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

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

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.

an airbag reset tool can be helpful

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?

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:
http://i957.photobucket.com/albums/a...psb1e8cdf8.jpg

error code
http://i957.photobucket.com/albums/a...ps1a769ae4.jpg

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

thoughts?

IIRC you will need a different Peake tool to reset the airbag light.

uhm.. :dunno:

wasnt it clear enough I even posted a pic of the tool with the reading

Anyone have any ideas for my airbag code? I know my airbag is good to begin with

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...