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 WHEN THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE SEAT WAS OCCUPIED, THE PASSENGER RESTRAINT MALFUNCTION WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. IN ADDITION, THE PASSENGER SEAT BELT LIGHT FAILED TO DISENGAGE WHEN AN OCCUPANT WAS PROPERLY SECURED WITH A SEAT BELT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 98,000.

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.

WHILE DRIVING UNDER SPEED LIMIT OF 50MPH ON EXPRESSWAY,HAD TO SLAM BRAKES TO PREVENT HITTING A RED LIGHT RUNNER. MY 12YEAR OLD SON WAS IN THE REAR LEFT PASSENGER SEAT,WITH SEAT BELT ON, WAS THROWN FORWARD BUT USED HIS HANDS TO CUSHION THE IMPACT. LUCKILY HE SUFFERED NO INJURIES EXCEPT FOR THE SCARE. ON CHECKING THE SEAT BELT ,IT WAS FOUND TO BE HAVE A DEFECTIVE LATCH. TOOK IT TO BMW FREMONT FOR INSPECTION, THEY TOO FOUND THE SEAT BELT LATCH DEFECTIVE AND ORDERED A NEW ONE.THE CAR IS USED MOSTLY FOR WORK COMMUTE HENCE THE LOW MILEAGE OF 21250 FOR A NEARLY SIX YEAR OLD CAR AND RARELY HAS ANY REAR PASSENGERS, THEREFORE THE SEAT BELT DEFECT MUST HAVE BEEN THERE ON PRODUCTION. WE ARE VERY LUCKY TO FIND THE DEFECTIVE SEAT BELT IN A MINOR INCIDENT, IF IT WAS A MAJOR ACCIDENT MY CHILD OR ANY ANYONE IN THAT SEAT COULD HAVE BEEN SERIOUSLY INJURED OR WORSE. REPORTED THE INCIDENT TO BMW CUSTOMER RELATIONS OFFICER, SO FAR ONLY SYMPATHIES WERE OFFERED. *TR