Passenger Airbag Light

Yes, yet another question about the freakin light.

Does anyone else with an X3 have the situation where if you are driving alone (passenger seat empty), the light is on? I'm talking about the Passenger Airbag Off lamp on the overhead console.

I assumed this light only comes on if someone is in the passenger seat, but obviously not heavy enough. The light is quite bright, and is a bit of a distraction at night.

Thanks!

The light comes on whenever the passenger airbag will not deploy. This would happen if the passenger seat is vacant or the person sitting in the passenger seat is too light.

Thanks for the response. I was able to find someone else on the board with a similar complaint.

I'm surprised by this design. The light is obnoxious.

When I drive the X3 and my wife is the passenger the light will go on and off several times while driving. Guess I should not complain about her weight but I am concerned about safety...

Yep, I had that happen in Europe during the ED. My wife must be borderline.

Originally Posted by FireFly

I should not complain about her weight

Originally Posted by xspeedy

My wife must be borderline.

they dont have any choice with the light, its federally mandated for the light to be on if the bag is deactivated.

Dunno about that "FedMandate" stuff, vis a vis the app. in an X3?!

My X5, Vette and CR-V all have airbag sensitive seats and no lights come on when pass.seat is empty.
Now that I think about it, no car I've been in has a constant light when the pass seat is empty.

Maybe some new reg? Or, Teutonic overkill? A dab of black tape or black nail polish should take car of it, or reduce it to tolerable. More of your gov't at "work",imo.
BR,md

Originally Posted by FireFly

When I drive the X3 and my wife is the passenger the light will go on and off several times while driving. Guess I should not complain about her weight but I am concerned about safety...

SEE YOUR DEALER.

Either the sensor needs to be replaced/adjusted or the programming updated.

Originally Posted by FireFly

When I drive the X3 and my wife is the passenger the light will go on and off several times while driving. Guess I should not complain about her weight but I am concerned about safety...

I was told that the weight limit was 80lbs so anything under would trigger the light (ie. bags off). That is what the dealer told me when I picked it up yet I haven't done any specific testing.

Originally Posted by the worm

I was told that the weight limit was 80lbs so anything under would trigger the light (ie. bags off). That is what the dealer told me when I picked it up yet I haven't done any specific testing.

She weighs a tad bit more than 80 but she does put her feet up on the dash so maybe that causes the sensor to think the person weighs less than 80??

If you're handy with small tools, here's a way to reduce the Passenger Air Bag Off light to something more acceptable.
The light can be popped out of it's socket from the overhead console. There is about 4 inches of wire connecting the lamp unit to the wiring harness.
On the back of the lamp unit is a small hole that is the retainer pin for the electrical plug. Using a small poking device, press in while gently pulling on the electrical plug.
Once you've separated the lamp unit from the plug, you're ready for the tricky part.
Looking at the rear of the lamp unit, there are four slots you can use to insert a small (like 1/8th) width screw driver to gently pry the retainer clips in towards the lamp unit and begin the 'wiggle' process to open up the lamp unit.
Once done with the disasembly, you see that the lamp bulb is two yellow LED's on a small circuit board.
The interesting thing about the lamp unit is the plastic lens used to increase brilliance of the LEDs.
My method of reducing the luminence was to take a black Sharpie permanent ink pen and blacken all the edges of the plastci lens that the pen point would reach. (to understand this concept, you gotta see the lens).
Once done, replace the circuit board, match up the four clip points (they only go together one way) and put thing back where they go.
Worked great for me. Now I have a very dim yellow reminder that I'm all alone in my new X3.

I am looking for a member to send me a download attachement of THIER downloaded NHTSA 2004 X3 barrier crash test video that they got from the NHTSA site. Member JG first gave the link to us. The link at NHTSA's site hasn't worked for 2 weeks to download the video. Any industrious souls out there want to send it to me at: experts4u@aol.com ?

I would really appreciate it!!

Randy
San Diego, CA.
2004 E83

Originally Posted by xspeedy

Yep, I had that happen in Europe during the ED. My wife must be borderline.

You guys must have some skinny wives. If my laptop case is loaded down enough and is in the passenger seat, it can turn the light off (and sometimes sounds the "fasten seatbelt" chime)

Originally Posted by xspeedy

Yep, I had that happen in Europe during the ED. My wife must be borderline.

Nope. It's most likely the sensor.

