Restraint System Malfunction!! Again for the umpteenth time!!!

pedrobot · 03-17-2013, 03:19 PM

So I've done a forum search and seems that early on in production, 2008 mostly, some owners posted recurring problems with this error message.

Here's what it looks like.

This will be the 5th time dealing with this issue. My local dealer has "fixed" the problem 4 different times over the span of about 11 months. So about every 2-3 months the problem resurfaces. Mostly when I have a passenger, which is rare since I mostly use the family SAV when my daughter and wife drive anywhere. I think this issue would occur with a higher frequency if a passenger rode with me more often.

So here's where I'm at. My car is out of warranty, by about 900 miles and 5 months. So, my car sits at 40,900 and is a 2008 June production car.

Regardless of age, the miles and frequency this car is utilized with a passenger is so low that having this issue occur over and over and over again is absolutely ridiculous.

The dealer has replaced in the past, seat sensors, airbag modules and most recently, 2 weeks ago, the driver seat sensor. Even though the error code indicated it was a problem with the passenger system.

Now I shelled out close to $800 for this most recent repair even though I felt I shouldn't have had to pay. My rationale is this same problem occurred and was brought to the dealer for repair when the car was still under warranty. Why should I continue to pay for something that should have been right the first time? Wait, at the minimum the second, or the third or the fourth...... WTF??!!

Does anyone have any recommendations? Do I take this to BMW NA? Do I shell out the cash for another repair?!
So sad. I absolutely love how this car fits me. Just sucks that I drive loaners more often than I care to count.

BPMSport · 03-17-2013, 03:20 PM

Sometimes these faults are thrown from battery issues. I think it would be wise to have me remotely diagnose what the problem is.

pedrobot · 03-17-2013, 03:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike Benvo

Sometimes these faults are thrown from battery issues. I think it would be wise to have me remotely diagnose what the problem is.

Awesome!! PM sent.

1sikbmr · 03-17-2013, 06:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike Benvo

Sometimes these faults are thrown from battery issues. I think it would be wise to have me remotely diagnose what the problem is.

Mike any way to have someone clear the code? When i was installing my steering wheel the car threw this fault. Pretty annoying.

ufgtrs2007 · 03-17-2013, 06:41 PM

Are you still able to lemon the car? Not sure if there are limitations to mileage and/or age of the vehicle

monsta · 05-03-2013, 11:31 AM

Same issue here '08 this is probably #4/5 not sure exactly anymore but basically once a year, all previous times it was cover under warranty but now that I'm out of it I really don't feel like paying for it & like you I rarely have a passenger in the car & when it occurs no one is in the car with me...

mdosu · 05-03-2013, 11:41 AM

what's weird about this message is, I don't think the belt tensioner is electronic... Unless it's attempting to calculate the weight of the passenger and it's speed of providing the tension and the force? Sounds pretty complex if that's the case.

mdosu · 05-03-2013, 11:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by monsta

Same issue here '08 this is probably #4/5 not sure exactly anymore but basically once a year, all previous times it was cover under warranty but now that I'm out of it I really don't feel like paying for it & like you I rarely have a passenger in the car & when it occurs no one is in the car with me...

you should talk to them and rationalize that it's throwing the fault b/c it wasn't fixed properly the past times. They may be able to throw you a bone and do it at a reduced rate. This is safety related too, so it is pretty important.

FWIW, my wife rides with me all the time, I've never seen this code before...knock on wood.

monsta · 05-03-2013, 01:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mdosu

you should talk to them and rationalize that it's throwing the fault b/c it wasn't fixed properly the past times. They may be able to throw you a bone and do it at a reduced rate. This is safety related too, so it is pretty important.

I called the dealer seems like my SA isn't there anymore which sucks since I've been working with him for over 7yrs, now I need to deal with a "new" guy

tokenl3roken · 05-03-2013, 04:33 PM

You might be only getting the fault because when someone sits in the seat it moves the wiring under the seat! Causeing a short throwin on that air bag light! I have seen it before! After we changed out a few oc3 mats under warranty

doverjxp · 05-03-2013, 09:28 PM

I have seen it before! After we changed out a few oc3 mats under warranty

Jaron Bell · 05-03-2013, 10:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike Benvo

Sometimes these faults are thrown from battery issues. I think it would be wise to have me remotely diagnose what the problem is.

