10.0
really awful- Crashes / Fires:
- 1 / 0
- Injuries / Deaths:
- 2 / 0
- Average Mileage:
- 29,371 miles
About These NHTSA Complaints:
The NHTSA is the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints can be spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem. See the Back button — blue bar at the very top of the page — to explore more.
Passenger restraint system malfunction alert when car is turned on. Air bag and passenger seatbelt warning lights are on. Passenger seat belt light will never turn off even with no passengers in the car. Air bags for passenger are off when there is a passenger in the car causing a safety concern. BMW wants $1000 to diagnose what the issue is for the airbag light only but not to fix it or check the seat belt light. Already paid them $100 just to tell me exactly what the message said on the car screen. Seeing the same issue all over the internet with flaws in the passenger restraint system for this model and similar models but no fix. Found an extended warranty but does not list the E92 model, all other models are listed.
- Winona Lake, IN, USA
I had my passenger in the car driving 30mm and then I got a -??restraint system warning -??? -?? illuminating the seatbelt light and seatbelt with airbag light. This is a safety concern as it is still on without a passenger. This affects the passenger airbag so in the case of fatality this would fall on BMW NA for neglecting to fix this issue. The car was fine before and this came out of no where
- Los Angeles , CA, USA
In approximately 2014 the passenger seatbelt sensor randomly started dinging while driving and the seat was NOT occupied. I solved the issue by clipping the seat belt. This issue continued randomly for years and was always solved by clipping the seatbelt. Just this week May 2022, I had a passenger who while getting into the car once the seat belt was disengaged, the sensor immediatly started ding and would not stop and the "Service Engine Soon" dashboard light came on simultaneously. The Service light stayed on throughout the journey and has not turned off. The recall for a faulty seat mat does not extend beyond 2008 when CLEARLY, the seat mat continues to have issues beyond that year. I RARELY have a passenger and my 2011 has ~43K miles. This should be a manufacturer-funded repair as it is clearly a DEFECT in the product.
- Kenmore, WA, USA
Driver side seat gets so hot that the seat warmer cannot be kept on, even at the lowest setting, for longer than a few minutes.
- Gurnee, IL, USA
The back seat melted for no known reason. It started in the backseat arm rest, and I had to pay to get it fixed, you can see that the leather is a different color, then it moved onto the seat. No one ever sits back there, I went to braman BMW and they said it had to do with the elements, I didn't know that you had to keep it in a garage, that is something that should of been told ahead of time. I don't have a garage so it's impossible, there should be a recall. Other manufacturers like Lexus has had recalls on similar issues.
- West Palm Beach, FL, USA
Over the course of the last 2 months I get an OC3 passenger seat mat error. I noticed that there is an extended warranty for this but my car isn't covered.
- San Antonio, TX, USA
Stopped after exciting freeway with traffic flow. SUV came up behind me and didn't stop and hit me from behind going 40-60 mph. Impact threw me back then headrest deployed and punched me in the back of head which I then hit searing wheel. Instantly felt pain in neck and head. Taken by ambulance to hospital. 2 C.T. scans done, chest xrays, and 2 mris of neck and brain showing spinal stenosis of cervical region, bulge of cervical disc without myelopathy. I also sustained a concussion and whiplash which is still present as of today. Car totalled. One of doctors stated impact from headrest deploying was same as being punched in back of head from a 200 lb. Man.
- Canyon Lake, CA, USA
I am receiving a 'passenger restraint malfunction' message on my dash and the seatbelt and airbag light are stuck on. Online BMW states "the OC3 mat needs to be replaced. Check with your dealer, we extended the warranty on some models." I checked with my dealer and this does not qualify. They will not cover this safety repair. I cannot safely have anyone ride in the passenger seat, and the seat ceases to move as well. My dealer states it costs $1350 to fix and they would need to order in the part and have my vehicle for 2 days. This is a safety issue. Safety issues should not have an 'expiration date' as to when the dealer will or will not cover it. The care is 7 years old and has 63,000 miles. This defect was covered for the 2006 and 2007 models and became a recall. I see online in forums others are experiencing this in the 2011 model. I am forced to pay a mechanic to fix this now.
- Oceanside, CA, USA
Passenger front seat occupancy mat/sensor failed, causing air bags to turn on/off, and trigger false positives and false negatives for minimum weight occupancy, thereby triggering seat belt alarm, and disabling/enabling air bags incorrectly. This was a recall in the same car, model year 2006. I would like my feedback on this subject to help initiate the same recall for the 2011 model year.
- Butler, PA, USA
Passenger seat occupancy failure malfunction due to the wiring. Cost over $1000.
- Fort Smith, AR, USA
Getting "passenger restraint system" error for no apparent reason at all. I'm afraid the airbags won't deploy in case of accident.
- Palmetto Bay, FL, USA
At temperature above 87 degrees F (after a full day in open parking lot under sun) as indicated on the car's dashboard, the seat belt sensor of the car malfunctioned. Even though I had my seat belt firmly clasped but the car kept on beeping seatbelt warning for about 5-10 minutes until the temperature inside the car dropped to less than 87 degrees F. the seatbelt warning went away after I opened the window and let the car cool down or switched on ac in the car. This is a repeatable problem and can be reproduced if my car is kept in direct summer sun for an afternoon and has occurred a number of times in the past. Since airbag sensors interact with the faulty seatbelt sensors so it has potentially serious safety consequences and need to be addressed by BMW as soon as possible.
- Pittsburgh, PA, USA
The contact owns a 2011 BMW 328I. The contact stated that the front driver seat was not positioned properly and caused the driver to sustain severe back and shoulder problems. The vehicle was taken to a dealer who stated that there was nothing wrong with the vehicle and that a specialist would diagnose the vehicle. The contact was awaiting a callback from the specialist. The manufacturer was contacted about the failure. The failure mileage was 22,000.
- Tallahassee, FL, USA
2011 BMW 328I. Consumer states problem with the rail on which the front seats are mounted the consumer stated each seat has two rails attached to the floor. The rails, attach to the seats move to allow adjustment. When the drivers seat is properly adjusted, the top rails mounted on the seats, project several inches into foot well of the rear passenger compartment. The rails are bare metal and have sharp edges on the end and they project 2 1/2 inches and are not flushed to the floor. The consumer believed there was ample space for his feet to pass beneath the sharp rails. He believed it posed a safety hazard while entering and exiting the vehicle.
- Sacramento, CA, USA
- Milton, FL, USA