E46 recall and battery safety terminal issue

E46Luke

I'm new to this and not sure if I'm posting in the right place so feel free to let me know.

I own an 04 BMW e46 with the n42 engine and got a letter from BMW prior to Christmas stating my cars been recalled due to an airbag issue. I haven't had the opportunity to drop it over and the car has not been in much use.

I was driving normally the other day and bang. Sounded like I hit a dog. No dog was hit but the dash lit up with error codes. Car was still driving. Then all the error codes disappeared bar the airbag error. Pulled over and turned the car off to have a look. Thought restarting the car might get rid of the error.

The car wouldn't restart and I realised on the roadside that the battery safety terminal had blown out of nowhere.

Could this have something to do with the recall due to the airbag error? Are the two related in any way?

Would BMW fix this along with the airbag issue if it's related?

And if it's not related does anyone know if it's a tough/expensive to sort out ?

Again apologies for all the questions and if I'm not posting in the right place. Any help would be much appreciated.

dbs103

I also have an e46 that has the same engine and year. I also got an airbag recall notice but haven't had a chance to get it fixed.
As far as I know the fault is something to do with how the airbag actually deploys if it does deploy.

Feel free to correct me if I'm wrong.

You might find this interesting
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s-XO98LOa3Q&feature=youtu.be

livingthedream

Hi,

I believe the safety terminal is there to essentially cut the power in the event of an accident to reduce the danger of fire due to electrical issues...

There was actually a recall for issues with this component too on some models.(My '08 520d had a recall for this). It's possible that this component had a problem and malfunctioned causing the issue you describe....

Might be worth seeing if your car was due a recall for that too??

~LTD.

challengemaster

dbs103 wrote: »

I also have an e46 that has the same engine and year. I also got an airbag recall notice but haven't had a chance to get it fixed.
As far as I know the fault is something to do with how the airbag actually deploys if it does deploy.

The fault being that the passenger airbag will shoot some shrapnel into your face rather than act as a safe cushion.

There's actually a new recall on these AGAIN. BMW done ****ed up the first recall.

BMW of North America is recalling 230,117 model year 2000-2002 BMW 320i, 323i, 325i, 325xi, 330i, 330xi, 323Ci, 325Ci, 330Ci, M3, 323iT, 325iT & 325xiT vehicles; 2001-2002 525i, 530i, 540i, M5, 525iT & 540iT vehicles; and 2001-2003 X5 3.0i, X5 4.4i & X5 4.6is vehicles.

These vehicles may have had a driver-side airbag module installed as replacement equipment such as after a vehicle crash necessitating replacement of the original airbag, or as a remedy part for a prior recall.

These replacement modules contain an air bag inflator that may rupture due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to lower absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.

In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver’s front airbag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

BMW will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the driver side airbag module, replacing it as necessary, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin March 15, 2017.

The faulty Takata inflators can explode in a crash and spray vehicle occupants with metal shards. The defect has been linked to at least 17 deaths worldwide and prompted the largest automotive recalls in history.

bertie4evr

I took mine in for the recall to the closest BMW garage. I'd heard nothing but bad things about them but it was a 30 min drive vs well over an hour to elsewhere so I went.

Got there at 10:30 and was told it would be ready at 12. It was half four by the time I was driving it away! On the motorway it felt a bit rough and the revs are jumping in idle. I carried on home and rang them, they said they'd get a mechanic to call back the next day. It's been two weeks and nothing. I keep ringing and they keep putting it off. I'd drive there but getting off work is a pain without knowing something will be done.

To top it all off the yellow handbrake and DSC lights have been coming on intermittently over the past few days. I was told it might be the steering angle sensor so I'm wondering if that's related to the airbag replacement too?

All that being said at least when I come off the road without the DSC I won't be peppered with shards of airbag housing