2008 BMW 535I

THE NORTH AMERICAN BMW HAD RECALLED THE 2004-2006 BMWS WITH THE FAULTY PASSENGER SEAT OCCUPANCY MAT, AS THEY HAD A RECURRING PROBLEM OF FAILING. BMW STATED THAT THEY "IMPROVED THE QUALITY OF MATERIALS, AND FIXED THE PROBLEM", BUT IT SEEMS THAT OTHER BMW OWNERS STILL HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM INCLUDING MYSELF. MY BMW ABOUT 4 MONTHS AGO HAD THE PASSENGER SEAT OCCUPANCY WARNING LIGHT COME ON, AND I AM VERY DISAPPOINTED THAT THEY "FIXED" THE ISSUE, BUT MOST LIKELY INSTEAD OF ACTUALLY TAKING THE TIME TO IMPROVE THEIR PRODUCT, THEY PROBABLY JUST SLAPPED A NEW LABEL ON IT AND CALLED IT A DAY. AND WHAT EVEN MORE ANNOYING IS THE COST OF REPLACEMENT PARTS, WHICH ALONE COST UPWARDS OF $900. YOU WOULD THINK THAT FOR $900 THE PAST WOULDN'T HAVE A PROPENSITY TO BREAK. THE NEWER MODELS THAT STILL HAVE THIS PROBLEM SHOULD BE COVERED UNDER RECALL OR AT LEAST HAVE A REDUCED PRICE TO COMPENSATE FOR THE POOR CRAFTSMANSHIP OF A PRODUCT KNOWN TO FAIL.

2008 BMW 5-SERIES VEHICLES HAVE THE SAME ISSUE AS RECALLED 2004 - 2006 BMW 5-SERIES VEHICLES IN REGARDS TO THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT OCCUPANT DETECTION MAT MALFUNCTIONING. THE SEAT OCCUPANCY MAT IS FAULTY ON 2007 & 2008 MODELS AS WELL. THE CONSEQUENCE IS THAT THE PASSENGER AIR BAG WILL NOT DEPLOY EVEN IN THE EVENT OF A SEVERE CRASH. WHY WERE 2007 & 2008 BMWS NOT RECALLED ALREADY...?!?!? WHAT IS BEING DONE TO RECALL 2007 & 2008 BMW MODELS THAT USE THE SAME PARTS AS 2004 - 2006 MODELS...?!?!? *TR

MY 2008 BMW 535I IS SUFFERING FROM THE SAME PASSENGER RESTRAINT SYSTEM MALFUNCTION ERROR AS THE EARLIER BMW MODELS. NHTSA INFORMATION I'VE READ INDICATES THAT THE PASSENGER AIRBAG WILL NOT DEPLOY IN THE EVENT OF A SUBSTANTIAL FRONT END COLLISION, WHICH POSES A SIGNIFICANT RISK TO PASSENGERS. BMW ONLY RECALLED MODEL YEARS 2004 - 2006, HOWEVER. THIS IS NOT AN ISOLATED INCIDENT TO THOSE YEARS. MY 2008 BMW 535I THROWS THE ERROR EVERY TIME I DRIVE WITH OR WITHOUT A PASSENGER. BOTH THE PASSENGER SIDE SEAT BELT LIGHT AND THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG LIGHT REMAIN ILLUMINATED ANY TIME THE KEY IS IN THE IGNITION. WHAT IS BEING DONE ABOUT MORE RECENT BMW MODELS? *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 BMW 535I. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE NAVIGATIONAL SYSTEM ADVISED THAT THE FRONT PASSENGER RESTRAINT AND AIR BAG WAS MALFUNCTIONING. THE DEALERSHIP ADVISED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE MANUFACTURER'S AIR BAG IMPROVEMENT CAMPAIGN. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER TO HAVE A DIAGNOSTIC PERFORMED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS MANUFACTURER 88, 8000.

AIR BAG SENSOR MAT IN THE PASSEBGER SEAT IS CRACKED. THEREFOR THE AIRBAG WILL NOT DEPLOY IN A CRASH. ACCORDING TO MY RESEARCH THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM IN BMW E60 SEDANS. THERE HAS BEEN A PREVIOUS RECALL TO BMW'S IN EARLIER YEARS. WHY IS IT NOT A RECALL NOW? OBVIOUSLY THIS IS A CRITICAL COMPONENT OF THE SAFETY SYSTEM AND SHOULD BE RECALLED AND FIXED BY THE MANUFACTURER. *TR