2.2% of complaints about the 2006 BMW X3 came in the first year, which is unremarkable for a 2006 vehicle — around the middle of the 250 model-years on record. The median complaint arrives at 9.0 yr in service. The most-reported system is air bags (84 complaints), typically at 10.5 yr or about 80,000 miles.
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2006-2010 BMW X3 2.5i, X3 3.0i and X3 xDrive30i Sports Activity Vehicles. The front passenger seat occupant detection mat that determines if, and how, the passenger frontal air bag should deploy in a crash may fatigue and develop cracks which could lead to a system failure.
Should the system fail, in the event of a crash, the front passenger air bag would be deactivated, increasing the risk of personal injury.
BMW IS RECALLING 200,000 MY 2006 3 SERIES SPORT SEAT, MY 2004-2006 5 SERIES STANDARD AND SPORT SEAT, AND MY 2004-2006 X3 PASSENGER VEHICLES. DEPENDING ON THE MANNER AND FREQUENCY OF THE FRONT PASSENGER'S ENTRY AND EXIT, SMALL CRACKS HAVE DEVELOPED IN THE MAT. IF THIS OCCURS, THE FRONT PASSENGER AIR BAGS, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE HEAD PROTECTION SYSTEM, WILL BE DEACTIVATED AND THE AIR BAG WARNING LAMP AS WELL AS THE PASSENGER AIR BAG "ON-OFF" LAMP WILL BE ILLUMINATED.
IN THIS SITUATION THE FRONT PASSENGER AIR BAGS WILL NOT DEPLOY EVEN IF A SUFFICIENTLY SEVERE ACCIDENT WOULD OCCUR AND OCCUPANT PROTECTION PROVIDED BY THE SYSTEM WOULD NOT BE POSSIBLE.
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 BMW X3. THE DRIVER STATED THAT HER AIR BAG LIGHT REMAINED ILLUMINATED CONTINUOUSLY. SHE TOOK THE VEHICLE INTO THE DEALER WHO STATED THAT HER AIR BAGS WERE NOT ACTIVATED AND IF SHE WAS INVOLVED IN A COLLISION, HER AIR BAGS WOULD NOT WORK. THE DEALER ALSO TOLD HER THAT THE FAILURE WAS CAUSED BY THE SENSOR. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 64,000.
EXPERIENCED A WET FLOOR BOARD IN BACKSEAT ON THE DRIVER SIDE ALONG WITH A PUDDLE IN THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE. DEALERSHIP SAID IT WAS A SEAL, THEY REMOVED THE BACKDOOR PANEL AND WATER TEST SHOWED THE VAPOR SEAL HAD BECAME LOOSE. THE NEXT RAIN, STILL A PUDDLE IN THE FRONT - WHICH MEANS THAT VAPOR SEAL WENT BAD AS WELL. ALSO, WATER IS DROPPING IN FROM THE SUNROOF CONTROLS ON THE ROOF. THEY STILL FUNCTION AND THE SEAL AROUND THE SUNROOF SEEMS BONE DRY. I ALSO EXPERIENCE THE AIR BAG ISSUE - IT WAS FIXED UNDER WARRANTY. BUT THIS MAY BE A RECALL THAT BMW NEEDS TO LOOK INTO. *TR
AIR BAGS. FRONT PASSENGER SEAT SENSOR MAT FAULT AND AIR BAG WARNING LAMP AS WELL AS THE PASSENGER AIR BAG ON - OFF LAMP WILL BE ILLUMINATED. *TR
2/5/10 SMELL OF FIRE IN MY 2006, BMW, X3, NOTICED DRIVERS SEAT HAD A BURNT HOLE MARK. I BROUGHT THE VEHICLE TO THE BMW SERVICE DEPARTMENT AND THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT FOUND A MANUFACTURING FAULT IN THE SEAT, HEATER SHORTED OUT. *TR