BMW i3 Airbag Warning Light, Urgent Safety Issue

Hi there! I have some experience working on cars and had a similar issue with my 2013 BMW i8 Hybrid last year. The airbag warning light kept coming on, and it was quite concerning. Took it to my regular workshop, and they diagnosed it as a faulty cable connection in the airbag system. They had to check all the wiring harnesses and found a loose connection under the driver's seat. The fix was pretty straightforward, they repaired the connection and reset the system. Cost me around 95 Euro, and the problem hasn't returned since. Before suggesting anything specific for your i3, could you share: Have you noticed any other warning lights? Did this start suddenly or gradually? Have there been any recent repairs or work done on the car? I've also owned a BMW 5 series, so I'm quite familiar with their electrical systems. Let me know these details, and I might be able to help further!

Thanks for the detailed response! My i3 just hit 106576 KM and had its latest service two months ago. The warning light actually started flashing right after I got the car back from a routine check-up. No other warning lights have shown up, and everything else seems to work fine. I'll definitely check for loose connections under the seat as you suggested, that seems like a good starting point. The dealer quoted me way higher than what you paid, so I might try a certified BMW specialist instead. Thanks for sharing your experience with the i8, really helpful to know it could be something as simple as a loose connection!

Hey again! Always good to help out a fellow BMW owner. Yeah, that timing of the warning light appearing right after the service is definitely suspicious. You know what? I had almost forgotten, but something similar actually happened with my i8 after a service too. Looking at your case, I'm even more convinced it's probably just a wiring issue, especially since it started right after they worked on the car. When they do routine maintenance, they often have to move around wiring harnesses, and sometimes they don't get secured properly afterward. In my case, after I mentioned to the workshop that the issue started post-service, they actually did the fix for free since it was likely their oversight. Maybe you should bring this up with your service center? I mean, 95 Euro was what I paid at first, but they refunded me when we realized it was probably caused during the service. Since your i3 sounds like it's running fine otherwise (just like my i8 was), I'd definitely push back on that high dealer quote. A loose connection shouldn't cost an arm and a leg to fix. Try mentioning that the issue started right after their service, they might be more willing to work with you on the cost. Let me know how it goes! Always happy to share what I learned from my experience.

Thanks so much for the follow-up! You've given me new confidence to handle this situation. I just called the service center and mentioned how the warning light appeared right after their maintenance work. They were surprisingly receptive and agreed to inspect it without charge! You're absolutely right about pushing back on the quote, I almost paid a fortune for what could be a simple fix. I've scheduled the inspection for next week, and they said they'll specifically check the wiring connections you mentioned. Really appreciate you sharing about your i8 experience, it's helped me understand what questions to ask and how to approach this. I'll probably message you again after the inspection to let you know what they found. Thanks again for taking the time to help me out with this!