SRS light AGAIN!!!!!

[Mark VIII]

I just replace the passenger-side seat buckle because of the SRS light a little over 1-month ago. We took the car to a garage and had the warning light reset............the light stayed off for over a month.

THE SRS LIGHT IS BACK ON!!!!

The driver's side buckle was replaced under warranty about 2-years ago.

This is getting aggravating. This is the 3rd time this warning light has come on with this F'ing car!!!!

I have no idea what to do next.

I don't have a BMW code reader or the SRS reset tool.

Any suggestions?

Ken :(

[1996 328ti]

Could also be the passenger mat sensor. I think some of them had a short wire and would eventually break. On my 98 I had the mat replaced once under warranty. On my 96 ti that I have had for more than 3 years it has not broke. But the seatbelt latch has been replaced recently. The previous owner may have had it replaced.

[DCSean8]

Is the srs light the red light on the dashboard which shows a little man wearing a seatbelt with a big circle over him? I know this is probably covered in the owners manual, but my ti didn't come with one (I bought used) and the one I ordered has not come yet.

If this is indeed the light, then I am having a similar problem. If this is the case, can somebody please list all the possible problems with the srs system that I could be experiencing?

[Phil Marx]

It's possible the system is reading a fault with nothing really wrong. When I bought my '98 back in March the original owner had had the passenger's buckle replaced twice with the light reset each time. After the warranty ended the light came on and he just put some tape over it. When I got it we used a Snap-On code reader from the local high-school autoshop to read the seatbelt fault and reset it. It's been fine for over 3,000 miles.

If you have a decent relationship with a BMW dealer I'd like to think they'd attempt a reset for little or no charge just to diagnose the problem. It really costs them nothing since they've already paid for the machine and if it doesn't stay reset they have a possibility of picking up your repair business. Maybe that's too logical for a dealer? Or inquire at your local high-school or vocational training school auto shop.

-Phil

[Mark VIII]

That is funny.............No BMW dealer near me, even the one she purchased it from is going to diagnose the problem or reset the codes for a 'nominal fee'. Based on my experience, BMW dealers in the northeast have maintenance charge levels just below Ferrari's.

Last time we found a bmw non-dealer garage to reset the codes after I replaced the buckle, but that garage was pretty far away (again, this was only 1-month ago). I called about 10-local garages before venturing out to this one, and none had the SRS reset tool. As I said above, the driver's buckle is newer as well.

I've heard autozone reads codes for free. Any chance they have the SRS code reading tool?

This is such an odd problem to have?!

Ken

[dodj]

i had the same problem, i got the passenger floor mat replaced twice under warranty. yet it does not seem to be that,

as the airbag light for me gets triggered by some sort of electrical fault which will also reset the clock and the car wont start....this always fixes itself in about 5 minutes or so but the air bar light will stay on.


hasnt happened in a while though,( touches wood) bmw advised that they dint want to spend money replacing stuff since hte problem fixes itself. they prefer to wait till it will not work at all. to save me money

[yeehawbob]

I have had my driver side belt buckle, switch and the passanger side mat sensor replaced all under warranty back in '97 when I bought my car, NEW.
The light will always come on after the $stealer reset it. After a few times I gave up and put a black tape over it.

I recently had the codes read at the local DINAN place and they have given me the same problems with the buckle, switch and mat sensor codes.
The service guy said that unless I get into a wreck, and need the air bag I should be fine... Yeah easy for him to say!
I will try to get into all these things in the coming month to see if anything can be repaired or how hard will it be to replace the sensors.

But BMW really F&*(^ up on this issue.. as any and every ti owner I know had told me the same problem. BMW never even recalled or made mention of this issue either. I guess we all did not complain to them enough!!!

[Buttercup]

I have had my driver side belt buckle, switch and the passanger side mat sensor replaced all under warranty back in '97 when I bought my car, NEW.
The light will always come on after the $dealer reset it. After a few times I gave up and put a black tape over it.
I recently had the codes read at the local DINAN place and they have given me the same problems with the buckle, switch and mat sensor codes.
The service guy said that unless I get into a wreck, and need the air bag I should be fine... Yeah easy for him to say!
I will try to get into all these things in the coming month to see if anything can be repaired or how hard will it be to replace the sensors.
But BMW really F&*(^ up on this issue.. as any and every ti owner I know had told me the same problem. BMW never even recalled or made mention of this issue either. I guess we all did not complain to them enough!!!

Yeah, I'm having the seat mat problem too. That's bs that it never got recalled. Dammit!