Airbag light - 01 BMW 3 Series

Sebastian Dangerfield

My car failed the NCT as the airbag light doesnt come on when the engine starts. Its a 01 3 series.

Im sure the bulb itself is cheap, but Ive been told that getting into the dash could be expensive. Can anyone guide me on what this might cost (assuming its just a bulb) or if there are any short cuts to get to it? I spent 750 quid getting it ready for the test, so am hoping to avoid shelling out much more...

burke027

Sebastian Dangerfield wrote: »

My car failed the NCT as the airbag light doesnt come on when the engine starts. Its a 01 3 series.

Im sure the bulb itself is cheap, but Ive been told that getting into the dash could be expensive. Can anyone guide me on what this might cost (assuming its just a bulb) or if there are any short cuts to get to it? I spent 750 quid getting it ready for the test, so am hoping to avoid shelling out much more...

I can tell you now it ain't a bulb that is a fact. They are LEDs in there I see this day in day out as I work on bmws the problem is going to be most defo the passenger seat sensor. Now firstly you could get the led replaced which is a fairly big pain in its self. Or secondly which is prob the beter option. You need to replace in instrument cluster first. Now this in itself will cause the abs light and traction control light to come on and there will also be a tamper dot light on on the mileage. The second hand cluster needs to be coded then to the lamp control module of the car In order for the lights to go out.
But even then you are still left with fixing the original problem that the airbag light is still on.
I can tell you now either way if u want the car fixed right that it isn't going to be a cheap fix. But the right person with the right tools can help ya.
If u need some more advice jus ask. It's a pain but that's what people r doing to sell cars. U really need your eyes wide open

Cerco

Take a look at the BMW forums on: http://www.bmw-driver.net/forum/

Somebody there will help you out.

kev1.3s

Should a faulty passenger seat occupancy sensor not put the light in permanently? I would hazard a guess that someone has covered the light in the cluster because the passenger seat is showing up a fault. I've had three e46's and on all of them I had faulty passenger seat sensors so before you spend big money way not see if some cowboy has covered the light and if they have you can either replace the mat in the seat or buy one of those little emulators for a tenner off ebay.

delly

No need to panic about big costs just yet. The first thing to ask is if you have ever seen the airbag light? it's not beyond the realms of possibility that the previous owner blanked it to hide an issue. As it has LED lights as mentioned, they can't be removed, but what you can to is cover a specific LED once the cluster is taken out.

Taking the cluster out is very easy and you will find plenty of YouTube videos to show you how. Once it is out and you separate it, you can check for the likes of blutac covering it up.

The above will tell you if you have an airbag light issue or if it is an actual airbag issue itself. The most common fault that causes the light to come on is a faulty passenger seat occupancy sensor. If this is the real issue, then it is an easy fix, but can tell you how once you checked the above.

/EDIT typing on the mobile took so long, I missed the last post, but I think we're thinking along the same lines.

Sebastian Dangerfield

delly wrote: »

No need to panic about big costs just yet. The first thing to ask is if you have ever seen the airbag light?

.

Never took much notice tbh - it got through the NCT last year without any hassle, but its possible the tester just wasnt as picky as this one.

Im hopeless with practical things like this, sounds like a right pain!

kev1.3s

People started failing test's for irritating things like passenger seat sensors and to get around it they covered the light instead of fixing the problem but then the nct crowed copped on to this and started to look for the little tell tale sign flash when the car is starting.

Sebastian Dangerfield

Thanks for all the responses. The problem was the sensor in the passenger seat alright. Unfortunately whoever had the car before me tried to cut the LED out instead of covering it - Ive been quoted €400 to fix it.

Ill probably try putting it through the NCT somewhere else and hope they don't notice it. If that doesn't work I'll sell it as seen; I was going to sell it anyway so Im not putting any more cash into it.

kev1.3s

Sebastian Dangerfield wrote: »

Thanks for all the responses. The problem was the sensor in the passenger seat alright. Unfortunately whoever had the car before me tried to cut the LED out instead of covering it - Ive been quoted €400 to fix it.

Ill probably try putting it through the uNCT somewhere else and hope they don't notice it. If that doesn't work I'll sell it as seen; I was going to sell it anyway so Im not putting any more cash into it.

It will be noticed by all test centers id bet. Can you not get a new set of clocks from a breakers yard?

Sebastian Dangerfield

kev1.3s wrote: »

Can you not get a new set of clocks from a breakers yard?

Would having it fitted not be just as expensive?

kev1.3s

Sebastian Dangerfield wrote: »

Would having it fitted not be just as expensive?

