CHECK) AND REMAIN OFF AT ENGINE START UP -- I.E., NOT DETECTED -- BUT IF THE SACK OF POTATOES WAS LIFTED OFF THE SEAT AND PLACED BACK DOWN, OR IF PRESSURE WAS MANUALLY APPLIED NEXT TO THE POTATOES ON THE CAR SEAT, THE "AIR BAG OFF" LIGHT WOULD ILLUMINATE AND DETECTION WOULD TRIGGER. THESE RESULTS WERE CONFIRMED BOTH SITTING IN DRIVEWAY IN NEUTRAL, AND OPERATING AT LOW SPEED.