I had the same thing happen to mine, and my SA said they got quite a few of these complaints, it's usually the sensor. Mine never worked right, from day 1 in Europe.

They replaced mine under warranty and it has worked flawlessly since.

The other good thing is that they will replace your entire seat bottom cover with a brand new one (the sensor design prohibits changing just the sensor ).

Anyway, don't delay - it's a potential safety issue - when that light is on, your wife does not have the benefit of the airbag!

adc
03 330 ZHP
05 X3 3.0 ED

Originally Posted by adc

Nope. It's most likely the sensor.

Anyway, don't delay - it's a potential safety issue - when that light is on, your wife does not have the benefit of the airbag!

adc

It was easier for me to trade that car in for one that worked right

On my 06 X3 the light only comes on for a few secoinds at start up. The only other time I have seen it come on was when I put a fairly heavy briefcase on the seat. Otherwise with adult passengers or no one in the seat the light is off. No children to try it with...

Originally Posted by ChiefCrazyTalk

You guys must have some skinny wives. If my laptop case is loaded down enough and is in the passenger seat, it can turn the light off (and sometimes sounds the "fasten seatbelt" chime)

What fasten seat belt chime? As far as I know, it only exists upon startup for the driver.

The light is annoying at night since it's always on when no one's in the passenger seat. Oddly enough, it seems to also light up for a couple minutes even when someone's sitting there though.........oh well if I feel like bugging the dealer i'll ask next time.

Originally Posted by AzNMpower32

What fasten seat belt chime? As far as I know, it only exists upon startup for the driver.

The light is annoying at night since it's always on when no one's in the passenger seat. Oddly enough, it seems to also light up for a couple minutes even when someone's sitting there though.........oh well if I feel like bugging the dealer i'll ask next time.

Not true for me - sometimes when i'm driving with a heavy weight (apparently boarderline weight for triggering buzzer) in the passanger seat, after drivng for awhile the car will start beeping until i reach over and fasten the passenger side seatbelt.

Originally Posted by ChiefCrazyTalk

Not true for me - sometimes when i'm driving with a heavy weight (apparently boarderline weight for triggering buzzer) in the passanger seat, after drivng for awhile the car will start beeping until i reach over and fasten the passenger side seatbelt.

Is this an '05 feature? Wow I've never heard such a buzzer. I'm 145 lbs and sometimes when my dad takes me to school, I neglect to fasten the passenger seat belt with no consequences*. The system should know that the passenger doesnt have his seat belt fastened, and will deploy the air bag at a lower force.

*DON'T DO THIS........at 7am I'm just too sleepy to bother.

Originally Posted by rprp51

On my 06 X3 the light only comes on for a few secoinds at start up. The only other time I have seen it come on was when I put a fairly heavy briefcase on the seat. Otherwise with adult passengers or no one in the seat the light is off. No children to try it with...

I think that was a change made for 06. My 06 330i behaves the same way. The light is off if the seat is empty or a heavy enough passenger is sitting in it.

Originally Posted by xspeedy

Yes, yet another question about the freakin light.

Does anyone else with an X3 have the situation where if you are driving alone (passenger seat empty), the light is on? I'm talking about the Passenger Airbag Off lamp on the overhead console.

I assumed this light only comes on if someone is in the passenger seat, but obviously not heavy enough. The light is quite bright, and is a bit of a distraction at night.

Thanks!

My X3 is in for this same problem but my airbag dashboard warning light is also iluminated. The light should only iluminate if the person/object in the passanger seat weights less than the predetermined weight to activate the light. I have verified this in my 2006 service loaner X3.

Jeff

Originally Posted by jdeday

My X3 is in for this same problem but my airbag dashboard warning light is also iluminated. The light should only iluminate if the person/object in the passanger seat weights less than the predetermined weight to activate the light. I have verified this in my 2006 service loaner X3.

Jeff

You might want to have this checked. Last week, when the X3 was in the shop for its SECOND sunroof cassette replacement, the dashboard airbag light came on. The work order reads: Check for airbag light and advise. The SRS light is on after repairs. The passenger seat \ OC-3 mat is broken. Stock ordered part.

The part is on special order and may take a week to arrive.

Airbag light stays on when there isn't anyone sitting in the passenger seat, goes off when someone sits there. Isn't that how it was designed. The light stays on to warn you that the airbag will not deploy, since there isn't anyone in the seat? HuH

It's like the DSC light comes on when the system is turned off - to warn you it's not activated ...

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