Home Forums Articles How To's FAQ Register
Go Back   Xoutpost.com > BMW SAV Forums > X5 (E53) Forum
Fluid Motor Union
User Name
Password
Member List Premier Membership Today's Posts New Posts

Xoutpost server transfer and maintenance is occurring....
Xoutpost is currently undergoing a planned server migration.... stay tuned for new developments.... sincerely, the management


Reply
 
LinkBack Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old 04-24-2013, 09:13 AM
BavariaTexan's Avatar
Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Dallas, Tx
Posts: 139
BavariaTexan is on a distinguished road
Airbag light

I have had this on for a few years now. When I had a computer hooked up it said Stage 1 of 2 was bad on the driver side air bag. So, low impact crashes would probably either no deploy or I would get the high speed stage to deploy from the air bag. We attempted to clear it and it would just come back due to the airbag failure.


I have seen the Air bag fixes that seem to require soldering on some wires under the seat, but I seem to think that was to adjust a weight sensor in the seat.

Anyone seen this issue or have an idea how to get this light off? Inspections do not require a working airbag so this is not an inspection work around. I just want the light off, I am really tired of seeing it now.

Thanks,
BavTexan
__________________
2001 4.4 x5 - owned since 2004.
Reply With Quote

Sponsored Links

  #2  
Old 04-24-2013, 11:03 AM
Qsilver7's Avatar
Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Indiana, USA
Posts: 3,526
Qsilver7 is on a distinguished road
Here's a link to a 15 page BMW Tech PDF about the MRS (multiple restraint system) that may help you understand the various components (air bags/selt belt tensioners/seat occupancy sensors/crash sensors) and how they all work together: http://www.bmwmotorsports.org/BMW_do...ntsystemx5.pdf

The document linked above should help reveal why a " trick-wire" is probably not going to help your situation because your issue is with the driver's airbag's STAGE 1 deployment (low impact/slower deployment) and not with a fault with a seat belt tensioner or occupancy mat sensor.
And as you can see in the image below (page 12 at the PDF link above)...when the airbag warning light is on...the info in the red box explains how the system will react. BMW has designed the air bags to deploy on the side of safety...therefore the bags will deploy as if someone is belted or sitting in the seat when the sensor is registering a fault.

Since your airbag warning is that the STAGE 1 deployment for the driver's air bag is defective, the bag is probably going to deploy at the STAGE 2 setting since a warning means the air bag will react outside it's normal response range (as inferred by the owners manual)...thus rather than the bag NOT deploy as designed...it will err to the side of caution and deploy in a low impact accident (if you're belted):
Hint: SBE = seat occupancy sensor


(owners manual - bag deployment)

__________________
Become a BMW CCA member! Click HERE to join and feel free to use my BMW CCA member #191509 as a referral.
  • 2015 f06 650ix GC (Moonstone exterior/Cohiba brown Merino Leather interior)
  • 2014 f15 X5 50i (Space Gray exterior/Mocha Nappa Leather interior)

Last edited by Qsilver7; 04-24-2013 at 11:10 AM.
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 04-24-2013, 11:06 AM
BavariaTexan's Avatar
Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Dallas, Tx
Posts: 139
BavariaTexan is on a distinguished road
Thank you for the reply. I had a feeling it would only deploy at the speed Stage II would allow.

I guess I need to find an airbag replacement as the only possible solution to fixing the airbag light properly.
__________________
2001 4.4 x5 - owned since 2004.
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 07-02-2013, 09:32 PM
Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: usa
Posts: 14
james520 is on a distinguished road
an airbag reset tool can be helpful
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 07-03-2013, 08:13 AM
TerminatorX5's Avatar
Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Stafford, VA & Harrisburg, PA - USA
Posts: 5,736
TerminatorX5 is on a distinguished road
when you say "stage 1 of 2 was bad", what was exactly the code read? the occupancy sensor has nothing to with the driver side -it is safe to assume that if the car is in motion and is being operated, the driver's seat is probably occupied... the occupancy detector mat is on the passenger's side...

you may have a frayed wire going to the sensors around the car - short of the airbag unit itself being bad, but i haven't heard much about those things happening...

can you remember (or read again) the actual code that the GT1 pulled?
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 07-03-2013, 03:53 PM
z168's Avatar
Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: SoCal
Posts: 483
z168 is on a distinguished road
thought I might piggyback on this thread

I replaced the steering wheel + airbag on my X (MY01/00 4.4) with a steering wheel from an 01 540 sport and triggered a light. I know for a fact the wheel+airbag had no issues. I tried to reset it with a peake tool and it still wont clear. I then instead swapped back the old wheel & airbag but the airbag light was still on. Tried to reset it again and still wont clear.

pulling the error codes I get:
From table:


error code


which from the table reads "Firing Circuit, driver airbag, Stage2"

thoughts?
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 07-03-2013, 03:57 PM
epdarks's Avatar
Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Mpls, MN
Posts: 883
epdarks is on a distinguished road
IIRC you will need a different Peake tool to reset the airbag light.
__________________
2002 X5 4.6is - Titanium Silver / Black Alcantara - Dinan Stage 2 - Bilstein/Eibach - Brembo BBK ----SOLD---
1993 318i - Brilliantrot / Tan - bone stock daily driver
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 07-03-2013, 04:06 PM
z168's Avatar
Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: SoCal
Posts: 483
z168 is on a distinguished road
Quote:
Originally Posted by epdarks View Post
IIRC you will need a different Peake tool to reset the airbag light.
uhm..

wasnt it clear enough I even posted a pic of the tool with the reading
Reply With Quote
  #9  
Old 07-09-2013, 10:02 AM
z168's Avatar
Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: SoCal
Posts: 483
z168 is on a distinguished road
Anyone have any ideas for my airbag code? I know my airbag is good to begin with
Reply With Quote
  #10  
Old 07-09-2013, 11:18 AM
TerminatorX5's Avatar
Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Stafford, VA & Harrisburg, PA - USA
Posts: 5,736
TerminatorX5 is on a distinguished road
it seems that this PEAK tool is not able to reset the airbag code... do you have any other diagnostic tools? INPA is capable of resetting many of the airbag codes... it is a software...

The BMWs' computers are layered, so some tools can be used by just about anybody, then it goes to a mechanic, then to dealer's tech, then to factory people... it looks that this Peake does not have the level needed... this is what epdarks meant by saying a different peake tool... or, so i think...
Reply With Quote
Reply

Bookmarks


Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are On
Pingbacks are On
Refbacks are On





All times are GMT -4. The time now is 06:28 PM.
vBulletin, Copyright 2025, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd. SEO by vBSEO 3.6.0
© 2017 Xoutpost.com. All rights reserved. Xoutpost.com is a private enthusiast site not associated with BMW AG.
The BMW name, marks, M stripe logo, and Roundel logo as well as X3, X5 and X6 designations used in the pages of this Web Site are the property of BMW AG.
This web site is not sponsored or affiliated in any way with BMW AG or any of its subsidiaries.