airbag light repair cost

[64lusso]

Hi Folks,
New to this forum but bought my 97Ti from Phil Marx back in 98 or so. It's been one of my daughter's car for many years and I am now getting it ready for daughter #2. Over the years the airbag light has come on many times and been fixed under warrenty, seat belt sensor if I remember right. I recently had the passenger seat out of the car to fix a broken seat release cable but I can't remember whether I disconnected the battery first or not. Now the airbag light is on again and my mechanic tells me that both the seatbelt sensor and the seat mat need to be fixed and it will cost $500. Does that sound right? It's about half labor and half parts and mine has cloth seats if that makes any difference.
Thanks, Jay

PS: If this is not the right forum for this topic please move it to the right one.

[1996 328ti]

No idea of the cost but replacing the mat sensor is a pain.
I take it someone read the SRS fault codes.

My 98 needed a mat sensor.
I think the deal was that the wire was too short.

You bought a car from Phil?:help:
Just kidding. ;)

[Phil Marx]

Hi Jay,

If you've got someone with the proper tools to reset the light, I'd try that first. Though I had mine reset in April and it came back on in August! The history report on my car shows at least two repairs to the seatbelt socket and apparently they tie-wrapped the cable to the retractable buckle in an attempt to solve the problem. Accessing the back seat by tilting the passenger seat back for my lightweight 10-year-old to not be sitting with her face in the airbag seems to have aggravated the repair. I can't believe both parts died at once but rather that replacing both is a cover-your-ass kind of repair. I'll pop for the Peake tool if we just want to keep on resetting the light!

I say we just go for a class-action with BMW. Just kidding but maybe a NHTSA inquiry might help. Everyone seems to have this problem at some time or another.

-Phil

[maurolin]

I have a toolrama Code reader and reset professional tool. Syncs EWS, SRS, ABS and anything that a BMW shop can do.
I would let you use it, but i need to have some sort of collateral....
Or if ANYONE in interested. it is for sale... $2500 with BMW, VW, Volvo, Mercedes and OBDII cartridges.
Works in ALL european cars.

[motorsport]

you can have that code reset 1000 times. it will probably keep coming on. i've heard of cases like these and the entire computer was corrupt and had to be cleared and reprogrammed by the dealership.

[maurolin]

my tool will tell you.
on the oyher hand, it is true that if you have a bad sensor, the light will come on again.
so once you read the dault codes for the srs, then repair the problem if any.

[DeadpaN]

very true. i bought the peake SRS tool and it reads the fault, "clears" the code, but since the sensor isn't fixed the light almost immediately comes back on.

[96ti]

What is the mat sensor? Steven, do you refer to the little box under the passenger seat, or whatever that stays under the seat mat? BTW, would it be any problem to remove the seat without disconnecting the battery?

[1996 328ti]

What is the mat sensor? Steven, do you refer to the little box under the passenger seat, or whatever that stays under the seat mat? BTW, would it be any problem to remove the seat without disconnecting the battery?I have never seen the mat, I've had it replaced though. I think the seat cushion needs to come apart to install it.

I believe if you disconnect anything regarding the SRS system you will trigger a fault code and that is why people say to disconnect the battery.

[cali-ti]

i remember reading a special procedure (don't remember details though) for removing the seats and it was to avoid having the airbag light trigger. i believe it was on ron stygar's website, let me see if i can find it ... (insert hold music here) ...
well, this is for the mechanical tensioner (not quite what i was looking for): http://www.unofficialbmw.com/e36/interior/e36_seat_removal.html
for steering wheel removal, but talks about SRS codes and disconnecting negative battery terminal: http://www.unofficialbmw.com/all/interior/all_airbag_replacement.html
hope that helps ...

[L84THSKY]

Look at my Vaders.

I was just looking at the online Bentley manual. Under the SRS airbag system, it claims some 1997 cars and ALL 1998 cars came with side impact airbags. :confused:


What is the mat sensor? Steven, do you refer to the little box under the passenger seat, or whatever that stays under the seat mat? BTW, would it be any problem to remove the seat without disconnecting the battery?

[cali-ti]

Look at my Vaders
just rubbing it in that you have vaders again, aren't ya? "check out my vaders! you ain't got none!" lol j/k!
you did clean up under the seat bottom before putting those in, didn't ya? ;)
is the "mat sensor" used to tell when someone has their butt planted in the passenger seat so it knows whether or not to deploy the passenger airbag? i'm guessing so. i could hunt that shizat down in the ETK if people are interested in the part number.

[DeadpaN]

That would be cool cali-ti. I may soon breakdown and get one.

[cali-ti]

well ... i think the "box" would be #5 (matching up the part # that appears on the part in L8's picture) on this page here: http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts.do?model=CG73&mospid=47506&btnr=65_1097&hg=65&fg=65&hl=6

L8, also looks like there are sensors for the side impact airbags that you'd need. you might need to find out (possibly wiring diagram from back of bentley?) exactly what's involved in the whole side impact airbag system.

[Buttercup]

I have a problem with my mat sensor as well and I plan on getting it fixed later, but my question is: is it possible to turn the airbag light off in the meantime?

[L84THSKY]

I don't think replacing the sensor is too bad. When I broke down my vaders, I saw the mat sensor under the seat cushion. Just pop the plastic pins out that hold the bottom to the shell, and you will see the sensor. It's wired to the small box under the seat.


No idea of the cost but replacing the mat sensor is a pain.

[Buttercup]

I don't think replacing the sensor is too bad. When I broke down my vaders, I saw the mat sensor under the seat cushion. Just pop the plastic pins out that hold the bottom to the shell, and you will see the sensor. It's wired to the small box under the seat.