Mike can fix this issue. I had the same problem and he fixed it.

GrabacrOne · 03-14-2016, 08:47 PM

Sorry to open up this old thread. Mike Benvo I am having the same issue on my 2015 X5. I would like you to take a look at it if possible. I think your PM box was full.

S65B40YYC · 07-10-2016, 08:27 PM

Hi guys, I have this same issue. Reading the codes it said it was the passenger seat belt restraint so i changed it and the error still persists after $205 in parts.

Can anyone tell me if they had this resolved and was Mike Benvo from BPM able to fix it?

Mhv2themax · 07-12-2016, 08:36 PM

Had same issue, when I replaced the battery. Brought it to a shop and the junto I there just noticed one of the seat belts were just jammed up

Joe S · 07-13-2016, 07:54 AM

I had the same problem with an X5.. After 5 visits to BMW, it ended up being twisted wires in the seat

Joe S · 07-13-2016, 07:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BMWMacht

Sorry to open up this old thread. Mike Benvo I am having the same issue on my 2015 X5. I would like you to take a look at it if possible. I think your PM box was full.

I had the same problem with my X5.. After 5 visits to BMW, it ended up being twisted wires in the seat

doogee · 07-13-2016, 08:31 AM

Doesn't BMW have a 2 year warranty on most of their parts?

