Vehicle keeps saying that "passenger restraint system malfunction" and turns off air bags even when there is a passenger . A lot of people from BMW forums are reporting same issue
The worst 2018 BMW 530I problems
Ranked by number of owner complaints. Mileage and cost come from what owners wrote.
- Airbags14
- Seat belts7
- Engine6
- Seats5
- Electrical2
Problems by type
Tap a problem to see which part fails, at what mileage and in which other years.
- Airbags14
- Seat belts7
- Engine6
- Seats5
- Electrical2
- Steering1
Recalls 2
Back over prevention: sensing system: camera
- What is wrong
- BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2018 540d, 2018-2020 530i, 530i xDrive, 540i, 540i xDrive, M550i xDrive, M5, 530e, 530e xDrive, X3 sDrive, X3 xDrive, X3 M40i, X3 M, and 2019-2020 X4 xDrive, X4 M40i, X4 M, X7 xDrive, X7 M50i, 740Li, 740Li xDrive, 750Li, 750Li xDrive, 8 Series Convertible and Coupe 840i, 840i xDrive, M850i xDrive, X5 sDrive, X5 xDrive, X5 M50i, X6 xDrive, X6 M50i, 330i, 330i xDrive, M340i, M340i xDrive, Z4 sDrive, Z4 M40i, 740Le xDrive and 745Le xDrive, 2018-2019 640i xDrive Gran Turismo and Rolls-Royce Phantom, 2019 M850i xDrive Gran Coupe and Rolls-Royce Cullinan and 2020 Toyota Supra vehicles. The back-up camera and display settings can be adjusted such that the rear view image is no longer visible and the system will retain that setting the next time the vehicle is placed in reverse. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 111, "Rearview Mirrors."
- Risk
- The lack of an image in the back-up camera display increases the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- BMW will notify owners, and dealers will update the back-up camera software, free of charge. The recall began November 8, 2019. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1‑800‑525‑7417 or Rolls-Royce at 1‑877‑877‑3735. Toyota owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1‑888‑270‑9371.
Recall number 19V684000 · Recall details
Engine and engine cooling: engine
- What is wrong
- BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2018 BMW 540d xDrive vehicles. The crankshaft sensor may be equipped with incorrect firmware, preventing the sensor from properly processing input from the crankshaft reluctor ring, possibly resulting in a vehicle stall. On September 12, 2018, BMW expanded the recall to a total of 5,309 vehicles including certain 2018-2019 BMW 540d xDrive, 230i M240i, M240i xDrive, X2 sDrive28i, X2 xDrive28i, X1 sDrive28i, X1 xDrive28i, 330i, 330i xDrive, 340i, 340i xDrive, 330i xDrive Gran Turismo, 530i, 530i xDrive, 540i, 540i xDrive, 530e, 530e xDrive, 640i xDrive Gran Turismo, 330e, 2019 430i Gran Coupe, 430i xDrive Gran Coupe, 440i Gran Coupe, 440i xDrive Gran Coupe, 430i, 430i xDrive, 440i, 440i xDrive, 740i, 740i xDrive, MINI Cooper, Cooper S, JCW, MINI Countryman (Cooper, Cooper All4, Cooper S, Cooper S All4, JCW All4), and MINI Clubman (Cooper, Cooper S, Cooper All4, Cooper S All4, JCW All4) vehicles.
- Risk
- A vehicle stall can increase the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the crankshaft sensor, free of charge. The recall began September 6, 2018. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1‑800‑525‑7417.
Recall number 18V465000 · Recall details
Technical service bulletins for the 2018 BMW 530I 407
Bulletins tell dealers how to fix known problems. A warranty extension means the manufacturer pays for that repair for longer.
- The NVLD limited emissionrelated warranty for defects in materials or workmanship has been extended to 15...
- The EVAP systems purge (vent) valve limited warranty for defects in materials or workmanship has been...
- A situation may occur where the front passenger seat is not occupied; however, a “fasten seat belt”...
- The Supplemental Restraint Systems (SRS) Front Passenger’s Seat Occupancy Capacitive Interior Sensor (CIS)...
