tonyb635

Trying to understand this light. Formally, the light only seemed to illuminate if something was in the seat like my work bag, maybe some groceries etc... When the items were removed from the seat the light would go out. This makes sense as to prevent the AB from deploying when no one is in the seat. NOW, I am seeing this light come on with an empty seat, or only a very small item in it. Most of the time it will go out after I start driving and will come back on if I press on the seat again indicating a light weight object. I mentioned this to a friend, he has a F10 and he says his light is always on if the seat is not occupied and goes out when someone sits in the seat. I'm just a bit confused because I never noticed this before. I'm beginning to wonder if my SBE mat is starting to go bad. What are all of your cars doing with this light?

Shlooky

Mine is the reverse, when there is no one in the passenger seat, it is illuminated indicating that the airbag is disabled. When a person sits in the passenger seat it is off.

tonyb635

That doesn't makes sense to me. I just don't remember that light on before unless something light weight was in the seat. Them I believe it was telling me the AB should not deploy because there is not enough weight in the seat...

An orange light like this would be an advisory light, advising you that the AB will not deploy because the system thinks their is a small child in the seat for an example, just like in some cars you can actualluy turn it off with a key. The orange light would then also illuminate.

Yesterday before I left, I got in the car and started it. Light illuminated and minutes later it was still on. So I kept the car running and went around and got in the passengers seat and buckled up. Light was still on. I remained in the seat for maybe one minute with the light still on, then went back to the drivers seat. Turned car off and restarted, the orange light illuminated again and remained on for around five minutes or so. Then the light went out and remained out unless I pressed in the seat, then it would illuminate again.

This morning started car, light illuminated and stayed on for maybe 15 seconds and then went out. I pressed in the seat and the light illuminated again and went out after about 10-15 seconds. This is how I think it should operate, but I am getting confused now! I know it's done a little of both thats why I'm thinking the SBE mat is going bad. From my understanding you cannot just my this mat as it comes sewn in the seat bottom. I need to have a look and see about this.

I will check with a friend today that has an 07 530 and see what hers is doing.

Actually, if you look at the pic, you also see what appears to be a #2 in the lower right corner, hmmmmm.......

I pulled this off realoem, cost is like $500.00+:
For vehicles with
Seat adjuster, electric, with memory
and
Sports seat
ONLY APPLIES TO CO-DRIVERS SIDE
only when repairing OC3 mat

tonyb635

OK, here is what I found out today when I went to BMW for a part and asked the SA...
I have either SBE I or SBE II, BMW SA said, when car is started the pass airbag off light will momentarily illuminate and run through a quick test. If the mat senses no weight in the seat the light will turn off. Even though the light is not illuminated the AB is still not suppose to deploy because the "system" knows there is no one in the seat. If the mat senses weight in the seat that is below the minimum set weight, the light will illuminate advising you that the AB has been turned off and is not supposed to deploy. The "system" then thinks perhaps a small child is in the seat etc... The SA thinks the minimum weight is around 90 lbs. So when someone sits in the seat that weighs more than the set minimum weight, the light goes out which means the AB should deploy as advertized. So bottom line, the Pass AB light should not be illuminated if the seat is empty or the person occupying the seat is over the minimum set weight. And the Pass AB light will illuminate if the sensors detect a weight that is less than the set weight.

Looks like mine might be getting ready to fail since I was getting both sides of this warning intermittently. Of course they told me I need to bring in the car for them to have a look at it and the some of the SME failures are still covered under an extended warranty. He said he wouldn't know if mine was covered until they actually had the fault codes and new exactly what the issue was. If I have to pay, he was thinking the cost would be something around $1200.00 and some cars you have to replace the entire seat sandwich and you get a new leather top cover. Not sure if I am excited about that since most likely it will not match the rest of the car.

ColdList

Man you are confused when you say "the Pass AB light should not be illuminated if the seat is empty or the person occupying the seat is over the minimum set weight." In this case you would be saying that it is ALWAYS off.

It will NOT illuminate if the seat has a passenger that is OVER the minimum set weight. It WILL illuminate if the seat is empty or a passenger, such as a small child is BELOW the minimum weight.

tonyb635

Nothing confusing about what I said. IF the seat is empty, the light should not be on (first part) IF someone is sitting in the seat and they are over the set weight the light should not be on (second part). So NO, I am not saying the light should never be on, where did you come up with this? The light will come on if you put something in the seat that is LESS than the set weight such as a small child, box, bag etc... I don't think it makes any sense that you would drive your car for ten plus years with an empty seat and a pass airbag off light constantly illuminated. How long do think the bulb would last? What safety assurance is in place to detect when the bulb burns out and doesn't provide proper notification? It would kinda suck to be a passenger with a defective mat and a burnt out bulb and then be in a crash and not have the AB deploy as it should. My 2013 X5 doesn't display a pass AB off light either until you put something in the seat that it doesn't like. I think with the newer system it measures a profile somehow.

Shlooky

Mine always lights up when no one is sitting in the passenger seat. I believe that is normal behavior.

i will also ask BMW to see what they say.

tonyb635

I had a look in the owners manual. It's on pg 100 in my book. It says the light does not illuminate when a person is correctly seated and suficient height is detected. IP and door AB's are active. OR
Light does does not illuminate if the seat is empty. However, front and side bags are NOT active.
Sounds like if your light is on and no one is in the seat there is a problem with the sensor. This is what the dealer said today as well.
I guess I would not be too concerned about it being on as long as it goes out when someone sits in the seat!

ColdList

Yup. My bad.

AchtungE60

Mine too and this is the way it's supposed to be at least for my 2004 E60.


So read again........

"The light illuminates when a person is incorrectly seated and/or insufficient height is detected."

Mine is normal. I know there is no problem and it works as it's supposed to. Dealers aren't always right.