There's nothing more annoying than having a dashboard warning light that stays on for no apparent reason. If your airbag warning light flicked on one day and refuses to go away, it may be tempting to ignore it. However, it's important to investigate and resolve the problem; otherwise, your airbags may not deploy if you're in an accident. Here are two things that could be causing this problem and how to fix them.
There's a Problem with the Seatbelt System
Possibly the most common reason the airbag light stays on is because something in interfering with the seatbelt/person sensor. The airbag light serves to notify you that the SRS (supplemental restraint system) is turned off. When someone sits in the seat and/or buckles their seatbelt, the vehicle senses the individual and turns off the airbag light when it engages the SRS to protect the occupant.
If the airbag light stays on even though there is obviously someone sitting in the seat, that means there is a problem with the sensors in the seat or seatbelt. This could be caused by something as simple as a coin or other small item that has become lodged in the seatbelt buckle and is interfering with the sensor. So, the first thing you should check is that the buckles are free of debris.
However, the issue may also be caused by damaged seat wiring that fails to relay information to the car's monitoring system. While you can take a flashlight and visually inspect the area under the seats to determine if you can see something wrong, you'll likely have to take the vehicle to the repair shop to diagnose this particular problem.
A Triggered Battery Safety Terminal
Another issue that's unique to BMWs is that the BST sensor may have been triggered. The Battery Safety Terminal is a safety feature designed to shut off the positive cable to the battery if you are ever in an accident. Although this can prevent a bad situation from being worsened by an explosion or other battery-related danger, the BST has a bad habit of being triggered by minor impacts, such as hitting a particularly terrible pothole.
When the BST is triggered, it can prevent the vehicle from starting. Additionally, it can also cause the airbag light to come and stay on, preventing it from deploying when you do get into an actual accident.
You'll have to take you vehicle to the repair shop to get this particular problem resolved. Since it may be considered a manufacturer's defect, though, the repair may be covered under warranty. It's best to contact the company for specifics.
For assistance with fixing other issues that may be interfering with your airbag sensor, contact a BMW service shop.
Share12 February 2018
When is the last time you had your brakes checked? Are you waiting until you hear the brake pads grinding into the rotors before you do anything to replace them? Does your car pull to one side when you press on the brakes? Do you feel a shimmying in your steering wheel and brake pedal as you press the pedal to stop? If you have any of these issues, it is time for you to learn how to care for the brakes on your car effectively. Taking preventative measures and getting repair work done before serious problems arise will save you money over the years.
