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| | | Forum Newbie
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: 4/2/2008 11:12:21 AM
Posts: 2, Visits: 3 |
| | My 2004 530i has had the Passenger Air Bag Warning Alarm go off for the third time. We had stopped breifly, and my wife got out to buy something in the store and when she sat back down the alarm went off. Each time I had not shut off the car and had left the engine running. The first time I was visiting the Dealer here on the Cape for the first time. They said the seat needed to be replaced for $1200! I had them reset the alarm and it was fine for three months. Then the same thing happened and I took the car to the delivering dealer in Natick. They said it was a sensor in the stearing column and it would cost $1500! Again, I had them reset the alarm. It has gone off for the third time three months later. What's going on?
Shock |
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| | | Forum Member
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: 7/21/2008 4:22:46 PM
Posts: 49, Visits: 50 |
| Without connecting the car to a diagnostic computer, it's impossible to tell what is going on with the airbag system. The system monitors a number of performance parameters & stores faults related to what it believes to be a problem. Reseting the light generally doesn't cure anything.
It is however interesting that 2 different dealers retrieved two different stored faults. If one shop were doing the diagnosis, they may be able to relate the 2 faults & come up w/ a better solution. One key element that a technician needs to note when interpreting stored faults is the error frequency. That is, the Airbag computer keeps track of how many times an error has occurred. We typically ignore error frequencies of 1-7 incidents (static electricity, solar flares, bad karma...who knows, maybe an fault just starting to develop) When an error is stored 200 times then you know something is wrong for sure.
I would suggest having the system evaluated again. Maybe choose a smaller shop where you can get some personal service & discuss the details of the problem w/ the technician.
You can find a qualified independent BMW repair shop near you at http://www.bimrs.org/
Good luck!
Mike Morris
Schneller BMW Performance
26 Middle Rd
Newbury, MA 01951
978.465.2002
Mike Morris
Schneller BMW Performance
26 Middle Rd Unit 1-2
Newbury, MA 01951
978.465.2002 |
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| | | Forum Newbie
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: 4/2/2008 11:12:21 AM
Posts: 2, Visits: 3 |
| | Thanks for the feedback. I have scheduled a service appointment again tomorrow. Shock
Shock |
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