minor accident - engine disabled

[usmanwvu]

Hello every one,

I drive a 2006 BMW 530xi. I just had a minor accident which triggered the driverside airbag deployment. I bumped into the car infront of me and the impact was so minor that you can hardly notice any damage yet the airbags deployed and the I can't start the engine. Is there anyways I can start the car so I can atleast drive it to the body shop ?

Thanks.

[marti5]

Disconnect Battery first.

I think if you disconnect the wiring from the back of the air bag unit in the steering wheel it may start.but you have to unbolt the unit I think they are 10mm but could be torx screws I cant remember exactly, which you should have a 10mm in the onboard tool kit.... if however it looks like it needs a special tool Take a long skinny flat head screw driver and insert it in the small hole on the back side of center spoke. Have the narrow edge of the screw driver pointed toward you as you sit in the driver's seat not the wide flat of the screw driver. Tilt the head of the driver toward you a little (handle toward the dash. Push the driver in until you feel a springy resistance (you are trying to depress a spring). Push the driver toward the sky against the spring and you will see one side of the bag pop out-continue pressing harder and the other side will release. Remove the color coded connectors on the back of the bag. Any BMW involved in an airbag deploying accident needs to have the airbag controler unit replaced. Dealer will need to clear SRS system fault to turn out the airbag light.
If it still wont start after that disconnect the battery for 20 mins.

[usmanwvu]

Thanks for the quick reply. I will give it a try this afternoon. I was looking for the battery under the hood yesterday but couldnt find it. Any ideas where the battery is ? Thanks.

[marti5]

Righthand side in the boot/trunk.

[usmanwvu]

Thanks I will give it a try this afternoon.

[marti5]

Do Disconnect the battery before you start with the airbag for safety reasons!!

[usmanwvu]

I tried to use thin long screw driver but it does not go all the way in. I tried with a metal wire and it did go all the way in and I could feel a spring. I am going to give it a try with a thinner screw driver. The hole I am tying is on the top backside of the center spoke and the screw driver goes at an angle of about 2 o clock.

[marti5]

Thinner screw driver required....you know what your after now so you will have to persist with it, it will come out....Ive done it...

[usmanwvu]

I tried with 1/8" x 4" but cant get it to go all the way in. I am going to try and find a 1/16" and see if that works.

[usmanwvu]

I can't find flat screw driver thinner than 1/8". Any chance I could use a T-30 or T-40 screw driver? Thanks.

[marti5]

Take a read of posts 3 & 4

E60 steering wheel has change in it! - Bimmerforums - The Ultimate BMW Forum

[usmanwvu]

I ended up taking the airbag out using an allen key which was about the width of the hole in the steering. The Spring that holds the airbag is only about 2-3 inches deep. All I had to do was insert the allen key and tap it with the hammer and the airbag poped out. Thanks for all your help.

[usmanwvu]

I took out the airbag, left battery stay disconnected over night. Next day when I put the battery cable back in, only rear right flaher and front right flasher turned on. I thought battery was drained so I tried to jump start. All the lights came back on once I connected the jumper cabe but when I try to start I only hear a click. If I need to replace the BST cabe, any ideas where it is located? Anything else I can do to start the car? Thanks.

[marti5]

It would be at the battery end of the red cable+, if the BST cable has gone the car wont start, its an explosive device which cuts the power to start the car although other functions will still operate..

[usmanwvu]

I bypassed the BST and connected the cable directly to positive terminal, put jumper cabled and the car started right up. Thanks for all your help.