325i, Passanger Belt & Air Bag Light On

[Kausar]

I have a 2002, BMW 325i. A couple of days ago the passanger seatbelt light & the passanger Airbag light came on.

I took it to the dealer today to get it fixed and he is quoting me 1000$ to replace the Module.... When I questioned how was he certain about the module being the problem & needs to be replaced. He said that it is not communicating.... Can any one help me understand how this thing functions, so I dont look dum when I go to the dealer to pick the car in next 3 hours.

HELP PLEASE

[darkhorse737]

that would be the easy reason that a dealer/mech would give you...
but if was worth his weight; he would also have told you that it's possible that the reason "it isn't communicating..." is because the connection to the module just came off. :-(

I dread to have you part with your $1000... it isn't likely that modules breakdown like that... if and when they do... chances are u won't have airbag and seatbelt warning lights at all.

The seatbelt lights and airbag lights turn on when it senses "something isn't right" within your system.... as in all computers, it has a way of diagnosing itself; and the scanner is able to read and communicate to the technician what they problem might be... OR, where he should start looking.

I have encountered lots of times when warning lights come up like that... all u need is to disconnect the battery overnight( techies call it "RESET" as u would a computer... and VIOLA!... problem solved!)

[Kausar]

I am surprised that the reason you said the dealer would give me is exactly what they told me.... I hope you arnt the tech that I took my car tooo????

Last evening when I took my car back from the dealer, his explenation was when they tried to communicate with the SRS Module (Located between the 2 front seats) they were unable to & according to him it has to be CHANGED.

The part is like $540 & than 2 1/2 hours labor (1 1/2 hour to remove & than 1 hour to program it again)...

The thing that pissed me off is that they charged me $150 for diagnostics but when I asked for the printout he made excuses that tech did not give the printout and alll.

After this when I questioned if this problem was normal, since my car has only 60K miles & its a 2002.... He started giving me excuses like people whoes issues arnt covered under warranty usually ask & its not usually but things happen & since your car is nearly 7 years old as its production year was 01, its possible & if it was a problem than BMW would correct it & so on....

This really got my attention & I felt something was fishy....

I will surely try the reset option tonight & see & if the light goes out - I OWE YOU A DRINK - DarkHorse737

[neurocutie]

Isn't that problem what the good ol' Peake Research device is for ? (peakeresearch.com). That $150 would have bought you the SRS reset device.

At least in my 1999 323ic E36, that airbag light would come on if I just hit a pothole or put a bag of groceries in the passsenger seat. The Peake SRS device was very handy in clearing that SRS light (had to about once every 2 months). It paid for its many times over instead of dealing with the (d/st)ealer...