03-17-2013, 03:19 PM	#1
pedrobot Second Lieutenant 21 Rep 278 Posts Drives: 2017 F80 M3 ZCP w/Drivers Pkg Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Texas iTrader: (0)	Restraint System Malfunction!! Again for the umpteenth time!!! So I've done a forum search and seems that early on in production, 2008 mostly, some owners posted recurring problems with this error message. Here's what it looks like. This will be the 5th time dealing with this issue. My local dealer has "fixed" the problem 4 different times over the span of about 11 months. So about every 2-3 months the problem resurfaces. Mostly when I have a passenger, which is rare since I mostly use the family SAV when my daughter and wife drive anywhere. I think this issue would occur with a higher frequency if a passenger rode with me more often. So here's where I'm at. My car is out of warranty, by about 900 miles and 5 months. So, my car sits at 40,900 and is a 2008 June production car. Regardless of age, the miles and frequency this car is utilized with a passenger is so low that having this issue occur over and over and over again is absolutely ridiculous. The dealer has replaced in the past, seat sensors, airbag modules and most recently, 2 weeks ago, the driver seat sensor. Even though the error code indicated it was a problem with the passenger system. Now I shelled out close to $800 for this most recent repair even though I felt I shouldn't have had to pay. My rationale is this same problem occurred and was brought to the dealer for repair when the car was still under warranty. Why should I continue to pay for something that should have been right the first time? Wait, at the minimum the second, or the third or the fourth...... WTF??!! Does anyone have any recommendations? Do I take this to BMW NA? Do I shell out the cash for another repair?! So sad. I absolutely love how this car fits me. Just sucks that I drive loaners more often than I care to count.
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03-17-2013, 03:20 PM	#2
BPMSport BimmerPost Supporting Vendor 3387 Rep 7,541 Posts Drives: Harrop M3 / F10 M5 / F82 M4 Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: SoCal iTrader: (9) Garage List 2000 BMW M5 [0.00] 1990 BMW 735i Turbo [0.00] 2008 BMW M3 [7.50] 2015 BMW M3 [0.00] 2015 BMW M5 [0.00]	Sometimes these faults are thrown from battery issues. I think it would be wise to have me remotely diagnose what the problem is. __________________ -----\| Like us on Facebook \| Instagram \|\| Tuning Information \| Remote Coding \|----- ----Visit us at www.BPMSport.com - Emotion. Driven. \| Toll Free: (888) 557-5133----
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03-17-2013, 06:41 PM	#5
ufgtrs2007 dentite 339 Rep 759 Posts Drives: 718 GT4, M2C, JLU392, e92 M3 Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: NC iTrader: (9) Garage List 2013 BMW M3 [0.00] 2013 BMW M5 [0.00]	Are you still able to lemon the car? Not sure if there are limitations to mileage and/or age of the vehicle
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05-03-2013, 11:31 AM	#6
monsta Brigadier General 218 Rep 3,592 Posts Drives: E92 M3 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Bergen County, NJ/Y.O, NY iTrader: (2)	Same issue here '08 this is probably #4/5 not sure exactly anymore but basically once a year, all previous times it was cover under warranty but now that I'm out of it I really don't feel like paying for it & like you I rarely have a passenger in the car & when it occurs no one is in the car with me... __________________ '08 E92 M3 6MT \| IB \| FR \| RAC RG63's \| VRS Ti Exhaust \| Fabspeed HFC & Xpipe '09 X5 35d SG/SB '11 X3 28i AW/CN/FW (wife's car
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05-03-2013, 11:41 AM	#7
mdosu Banned 314 Rep 8,496 Posts Drives: Double Vanos'd Civic-M3 Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: San Francisco iTrader: (6)	what's weird about this message is, I don't think the belt tensioner is electronic... Unless it's attempting to calculate the weight of the passenger and it's speed of providing the tension and the force? Sounds pretty complex if that's the case. Last edited by mdosu; 05-03-2013 at 11:54 AM..
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05-03-2013, 04:33 PM	#10
tokenl3roken New Member 0 Rep 6 Posts Drives: E46 m3 Join Date: Apr 2013 Location: tucson az iTrader: (0)	You might be only getting the fault because when someone sits in the seat it moves the wiring under the seat! Causeing a short throwin on that air bag light! I have seen it before! After we changed out a few oc3 mats under warranty
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05-03-2013, 09:28 PM	#11
doverjxp New Member 0 Rep 26 Posts Drives: bmw Join Date: May 2013 Location: london iTrader: (0)	I have seen it before! After we changed out a few oc3 mats under warranty __________________
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03-14-2016, 08:47 PM	#13
GrabacrOne Second Lieutenant 178 Rep 274 Posts Drives: F10 535i Join Date: May 2013 Location: CT iTrader: (1)	Sorry to open up this old thread. Mike Benvo I am having the same issue on my 2015 X5. I would like you to take a look at it if possible. I think your PM box was full. __________________ Become a BMW CCA member! Click HERE to join and feel free to use my BMW CCA member #578262 as a referral. F10 535i M-Sport \| Gone but not forgotten: G01 X3 xDrive30i M-Sport; F15 X5 xDrive35i; E70 X5 4.8i
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07-10-2016, 08:27 PM	#14
S65B40YYC Private First Class 35 Rep 146 Posts Drives: 08' E93 M3 Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: YYC iTrader: (0)	Hi guys, I have this same issue. Reading the codes it said it was the passenger seat belt restraint so i changed it and the error still persists after $205 in parts. Can anyone tell me if they had this resolved and was Mike Benvo from BPM able to fix it?
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07-12-2016, 08:36 PM	#15
Mhv2themax Private 9 Rep 78 Posts Drives: 2008 BMW M3 Join Date: Mar 2016 Location: long island, New York iTrader: (0)	Had same issue, when I replaced the battery. Brought it to a shop and the junto I there just noticed one of the seat belts were just jammed up
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07-13-2016, 07:54 AM	#16
Joe S Lieutenant 151 Rep 410 Posts Drives: E92 M3 Competition Package Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Melbourne, Australia iTrader: (0)	I had the same problem with an X5.. After 5 visits to BMW, it ended up being twisted wires in the seat __________________ [IMG]http://www.xbimmers.com/forums/image.php?type=sigpic
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07-13-2016, 08:31 AM	#18
doogee Major 748 Rep 1,256 Posts Drives: '08 M3, '09 328xi Sport Wagon Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Ancaster, ON, Canada iTrader: (0)	Doesn't BMW have a 2 year warranty on most of their parts? __________________
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