My bad, actually, it's the seat mat. I thought the mat sensor and seat mat were the same thing. My BMW service advisor said that they could not reset the airbag light without the seat mat being fixed. Is that true? Or can you just get the light turned off somehow?

[L84THSKY]

Actually, my bad too. I was explaining how to get to the seat mat. There are I think two screws and 2 plastic pins that hold the base in, remove them and the mat is exposed for view. Here is a picture of my Vaders exposed:
My bad, actually, it's the seat mat. I thought the mat sensor and seat mat were the same thing. My BMW service advisor said that they could not reset the airbag light without the seat mat being fixed. Is that true? Or can you just get the light turned off somehow?

[318ti Coupe]

Is there supposed to be a cable going into that white square-shaped part?

[DeadpaN]

Buttercup, yeah the light won't go out without replacement of the sensor.

[stormos]

it does go out..... pull the bulb behind the clocks.

[John W]

I pulled the bulb and guess what, the light still stays on, although it is dimmer. Is there a second (backup) bulb that is not as accessible?

[DeadpaN]

Maybe cover it with a piece of black tape?:wink:

[ssprint]

how come my airbag light shut off after 1 min?

[John Firestone]

I pulled the bulb and guess what, the light still stays on, although it is dimmer. Is there a second (backup) bulb that is not as accessible?You got it. Not that I should know about such things.

[m3outtanowhere]

my air bag light (in my 93 325is, and my ti) used to stay on for exactly 60 seconds then turn off. It would come back on when you restart the car.


Also: I was in an accident in my 95 m3 in April. There was never an airbag light on in that car. I was alone in the car and the passenger airbag still deployed! So as far as the seat sensor deploying the airbag...????

[wasabinuki]

If you just want the airbag light to go off, wouldn't it be easiest and cheapest to just pull the light from the cluster?

[thesk8nmidget]

If you just want the airbag light to go off, wouldn't it be easiest and cheapest to just pull the light from the cluster?


yes, but keep in mind pulling the airbag light wont solve it completely because there is a back up bulb so you need to put some tape over it or something to cover it up

[scott pruett]

I was just quoted $110 from the local stealership to run the tests to fix it... who knows if they'll say I need a new sensor... this is a pain. I can't pass Virginia inspection w/ this dumb light on. Isn't there a fuse or something somewhere that can be pulled?

*sigh*

[scott pruett]

I was just quoted $110 from the local dealership to run the tests to fix it... who knows if they'll say I need a new sensor... this is a pain. I can't pass Virginia inspection w/ this dumb light on. Isn't there a fuse or something somewhere that can be pulled?

*sigh*
I bought the Peake tool; worked like a charm. Codes were related to the passenger seat & seatbelt sensors.

[greenmeanie]

90% of the time the problem is the connector under the seat, it either gets kicked or the contact areas need a clean.You can reposition the cable if you have a good look at it, just note how far the seat moves from end to end. The Stealers must be making a fortune from this poor design.
Good job the rest of the car is far better!!!!

[318tian]

just take out the cluster and pull the srs bulb out if it keeps you from getting an inspection sticker. you take off the headlight switch cover and fog log cover and unscrew the four torx head screws holding in it then just wiggle out the cluster and take the bulb out.

[tiFreak]

it would be nice if it was that simple, unless it's some crappy place where everyone half-asses everything they'll figure it out

[L84THSKY]

Went to Brooklyn Monday night to see a concert. On the way back, I hit a bump/pothole that really slammed my car. The SRS light came on, and stayed on. I have the Peake reset tool and reset it, but it came right back.

What could have happened to mess up the SRS system? I will try to reset again, and remove and reinstall the fuse.

[tiFreak]

maybe you disconnected or severed the wire on one of the crash sensors? I'm not sure exactly where they are but it's near the front bumper

[trusty110]

airbag light stays on; 1997 Z3; i have the reset tool . i have a 100 ohm resistor, but my black connector has four wires instead of three. any ideas which to put the resistor in??
tks

[John Firestone]

airbag light stays on; 1997 Z3.... i have a 100 ohm resistor, but my black connector has four wires instead of three. any ideas which to put the resistor in??If it were my car, I might get a gold Siemens contact and apply the resistor at the SRS controller connector: fewer things to fail.

What fault(s) are setting the airbag light?

[adcurtin]

in my car, the airbag light comes on when I start the car, but goes off after a short while. it's reporting a passenger seat problem.

Anyone know why the light would come on every time I start the car, but then go off?

I just did a seat cushion swap, including swapping the sensor mat in the passenger seat (different shape with the extendable leg rest vs. not), and nothing has changed, the light still turns on with the car, and off after a little while.

[AquaCali]

As a result of a recent experience with the Airbag light on my wifes Z3 I thought I would post this for my fellow Ti owners since they also suffer from the known issue with wiring on the seat belt receptacle for the tension charge, I was told that it has to do with the connector between the seat belt receptacle and the body harness. BMW sells a upgraded harness which requires replacing the portion from the connector on the tension charge to the body connector and a piece that has to be replaced on the body harness, due to the upgraded harness having a moisture resistant connector between the receptacle wiring and the body harness. Because the codes I was getting indicated that the passenger seat receptacle need to be replaced and the drivers seat wiring needed the upgraded harness, I ordered 2 of the upgraded harnesses and sent both receptacles to Safety Restore https://www.safetyrestore.com/?utm_source=yotpo&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=map_logo to have them both "restored". Once the restored receptacles and upgraded harnesses were installed, I had the codes cleared and no more Airbag light.