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BMW Airbags

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Alexander of Katy, TX January 23, 2007

I drove down to colorado to go skiing during winter break. I had done a transmission flush not too long before, so i was driving up there with new transmission fluid. It drove fine in the cold weather, up until the morning after we arrived. When i started up the car, an exclamation mark came on exclaiming the transmission had failed. I wasn't sure what the problem was, but i figured we were in cold weather so the only plausible answer would be that it had frozen solid so i waited for the car to warm up.

Once it reach normal temperature, i turned off the car, started it back up and the transmission was fine. Still i was worried. This was the winter of 2005. Just two weeks ago, i took my car in to the dealership because i heard strange sounds coming from the engine compartment which sounded like grinding and clicking. They said they found nothing wrong with the transmission and racked up a bill of 3000. I asked the dealership to give me a detailed list of the problems they found with the car to decipher what was critical to fix (also, i wanted to get a second opinion from our mechanic). I did not recieve a list upon recieving the car, nor did i recieve the list upon calling them and leaving five messages.

Just this weekend, i had our mechanic take a look at the car, i listed every problem i could remember bmw mentioning. He fixed a couple hoses, changed my breaks, and the next day when I was pulling out of a parking lot, my car jumped and it sounded as if i had hit something. I slammed on the brakes and hopped out of the car, but nothing was there. I got back in the car and drove home.

When i was planning on driving back to Austin from Houston, i placed it in reverse, stepped on the gas but the car did not budge (as if it was still in neutral). However, i could heard what sounded like grinding gears below me, and much louder than before. I'm lucky that i realized it had broken when i did; driving at speeds over 70 miles an hour with a busted transmission can't lead to anything good. That's an accident waiting to happen that BMW didn't help me avoid.

Brian of St. Charles, IL April 26, 2006

After having my 1997 BMW 540i (E39) serviced for a persistent and recurring airbag indicator light at least twice, the front driver's side, door-mounted airbag detonated while the car was at rest in a parking lot. No accident or impact caused the airbag to deploy. I only turned on the car and closed the door. My 3-year-old son who was in his booster seat in the left rear side of the vehicle was hit by flying pieces of hard material from inside the door, causing several slight cuts to his face and hand.

Neither my wife or infant daughter were injured, but all of us -- and passersby -- were shocked by the unexpected deployment. I was hit in the left arm by the airbag and bruised when the airbag flung my arm and watch into my body. I took the car in for service and did not think of the problem further at this point.

Later, the unexpected airbag deployment prompted me to contact BMW of North America who logged my problem and indicated that someone from BMW would contact me to investigate the matter. Within 48 hours, Derek  of BMW of North America contacted me to understand the problem. I indicated that the spontanious airbag problem was a safety-related concern. Derek/BMW requested the technician to send him the airbag, sensor, and control unit for investigation/analysis.

My car was repaired, and the BMW diagnostic software showed that the system was not throwing a fault code. Derek/BMW contacted the technician and indicated that based on the system's current performance he could return the car to me. When the technician started the vehicle, however, the driver's side airbag deployed once again on him!

The technician contacted Derek/BMW and informed him of the 2nd airbag deployment. Derek/BMW indicate to me that BMW would fly an engineer from New Jersey to Illinois to inspect the vehicle. April 20, 2006: I learned from the technician that the BMW engineer had inspected the vehicle over two days on April 18 and 19 but did not indicate the source of the problem to the technician or how to resolve it. BMW instructed the technician to leave the vehicle alone and await further information after they reviewed their findings.

April 26, 2006: Between April 21 and April 26, I have contacted BMW/Derek several times and requested information or status on the vehicle, indicating that I would like to resolve this safety-related concern quickly and amicably so that I could receive my vehicle back in proper working order without fear of future, possibly dangerous airbag detonations. As of today, I do not know the condition of my vehicle and whether or not it is repairable. BMW/Derek has maintained contact with me, but has indicated only that the enginers have not concluded their analysis.

Scott of Papamoa, OTHER March 24, 2006

i have recently had a road traffic accident in my BMW and accrued serious injury due to the fact my air bag never went off?? I am looking for some answers or infomation to explain this. Injuries included broken and dislocated collarbone, ribs and front teeth with other head and body injuries.

T of Murrieta, CA January 30, 2006

Bought a new BMW from Savage BMW in 2004. Complained twice that the air bag warning lights were on. They fixed everything but the air bags. The second time they said they would order parts and call me, but again they never did. So from the time the car was new, I always had air bag warning lights. On December 13th, I was hit in the rear from a car doing about 55 miles per hour. That hit launched me into another car who hit yet another car. It totaled the car in front of me and yet the air bags never deployed.

8300 in damage on my car and it's still in the shop. I have contacted BMW at least 3 times + my service requests before the accident. BMW could care less. They said they were sorry and to give them my VIN # etc. I have never heard from them since and I have emailed them twice more after this response. At this point I have a car when it comes out of repair from the accident that still has defective air bags and BMW has no interest in fixing the problem.

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