BMW Z3 Airbag Light Stays On, Fix Needed

Hey there! I had some experience with a similar issue on my 1998 BMW M3 last year (I'd say I have low experience with car repairs, mostly basic maintenance stuff). The airbag warning light kept coming on, and it really had me worried. Turned out it was just a faulty wiring connection under the driver's seat. My trusted mechanic found that the cables connecting to the airbag sensor were loose and slightly corroded. They cleaned the connections, replaced a damaged plug, and secured everything properly. The total bill came to 95 Euro, and the warning light hasn't come back since. Before I can share more specific advice, could you share: Have you noticed any other electrical issues? Did this start happening suddenly or gradually? Has the car been in any accidents, even minor ones? This might help pinpoint if you're dealing with the same problem I had.

Thanks for sharing your experience! I'm having exactly the same symptoms with my Z3, and it's good to know it might be something as simple as wiring. Mine started suddenly after hitting a pretty nasty pothole last week. No other electrical issues that I've noticed so far. The car's running great otherwise (169919 KM on the clock and had its last service just two months ago). I'll definitely get my mechanic to check those wiring connections under the seat. Really hoping it's just a loose connection like yours was, sounds way better than having to replace the whole airbag system! Would you mind sharing what diagnostic steps your mechanic took before finding the issue?

Hey again! Glad I could help point you in a possible direction. Actually, after reading about the pothole incident, it makes even more sense now. Those sudden jolts can definitely mess with the wiring connections, that's exactly the kind of thing that can shake loose those under-seat connections. My mechanic first hooked up his diagnostic computer to read the specific error codes (pretty standard procedure with BMWs). But what really nailed it down was when he noticed that wiggling the wiring harness under the seat made the warning light flicker. That's a classic sign of a connection problem. In my case, they had to remove the seat (took maybe 30 minutes) to get proper access to all the connections. Once they got in there, they found some pretty crusty-looking connectors, 20+ year old BMWs tend to have that issue. They cleaned everything up, applied some dielectric grease to prevent future corrosion, and made sure all connections were tight. Quick tip though, make sure your mechanic does a full system check after fixing the connections. Mine ran through the whole airbag diagnostic sequence just to be 100% certain everything was working properly. Better safe than sorry with safety systems like airbags. Let me know how it turns out, really curious if it's the same issue as mine!

Thanks so much for all the detailed info! This is super helpful, especially knowing about the diagnostic process. You're right about the pothole possibly being the culprit, it makes total sense now. I've already called my mechanic and booked the car in for tomorrow morning. I made sure to mention everything you've told me about the wiring connections and the diagnostic process. It's really reassuring to know this might be a relatively straightforward fix. I was honestly worried I'd be looking at replacing the entire airbag system, which would've been a massive expense. I'll definitely make sure they do that full system check you mentioned after fixing the connections, can't be too careful with safety equipment. I'll update you once I get the car back from the shop. Thanks again for taking the time to share your experience, it's been incredibly helpful!