Air bag light on. Shop mechanic stated "retrieved dtc code for drivers seat belt switch open or short circuit. Cleaned connectors, cleared dtc info operational check ok. If fault recurs, recommend replacement of drivers seat belt latch assembly." problem fixed june 18, 2008. Now problem with air bag light on is back. There seem to be a lot of problems with air bag sensors and seat belt latches on various bsm vehicles according to internet searches.
BMW Z3 seat belt problems
16 of the 206 owner complaints about the BMW Z3 describe seat belt won't latch or retract, most of them for the 1997 model year.
- owner complaints
- 16
- worst model year
- 1997
- typical mileage
- 59,000
Is there a fix? No recall or service bulletin covers this area of the car yet.
By model year
Often reported together
What owners say
The driver was stopped at a light when the vehicle was impacted in the front at 45 MPH. Neither of the frontal air bag deployed. The seat belt also failed to properly restrain the driver. *ak *cb
Passenger seat belt locks up while car is in motion and will not release.
The ABS light illuminated on the dashboard, the driver side seat belt buckle needed to be replaced, and the convertible top did not close. *ph
The passenger side seat belt locks up more often than normal and at un-needed times. This causes pain to the user with the end result being that the user tends to remove the seat belt, or is forced to sit there in pain with the seat belt on and locked up.
Air bag indicator light remains on continuously. Took in to the dealer, however the light came back on and has never gone off, since I have owned the car. Passenger seat belt gets stuck while passenger is belted and will not release.
Ongoing seat belt problems and had to keep replacing seat belts. When unfastening seat belt, it will not retract back in holder. Had to feed it back into holder.
Airbag light in dasboard remains illuminated. Seatbelts appear to work, but I have had the car inspected by 2 different service shops (dave walter bmw and autobahn - both in akron, oh) and have been told that the cause is a faulty seatbelt lock on the driver's side seat.
Eporting driver seat belt would not retract from the retractor; unable to seat belt, dealer notified and repairs are being made. Feel free to provide any further details:
Ongoing problem with passenger's seat belt retractor failing to release when needed. Unable to use safety belt. Dealer notified, and made repairs on two other occasions. But problem has reoccurred.
Related recalls
No recalls on record for this model year.
Questions about the BMW Z3 seat belt
Which BMW Z3 years have seat belt won't latch or retract problems?
The model years with the most reports are 1997 (5 complaints), 1999 (5 complaints) and 1996 (3 complaints).
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