Airbag light

No. You need a specific SRS reset tool or INPA/DIS to reset this Im afraid.

You'll also need to find out what caused the light to come on (unless you've been playing around disconnecting seats and turning ignition on).
My airbag light came on recently, diagnosis (thanks Gerry @ Phoenix) was faulty slipring - when I removed the airbag I found that the airbag connector had simply come loose and disconnected itself, I've no idea how and I would have thought this is very unlikely but might be worth checking. BTW, the torx bolts holding the airbag on my three-spoke M Tech wheel were as tight as **** and not easy to get at, Timm's right up on replacing with an E36 wheel shows how to very well.

Zitat von Wildatheart;79326

Thanks - I was wondering whether my -briefly, the fuse blew immediately-shorting the cigarette socket could have caused this. Seems unlikely (and it's not the first time Ive done this) but..?

Anything's possible I suppose but I doubt the cigarette lighter fuse blowing would cause it - I've done that trick myself by accidentaly dropping a small coin into the lighter socket - I only noticed later once my satnav died and wouldn't recharge

Hi there, I have the same problem, but mine came on when I dropped my sister off at Uni and soon after she got out of the back seat. I have a feeling she may have kicked the front passenger seat and done some damage. Added to my things to sort out, but as the weather has been fairly good, I have been too busy washing and enjoying the car to get it sorted.

Zitat von Deep;79368

Hi there, I have the same problem, but mine came on when I dropped my sister off at Uni and soon after she got out of the back seat. I have a feeling she may have kicked the front passenger seat and done some damage. Added to my things to sort out, but as the weather has been fairly good, I have been too busy washing and enjoying the car to get it sorted.

That reminds me of another possible cause, I think it was TallTony that had to replace the sensor mat in one of his seats - they don't take kindly to being kneeled on to reach over in the car. Get the fault codes read and it should help you to pinpoint where the problem is.

The most likely cause is the sensor mat on the passenger seat. A new mat will cost around £100 from the dealer, and I suggest you fit it yourself as the dealers will not put the seat cushion and leather back together properly. The job can be done with the seat in place I bought some new copper clips from the dealer and used some fabric glue to reattach the leather.

Stuart

Zitat von Argonaut;79372

That reminds me of another possible cause, I think it was TallTony that had to replace the sensor mat in one of his seats
...

That's a good hint!
By the way... the passenger seat is the only one to have an occupancy sensor mat...

I think that a 2ohm resistor can be connected instead of a new mat, to determine if the existing one is the problem. Some people substitute the mat permanetly with a resistor, but it does mean that the passenger airbag will alway deploy with the driver's one, regardless of whether the passenger seat is occupied or not.

Zitat von arnie;79416

I think that a 2ohm resistor can be connected instead of a new mat, to determine if the existing one is the problem. Some people substitute the mat permanetly with a resistor, but it does mean that the passenger airbag will alway deploy with the driver's one, regardless of whether the passenger seat is occupied or not.

Personally I'd want the passenger bag working... the person needing this is just fine today because of it....interesting though is that the upper lid blew off hard enough to completely smash and push outward the windscreen... lotta force there.

I made a blunder getting the dealer to sort mine,thinking surely the main dealer would do a decent job. I was told like you it was an involved job and the seat had to be removed. I got the car back and it looked like an elephant had been sitting on the seat, (it had lost its shape) when i complained i was told the seat must have been like that. I ended up removing the leather and foam from the seat to discover they had never removed the seat and had siliconed the foam and leather after stuffing new mat in. Just a total mess. I ended up repositioning the mat and doing the job myself, it was not difficult, just a bit of time and care.

Zitat von rcrad6653;79420

.....Personally I'd want the passenger bag working...

Replacing the passenger occupancy mat with a resistor will mean that the passenger airbag WILL deploy with the driver's one, as it mimics the passenger seat being occupied.

However, I am not advocating that this should be done- just that some people do this instead of replacing the mat. Also, the same thing tends to be done with the seat-belt pre-tensioners, if they have deployed or have faulty switch.

Zitat von rcrad6653;79420

....interesting though is that the upper lid blew off hard enough to completely smash and push outward the windscreen... lotta force there...

I'm not surprised, given the the poor standard of some of the work I've seen on replacement windscreens. The bonding of the windscreen (if from the factory, or redone properly) is specially designed to withstand the force of the airbag(s).

Many BMW after about 1999 were fitted with 2-stage airbags and a more complex control system, so that for a 'minor' crash, the airbags deploy at "stage-1" with much less force (although from experience, still hard enough to sheer-off the windscreen visor and send it flying.)

Really quite a simple job. From memory, remove the small seat pocket on the front of the seat (2 screws) then extend the front seat squab and remove the 2 screws on the underside, then basically seperate the foam and leather from the seat base lifting from the front where the squab has been removed. Its held on by glue and small copper rings. pull it all back far enough to remove the sensor mat, it has a small cable and plug on it. I used copydex glue to restick the leather and foam, it is an impact adhesive which was good enabling the leather to be stretched back on to the foam, it worked without any problems.

Stuart