As some of you may know, I investigated my Airbag light issue. Codes were for left and right side airbag sensors. I noticed that as long as I had a passenger in the seat the light would stay off. Well, I buckled the seatbelt with no one in the seat and the light went out. Unbuckle, light back on. I went through this sequence 3 or 4 times and each time it does the same thing. Does this indicate a bad seatbelt buckle??
2001 Z3 3.0i -Oxford Green/Sandbeige
2016 428xi -Estoril Blue II/Black
2018 430iC- Estoril Blue II/Black
2018 330it - Melbourne Red/Venetian Beige/Black
Has anyone ever heard of this or seen it happen on another make of car? Anyone know any websites that deal with SRS issues where I could look it up?
2001 Z3 3.0i -Oxford Green/Sandbeige
2016 428xi -Estoril Blue II/Black
2018 430iC- Estoril Blue II/Black
2018 330it - Melbourne Red/Venetian Beige/Black
What I find weird (as I mentioned in your other thread) is that the light goes on and off. I almost wonder whether someone in the past has had an airbag light and fiddled with the cluster to resolve the 'problem'. For example, when I bought my Z3, the airbag light was on and I asked the dealer to fix it before I picked it up, which he did.
Unfortunately, the 'fix' involved isolating the bulb in the cluster from its proper contacts and rigging it up to one of the other warning lights (I forget which) so that it came on with the ignition and then went off when the car started, giving the illusion of working correctly.
Do you guys have a seatbelt warning light on the dash (we don't in the UK)? It feels like the light is working in such a way that maybe the passenger seat occupancy sensor is faulty and the car wants the seatbelt plugged in to protect the non-existent passenger. But why the airbag light is the one that's triggered is a mystery.
2001 Z3 3.0i -Oxford Green/Sandbeige
2016 428xi -Estoril Blue II/Black
2018 430iC- Estoril Blue II/Black
2018 330it - Melbourne Red/Venetian Beige/Black
Might be worth whipping out the cluster just to make sure there's no funny-business going on. I assume this is on the Topaz car?
How about the passenger seat occupancy sensor? It may be sending a signal that the seat is occupied even when it is not, causing the system to shut down to prevent causing injury to the phantom un-belted passenger.
Sounds like occupancy sensor to me too. If it senses someone is sitting in the passenger seat, the warning light comes on until the seat belt is buckled.
2001 Z3 3.0i -Oxford Green/Sandbeige
2016 428xi -Estoril Blue II/Black
2018 430iC- Estoril Blue II/Black
2018 330it - Melbourne Red/Venetian Beige/Black
2001 Z3 3.0i -Oxford Green/Sandbeige
2016 428xi -Estoril Blue II/Black
2018 430iC- Estoril Blue II/Black
2018 330it - Melbourne Red/Venetian Beige/Black
UPDATE
Went to my indy shop, they have a console for reading SRS and SES issues. Their computer picked up 1 error code. Bad Seat belt buckle. So looks like the lovely B800 isn't that good at reading codes. I'll be replacing the buckle mechanism soon.
Thanks to all who weighed in on the situation.
2001 Z3 3.0i -Oxford Green/Sandbeige
2016 428xi -Estoril Blue II/Black
2018 430iC- Estoril Blue II/Black
2018 330it - Melbourne Red/Venetian Beige/Black
If you dont mind me asking, which indy shop do you use? Im always looking for NJ shops to recommend. PM me if you prefer.
There's two small switches inside the buckle, one at each end of the buckle slot opening. The connector for the buckle can be taken apart and the individual pins cleaned as well.
Last edited by Monolith; 07-10-2013 at 01:37 PM.
2001 Z3 3.0i -Oxford Green/Sandbeige
2016 428xi -Estoril Blue II/Black
2018 430iC- Estoril Blue II/Black
2018 330it - Melbourne Red/Venetian Beige/Black
Let us know how it comes out. I'm still curious, because your original symptoms would indicate the buckle switch(es) is/are working properly.
You will want to be sure on this before you spend the cash to replace the pyrotechnic buckle assembly. Those are not cheap, so hopefully they will clean up easily.
Amancuso, any updates on this? My 2002 roadster is having the identical issue. In the meantime, I'll keep driving with the passenger seatbelt buckled.
Just a note incase you need a module code read in the future (Engine,ABS,SRS,ESC,ESC). I work in a Toms River shop and have bmw dedicated software, I would be more than happy to read a code free of charge, just let me know.
Going into my TENTH YEAR of providing high quality reproduction BMW fabrics!
PRICE CUT on ALL FABRICS
Offering the best prices on the best quality reproduction fabrics!
Bookmarks