- The high-temperature (HT) coolant expansion tanks breathing line/pipe limited warranty for defects in...
- The Telematics Control Units (TCU) Internal Emergency (Backup) Battery for defects in materials and/or...
- The Telematics Control Units (TCU) Internal Emergency (Backup) Battery for defects in materials and/or...
- The NVLD limited emission related warranty for defects in materials or workmanship has been extended to 15...
- The NVLD limited emissionrelated warranty for defects in materials or workmanship has been extended to 15...
- For this vehicle, the EVAP systems purge (vent) valve limited warranty for defects in materials or...
2018 BMW 530I fuel economy
Official EPA estimates in miles per gallon (MPGe for electric). Ranges cover trims that share the same engine.
| Engine | Drive | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2.0L 4‑cyl | RWD | 24 | 34 | 27 |
What 2018 BMW 530I owners say
Most recent owner complaints, unedited.
The oil filter housing has a plastic coolant passage that cracked. That lead to a complete loss of coolant, leaving my teenage daughter stranded. The problem seems pretty wide spread on these cars and happens right around the end of the warranty period. It could have been a more than $2500 repair. I ended up fixing it myself for a little less.
It keeps coming up with the error message passenger restraint system malfunction
I was driving home after picking my son up from school and out of no where the vehicle temperature was in the red and a message popped up stating that vehicle coolant needed to be replenished but that continued driving of the vehicle was ok. It was not ok at all! The car started smoking and we were left stranded on the side of the road. I’ve read numerous blogs showing that the same thing has happened to other people and that there have even been recalls on other bmw’s in regards to the engine coolant system.
The contact's wife owns a 2018 BMW 530I. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the check engine warning light illuminated. The contact refilled the coolant reservoir, and the warning light turned off; however, the check engine light soon returned. The vehicle was towed to a dealer where a diagnostic test discovered that coolant and freon had leaked from the turbo lines, causing damages to the oil housing and water pump. The dealer provided the contact with an estimate for the repair. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 105,000.
The contact owns a 2018 BMW 530I. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, a coolant-level message was displayed on the instrument panel. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where a diagnostic test determined that there was a coolant leak inside the engine. The contact was informed that the vehicle was covered under warranty and that an undisclosed part inside the coolant system was replaced. The contact stated that one week after the repair, the message returned, and the contact was informed that the upper coolant hose was defective. The contact was informed that the vehicle was no longer covered under warranty and the contact paid for the repair. After the second repair, the contact stated that the failure returned and there was coolant leaking from the vehicle. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact back to the dealer. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 64,000.
Passenger restraint system Malfunction. L
I parked my car and there were not any lights on the showing. When I returned to my car about an hour later 2 lights were shown (1) 4 wheel drive and (2) Passenger restraint system. I am concerned about the passenger restraint system because until I can get this repaired, no one can use the passenger seat because of this safety issue.
The car is reporting that there is a passenger restraint system malfunction. When there is a passenger in the front seat, the airbag is disable.
Car randomly shows “Passenger restraint system malfunction”. I have read multiple complaints from other BMW owners about this issue that is not covered under BMW warranty.
Compare the 2018 BMW 530I
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Questions about the 2018 BMW 530I
Is the 2018 BMW 530I reliable?
Owners have filed 26 complaints about the 2018 BMW 530I, close to a typical 530I model year.
What is the 2018 BMW 530I year score?
The 2018 BMW 530I scores 75 out of 100 (average). The score compares it with the other model years of the BMW 530I: 75 is a typical year, 50 means twice the usual complaints, and serious complaints and recalls lower it.
What is the most common problem with the 2018 BMW 530I?
Airbags, with 14 complaints. Next is seat belts (7).
How many recalls does the 2018 BMW 530I have?
2 recalls, covering back over prevention and engine and engine cooling.
What year does the BMW 530I have bad airbags?
The BMW 530I model years with the most airbags complaints are 2004 (49 complaints), 2005 (37 complaints) and 2006 (32 complaints).
What gas mileage does the 2018 BMW 530I get?
Official estimates for the 2018 BMW 530I range from 27 mpg combined. The most efficient version (2.0L 4-cyl, RWD) gets 24 city and 34 highway.
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