You could nearly do it youself, a couple of screws is all.

Sebastian Dangerfield

Will look into it, thanks.

Although that could be the least of my problems - just went to start it and the ABS and traction control lights are on - they go off again within a minute or two. Thinking of just sending it to the breakers yard myself!

bmstuff

Sebastian Dangerfield wrote: »

Would having it fitted not be just as expensive?

You can do it yourself, it is only hold by 2 screws. Dead easy job. If you know how to change a bulb at home, you can do that.
Now the problem with this:

1- Mileage will be different most likely. Can be corrected by some companies in Dublin.
2- Make sure you buy for the same engine as you (Petrol/Diesel), I see many e46 with the cluster swapped from a diesel to a petrol, obviously the diesel has less numbers when it comes to engine RPM.
3- Ideally you want this coded as it might throw a DSC light.

kev1.3s

As far as I know the mileage isn't recorded on the actual clocks so what ever clocks you put in it should still display the correct mileage.

bmstuff

kev1.3s wrote: »

As far as I know the mileage isn't recorded on the actual clocks so what ever clocks you put in it should still display the correct mileage.

Mileage is always recorded in the BMW cluster, along in the LCM module etc
If you change the cluster over you will get the mileage from the donor car plus tamper dot because the vin will be different between the LCM module and the IKE module, plus other goodies such as the DSC sometimes too.

kev1.3s

bmstuff wrote: »

Mileage is always recorded in the BMW cluster, along in the LCM module etc
If you change the cluster over you will get the mileage from the donor car plus tamper dot because the vin will be different between the LCM module and the IKE module, plus other goodies such as the DSC sometimes too.

My mistake so, I don't know why I didn't think it was recorded by the clocks but is it a big job to get it coded?

bmstuff

kev1.3s wrote: »

My mistake so, I don't know why I didn't think it was recorded by the clocks but is it a big job to get it coded?

No probs.
Depends on the car/cluster. Facelift e46's cluster require the blanking of the cluster first before anything can be coded. This require the replacement of an on board chip and specialised tools. Then once the cluster has been reset to factory default and the mileage adjusted, it requires writing the receiver's car VIN to be written to the cluster.

Sebastian Dangerfield

This may now be the least of my problems... there is liquid p1ssing from somewhere in the engine, must be why the ABS light is on. I cant put any more money into this car so I'm just gonna sell it to one of those NCT failure / end of life car places. Thanks for the advise!

Idbatterim

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BMW-Occupancy-Mat-Bypass-Passenger-Seat-Airbag-Sensor-E36E46E38E39E61E65M3M5X5Z4-/150987299594?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item23278b5b0a

My car failed the NCT as the airbag light doesnt come on when the engine starts. Its a 01 3 series.

Im sure the bulb itself is cheap, but Ive been told that getting into the dash could be expensive. Can anyone guide me on what this might cost (assuming its just a bulb) or if there are any short cuts to get to it? I spent 750 quid getting it ready for the test, so am hoping to avoid shelling out much more...

what did you spend E750 on out of interest?

Idbatterim

what kind of liquid? is it coolant?

Bits_n_Bobs

I've just failed due to poxy airbag light as well. I got a diagnostic check done on it and was told the ECU is busted - 400 odd to sort that and another couple of hundred to install it. Once it's in place only then will they be able to tell if there is any other problems....argh!!

Very annoyed as this is going to spell the end of life for the car and it seems to me a very arbitrary thing to fail on as other cars with less airbags are less likely to have a default, plus if the sodding airbag doesn't work it will be my head gettin' a beatin' - and frankly no loss there

dudara

I've had the airbag issue on and off over the last 4 years with my car. The first time it genuinely was the sensor. Second time, the onboard computer wasn't showing any faults, so a good clean of the connections in the loom and a reset of the light sorted the issue.

bmstuff

Bits_n_Bobs wrote: »

I've just failed due to poxy airbag light as well. I got a diagnostic check done on it and was told the ECU is busted - 400 odd to sort that and another couple of hundred to install it. Once it's in place only then will they be able to tell if there is any other problems....argh!!

Very annoyed as this is going to spell the end of life for the car and it seems to me a very arbitrary thing to fail on as other cars with less airbags are less likely to have a default, plus if the sodding airbag doesn't work it will be my head gettin' a beatin' - and frankly no loss there

Get a second opinion, garages have a tendency to exaggerate actual faults sometimes...especially dealers. They wanted to change by abs ECU years ago when my rear speed sensor went...140 euros later it was fixed by my local mechanic, instead of 140+700 for parts only from the dealer.