» Site Navigation | | » Recent Threads | | | | | | | | | | 01-07-2010, 06:04 PM | #1 | Junior Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Motor City, USA Posts: 10 | How do I disable the airbag/seatbelt warning light? I have a 1998 318Ti. I need to know how to disable the airbag/seatbelt warning light that shows up on my dashboard. There is an unneccessary component of my seatbelt that needs replacing, and that makes the airbag light come on. The dealership didn't even recommend replacing the part. If I get the dealership to turn it off, it just comes back on. Is there any way to permanently shut this warning light off? | | | 01-07-2010, 06:16 PM | #2 | Junior Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Larkspur,CO Posts: 19 | I have the same frustration with my 318i sedan. I have been unable to find a fix for this since 2006. I'll keep an I on this thread now though. Sorry, I don't have anything for you. Scott | | | 01-07-2010, 06:21 PM | #3 | Junior Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Motor City, USA Posts: 10 | Post something here if you find anything. I hate that light, and I'm not paying $300 to make it go away. | | | 01-07-2010, 06:36 PM | #4 | Junior Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Larkspur,CO Posts: 19 | I agree the $300 is ridiculous for a part that should last the life of the car in my opinion. | | | 01-07-2010, 07:04 PM | #5 | Junior Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Motor City, USA Posts: 10 | Actually, my broken part is a C02 charge which will propel the seatbelt backwards, or the whole seat or something. I believe that C02 cartridges legitimitally have an expiration period... But $300, or suffer the little red light, is stupid. | | | 01-07-2010, 07:17 PM | #6 | Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Detroit, MI Posts: 585 | You can take the instrument panel out and remove the bulb that lights up that one spot. Thats how I made mine go away __________________ | | | 01-07-2010, 07:42 PM | #7 | Junior Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Motor City, USA Posts: 10 | That can't be easy. Last edited by 318tiorteD; 01-07-2010 at 07:47 PM. | | | 01-07-2010, 09:06 PM | #8 | Junior Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Larkspur,CO Posts: 19 | Actually, removing the bulb is very easy. Remove the steering wheel, remove the two screws that hold the gauge cluster in the dash. Disconnect two electrical connectors and using a small screw driver unscrew the bulb (1/4 turn) and it's out but, I would rather make the system believe the CO2 cartidge was fine than remove the bulb since any electircal disconnect could affect the airbags. | | | 01-07-2010, 10:55 PM | #9 | Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Detroit, MI Posts: 585 | no need to remove the steering wheel 1) remove two torex screws at the top of the instrument cluster 2) screw off headlight know by turning CCW (anti- clockwise, or nascar) 3) put a cloth on top of your steering wheel and tape around the headlight knob 4) push headlight knob as far in as possible 5) extract instrument panel by using suction cups, ect. and pull out towards you 6) once out, lean top of panel into and under the top part of the steering wheel 7) undo the three plugs by depressing the clip and push/rotate the clips upward (that will remove the plugs and free the panel) 8) YOU WILL NEED YOUR KEY IN AND ON THE II spot 9) carefully rotate steering wheel and instrument panel CCW The instrument panel will then come out! Easy, don't have to mess with remove wheel or anything. If you remove your steering wheel please disconnect your battery and wait 15mins here is another good write up in the Knowledge Base (remember, the search feature is your friend) http://www.318ti.org/forum/showthrea...steering+wheel __________________ Last edited by adamud; 01-07-2010 at 10:58 PM. Reason: to be an asshole | | | 01-08-2010, 12:57 AM | #10 | Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Earth Posts: 178 | am I the only one that had a backup airbag warning light? (bulb removed, airbag light remains on but dimmer!) I think there was another bulb in there.. rather than remove it i stuck a resistor in a bulb socket.. | | | 01-08-2010, 02:34 AM | #11 | Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Minneapolis Posts: 1,587 | Quote: Originally Posted by Junk am I the only one that had a backup airbag warning light? (bulb removed, airbag light remains on but dimmer!) I think there was another bulb in there.. rather than remove it i stuck a resistor in a bulb socket.. | That certainly could be. For safety reasons I think they might have another bulb (little LED?) so you know your airbag system is bad, even if the bulb is burned out. I've heard the same exists with the Check engine light. If you pull the bulb there's still something else illuminating the CEL. My CEL is permanently on, so I should pull that bulb and see for sure. Maybe I can remove the black tape covering it then? I've taken the cluster out many times with the sterrig wheel in place. If you rotate it just right it'll come out. Takes some wiggling. | | | 01-08-2010, 02:43 AM | #12 | Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Auburn, WA Posts: 1,814 | no theres no backup bulbs or anything __________________ 5/96 318TI Sport BIG TURBO | | | 01-08-2010, 02:52 AM | #13 | Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: VIRGINIA Posts: 324 | Quote: Originally Posted by 318tiorteD That can't be easy. | I just replaced my gauges ... so easy I can do it! I bet I could take it out, remove the proper bulb, and reinstall it in under 30 minutes, probably in under 20 minutes. I took several photos and posted them in my blog here and here. | | | 01-08-2010, 05:57 AM | #14 | Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: norcal - 94590 Posts: 3,186 | There is no "back up" light for these. What you are seeing is ambient light (or light bleed), from the surrounding bulbs. This is caused by having the bulb (in it's little holder) removed from the socket. To eliminate this, you need to have the bulb holder in place with either a burned out bulb or a removed bulb. (if you do not have a burned out bulb to swap out with the airbag bulb, you can always break the tiny bulb with a pair of needle nose pliers and then replace it. Presto!) This should eliminate the ambient (or diffused) light issue. here is a link that has another write-up on how to remove the cluster w/o removing the steering wheel... http://www.318ti.org/forum/showthread.php?t=23905 __________________ James 95 active w/leather interior and sport interior conversion, Vaders, full M-Tech exterior conversion. Now m50 swapped* Eibach sway bars, D2 Coilovers, Depo's w/AE's, blacked-out sides and grills, LeatherZ console and door armrests, 1 series starter button mod, and custom finished Style 5's <--- in this color! Named "Roddy": *M50 6 cyl. swap with fan delete, S50 cams and chip, AFE stage 2 intake, M3 clutch and 11.5 lb Fidanza flywheel, 3.15LSD, battery relocated to rear and complete custom exhaust. Sweet! 97 318ti sport, Alaska Blue, Contours, coilovers, Dove Vaders and custom black/grey interior named "Max" 95 318ti Active in Cosmos, S50 swap in progress... named "Pit" SUPPORT 318ti.org! CLICK THE LINK ABOVE! Hosting a forum like this is not free. 318ti.org is one of the best BMW forums on the web because it is member supported, not vendor supported. The cost to become a Supporter is a nominal $10.00... A YEAR! DO IT! NOW! Last edited by wolferj-RIP; 01-08-2010 at 06:04 AM. | | | 01-08-2010, 06:45 PM | #15 | Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Cincinnati Posts: 890 | I believe there is a backup LED for the airbag light. If you pull the bulb, its still lit, just dimmer. I needed to pull the bulb and open the cluster (really easy) and put electrical tape over the LED for there to be no light. | | | | | Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests) | | Thread Tools | | Display Modes | Linear Mode | Posting Rules | You may not post new threads You may not post replies You may not post attachments You may not edit your posts HTML code is Off | | | |