Yes, get it scan with a BMW scanner, not one of those cheap scanner that you buy at HF.

The SRS is a safety system and you are open to liability issues, if you tamper with the system and someone is injured in your car because the airbags fail to deploy.

Does this hack fake the seatbelt sensor out too so it doesn't chime if someone is sitting in the seat unbuckled?

Fortunately for me, my 2005 X5 was a 10/04 build date, so the seat occupancy sensor pad ($150) is replaceable. I just need to find a DIY to actually do the replacement...

Kirk,

Clean out your mail box, can't reply . yes it fakes the seat occupancy sensor and no chimes. Get your soldering iron out.

Cleaned... :sorry:

Excellent news. Thanks! :thumbup:

Gentlemen,

I just bought me an X5 to mess around with for the winter. Also suffers from airbag light on, had it diagnosed as pass seat sensor mat. Did some searching, and it appears this is a known issue and was voluntarily recalled by bmw on some models.

Post here: Contact Us: Voluntary Recall - BMW of North America

Now it gets interesting. Called BMW NA Customer service, they ran my VIN and said it didn't come up as a recall. I tried to explain that it should be under the recall as my car falls under the voluntarily recall models and I am having the exact issue for the recall - hence faulty part. They didn't care and basically told me to f off. This pissed me off so I called BMW NA Executive office and complained, got transferred over to someone who said she would help but only after I got a diagnosis from BMW. That's not happening. Going to call again tomorrow and see if I can speak to a supervisor.


So basically, if you have this issue and want to repair it without doing a by pass (or if you've done it and want bmw to actually replace the faulty part) call this number: 888-831-1117 and COMPLAIN. This is non sense by BMW where they issue a recall but only complete the repair for some cars and tell others with the same exact issue to pay out of pocket. If enough of us call about this, maybe they will move on this issue like they did the dead pixels a while back.

Cheers and good luck.