BMW 328i Airbag Problems

Airbag complaints by model year

Which parts fail

• Sensor › Occupant classification
  35
• Frontal
  18
• Side/window
  14
• Sensor › Occupant classification › Front passenger
  11
• Frontal › Sensor/control module
  5

Components named in complaints (front, side and curtain air bags, sensors and inflators).

Mileage when the problem started

• Under 25k
  188%
• 25k–50k
  3113%
• 50k–75k
  5725%
• 75k–100k
  5825%
• 100k–150k
  4720%
• 150k+
  219%

What owners report

The contact owns a 2014 BMW 328i. The contact stated that while stopped at a red light, another vehicle crashed into the entire rear at 50 MPH causing the contact's vehicle to spin around twice and come to a stop in the middle of the street. The air bags did not deploy. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to a tow yard. A police report was filed. The vehicle was not destroyed. Two people were injured, the contact was seated in the driver's seat, and his brother was seated in the front passenger seat. No one else outside of the vehicle was injured. The contact and his brother received injuries to both their heads and backs. Medical treatment was not needed for the injuries. The vehicle was taken to a local body shop where the vehicle was repaired. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 70,000.

What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? + AIRBAG FAILED TO DEPLOY IN HEAD-ON COLLISION How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? + DUE TO FAILURE, DRIVER SUSTAINED MILD CONCUSSION WHEN HEAD HIT STEERING WHEEL AND PUT AT RISK OF LIFE THREATENING INJURY AND IMPAIRMENT Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? + UNKNOWN; HOWEVER, NO RECALL OR WARNINGS HAVE BEEN COMMUNICATED Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? + UNKNOWN Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? + NO, NONE, NEVER

The contact's mother owned a 2013 BMW 328i. The contact stated while driving 5 mph and approaching a traffic light when another vehicle impacted the rear driver side door.The air bags did not deploy. The contact stated she sustained a mild concussion, has neck, back, and shoulder pains, and stated she had numbness on the left leg and left arm. The contact was taken by an ambulance to the emergency room to seek medical attention. The contact stated that the other vehicle had a 10 and 4-year-old and were also transported by ambulance to the emergency room to seek medical attention for their unknown inquires. A police report was filed. The vehicle was not drivable. The insurance company deemed the vehicle total loss. The vehicle was towed to towing lot first and then to unknown location chosen by the insurance company. …

Something from the passenger front wheel side must have messed up since after I went over a small bump in the road I lost control of my vehicle that resulted in my crashing into a bobbed wire fence and a pole that was holding up the fence. My car was completely totaled and no airbags deployed from anywhere in the car. The steering wheel hit me so hard in the abdomen that it caused my T11 and T12 vertebrae in my spine to break from the doctors reports it was stated that the airbags have failed witch resulted in a direct impact to my abdomen by the steering wheel and instantly I knew I broke my lower back. My 4yr old son who was restrained in his car seat was passenger in the backseat during the accident but didn't sustain injuries besides some whiplash and having nightmares. …

Passenger restraint system malfunction. My vehicle as well as thousands of others have the chronic and unsafe issue of the passenger occupancy sensor malfunctioning. In order to remove warning on dash it's either a $2,000 repair, or a $40 bypass which basically places the seat as constantly occupied, sticking the passenger airbag in the 'on' position. Vehicle is available for inspection. With this malfunction, any person that sits in the passenger front seat is at risk of injury or death in the event of a collision. Malfunction has been confirmed by both a dealer and an independent service center. Vehicle was inspected by the dealer, but no police or insurance company. Vehicle was purchased with the malfunction and the warning lights have been on for several years. …

My BMW 2012 E92 model vehicle currently has a malfunctioning Front Seat Occupancy AirBag sensor mat is very similar to the recall for E60 to E91 models. BMW refuses to fix it under the other recall and I'm wondering what can be done to add it to the recall? I also read of an extended warranty for this part but I do not qualify since my model is e92.( SI B01 01 18) . Please advise.

My driver and passenger airbags deployed because my car all of the sudden lurched forward on it's own and I bumped the car in front of me and when it happened my car started accelerating and revving all on it's own into the car ahead and I was trying to make it stop by pushing the brakes but the brake pedal wouldnt move it was hard and wouldnt move so my car kept accelerating bumping the car in front of me over and over and I was stomping down on the brake pedal to make it stop but it wouldnt. After about 30 seconds of this it just stopped. The airbags were blowing out very hot air that burned and bruised my left arm very badley and myself and my minor passenger were choking from it. My driver side window and windshield were both broken from the explosion of the airbags but the body of my car wasn't damaged. …

The contact owns a 2011 BMW 328I. The contact received notifications of NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 23V707000 (Engine and Engine Colling) and 24V513000 (Air Bags); however, the parts to do the recall repairs were not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was able to restart; however, the failure recurred. The dealer was contacted; however, the vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 135,000. Parts distribution disconnect; for NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V707000 (Engine and Engine Cooling). VIN tool confirms part not available; for NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V513000 (Air Bags).

Related recalls (14)

NHTSA investigations