Investigations
BMW AIRBAG LIGHT ILLUMINATION
NHTSA Preliminary Evaluation PE07045 - closed, opened 2007-09-04 and involving the BMW BMW.
NHTSA investigation PE07045 is a Preliminary Evaluation opened on 2007-09-04 and currently closed. The subject of record is BMW BMW, which places this file inside the Office of Defects Investigation queue for BMW. Latest activity on this investigation was logged on 2008-01-04 - NHTSA updates that field whenever an Information Request goes out, a supplement is filed, or a status change is recorded in the public docket.
A Preliminary Evaluation like PE07045 is the entry point of the federal defect-investigation process. NHTSA engineers scan complaint databases, field reports, and manufacturer data to decide whether an Engineering Analysis is warranted, whether a voluntary recall is already sufficient, or whether the pattern does not rise to a defect finding.
Investigators summarized the matter as follows: "IN CERTAIN MY 2005 THROUGH MY 2006 BMW VEHICLES, THE OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM (OCS) FOR THE PASSENGER FRONTAL AIRBAG MAY MALFUNCTION AND RENDER THE PASSENGER AIRBAG INOPERATIVE. IN JUNE 2006, BMW ISSUED A TECHNICAL..." Investigations are the early-warning layer of the federal auto-safety system, sitting upstream of formal recalls and defect orders. Whether this one closes without action or escalates into an Engineering Analysis, the full history stays in the ODI archive so researchers, litigators, and buyers can pull the paper trail at any time. Related BMW files, listed below, give context on whether this is an isolated concern or part of a broader pattern across the brand.
Investigation Summary
IN CERTAIN MY 2005 THROUGH MY 2006 BMW VEHICLES, THE OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM (OCS) FOR THE PASSENGER FRONTAL AIRBAG MAY MALFUNCTION AND RENDER THE PASSENGER AIRBAG INOPERATIVE. IN JUNE 2006, BMW ISSUED A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN (SI B 72 02 06) REGARDING THE ILLUMINATION OF THE AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT AND THE PASSENGER AIRBAG STATUS LAMP. ILLUMINATION OF THESE LIGHTS WARN THAT AN OPEN ELECTRICAL CIRCUIT MAY BE PRESENT WITHIN THE PASSENGER SEAT MAT SENSOR. WHEN BOTH OF THE LIGHTS ARE ILLUMINATED, THE PASSENGER FRONTAL AIR BAG WILL NOT DEPLOY IN A FRONTAL CRASH. CERTAIN BMW VEHICLES IN ADDITION TO THE SUBJECT VEHICLES CONTAIN THE SAME SEAT MAT SENSOR. THESE ARE THE MY 2004 5-SERIES, 7-SERIES AND X3, THE MY 2004 THROUGH 2006 Z-4 SERIES AND MY 2006 3-SERIES, 6-SERIES AND X5 VEHICLES. AN IMPROVED SEAT MAT SENSOR WAS INTRODUCED IN DECEMBER 2005 FOR THE MID-MY 2006 PRODUCTION. IN RESPONSE TO ODI'S INFORMATION REQUEST LETTER, BMW PROVIDED 1,172 OWNER REPORTS AND 28,238 WARRANTY CLAIMS. INITIAL REVIEW OF THE DATA INDICATE THAT 280 NON-DUPLICATING OWNER REPORTS AND 13,051 NON-DUPLICATING WARRANTY CLAIMS MAY BE RELATED THE SUBJECT DEFECT ISSUE ON THE SUBJECT VEHICLES THIS PRELIMINARY EVALUATION IS BEING UPGRADED TO AN ENGINEERING ANALYSIS (EA08-001).
About This Investigation Type
A Preliminary Evaluation (PE) is the first phase of NHTSA's investigation process. It is opened when the agency identifies a potential safety defect pattern, usually triggered by consumer complaints, manufacturer reports, or field monitoring. During a PE, NHTSA gathers information to determine whether a formal engineering analysis is warranted.
Other BMW Investigations
Brake fluid leak at front brake caliper
Steering Oscillation
Steering Oscillation
Idler Pulley Bolt Failure
BMW Safety Act Violations
Data from NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Cross-references: NHTSA recall campaign API and NHTSA FARS where fatality records overlap. PlainCars does not rate or recommend vehicles. about how PlainCars sources NHTSA data.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.