New Z3 Owner - Excited to be here!

[CAZDriver]

Greetings! I've wanted a Z3 for about 20 years; I just bought my first one. It's a 2001 2.5 with a manual transmission. I'm having great fun with it!

I had a few things to sort out, one of which was the airbag light is on. The local dealer diagnosed it as the wiring harness and connectors for the passenger door airbag, but... they said the replacement part is no longer available. Is this possible? Thanks in advance for your help!

 

[t-tony]

Hi and welcome from me near Lincoln, UK. I’m assuming that as you’ve got a 2.5 you’re in the USA? Most airbag issues result from disturbed connections under the seat(s). It’s unlikely that you will need to replace the wiring harness. You can buy a code reader for BMW airbags from eBay for around $20 which would help pin point the problem, then someone could advise what you need to do. Do you need to lose the airbag light to pass vehicle inspection where you live? Here in the UK if the airbag light is on a vehicle will fail the yearly MOT (roadworthiness) test.

Tony.

 

[hard top]

Welcome on the forum @CAZDriver ....

 

[CAZDriver]

Hi Tony, thanks for the reply! I am in the U.S. - California to be exact. The vehicle will still pass the smog test (our equivalent, I would guess) but it just bugs me that the light is on. I think you are right about the connections, but here in the U.S. non-dealer mechanics won't touch anything about the airbag, and the dealer's only willing to replace the harness; they won't just check and refurbish the connections, which is of course what I would do if I could, However, they can't find a harness. :-\ Apparently BMW has stopped making them. I wonder - Is it possible to buy on in Europe? How would I find out?

 

[PHILIP BAXTER]

Hi, and welcome from me in Cardiff.

 

[t-tony]

The airbag light on indicates that the airbag is inoperative so from a safety point of view it is important to rectify. Fitting a new loom wouldn’t necessarily fix the problem. A code reader would allow you to clear the fault code and see if it comes back on. Sometimes a connector pin can come adrift in a plug or socket and as these circuits operate on very small currents it doesn’t take much to make the light come on. It could be worth looking on eBay in Europe as I don’t know if RHD & LHD seat wiring is differently not. If you got an airbag code reader you could at least try checking/cleaning contacts using electrical contact cleaner spray and connector terminals in between clearing the airbag codes. Not as difficult as it sounds.

Tony.

 

[CAZDriver]

Thank you, Tony. I'll give that a try. I do see one on EBay but it ships from China. I'm not sure that's terribly wise. I'll keep looking.

 

[t-tony]

Yes, most things of that ilk come from China but that’s just because they make them. You could buy one from a UK seller but it would have come from China all the same.

Tony.

 

[Devon Z]

Hello and welcome

 

[Keet]

Hello and welcome to the forum

 

[Jess]

Hi &

 

[andyglym]

to the Forum from West Cumbria, England.

 

[Stevo7682]

Hi and welcome from me in Scotland

 

[Shelly]

 

[ViperKen]

Hi from South Shields, UK.

 

[Nodzed]

 

[Robert Hill]

Welcome from Alloa Scotland

 

[Mint]

Hi and from me too in Stafford, UK.