WELL DOCUMENTED (ON THE INTERNET) PROBLEM WITH THE PASSENGER SIDE ACTIVE RESTRAINT SYSTEM FAILING, TYPICALLY DUE TO THE PASSENGER SIDE OCCUPANCY MAT. THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN DOCUMENTED IN ALMOST EVERY MODEL MANUFACTURED SINCE 2000, BUT HAS ONLY BEEN ADDRESSED IN A FEW, SELECT, VEHICLES. THIS IS THE MOST COMMON COMPLAINT FOR THIS MODEL ON CARSAFETY.GOV AND HAS NOT BEEN ACKNOWLEDGED BY BMW OF NORTH …
2006 BMW M5 airbags problems
moderate 23 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $1,100
Complaints
23
Recalls
0
Crashes
0
Avg fix
$1,100
What owners are reporting 13 most recent
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 BMW M5. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG LIGHT REMAINED ILLUMINATED WHILE A PASSENGER OCCUPIED THE SEAT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE BASE OF THE SEAT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 35,000.
SEAT SENSOR MAT FOR THE PASSENGER SEAT AIR BAG DISENGAGES WHEN PASSENGER IS SEATED. THE DISENGAGING OF THE PASSENGER AIR BAG POSES A GREAT DANGER FOR THE PASSENGER DUE TO THE PASSENGER AIR BAG WILL NOT DEPLOY IN A ACCIDENT CAUSING INJURY OR DEATH. BMW IS AWARE OF THIS ONGOING PROBLEMS WITH THE M5 E60 SERIES, BUT WILL NOT ADDRESS THIS ISSUE OF SAFETY. BMW CHARGES THE OWNER UP TO 5000.00 DOLLARS TO …
ERROR CODE PASS. RESTRAINT SYSTEM. DESCRIPTION FROM DEALER IS THAT THE OC3 UNDER THE PASSENGER SEAT IS WORN FROM USE. THIS DISABLES THE AIRBAG IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH. *TR
PASSENGER OCCUPANCY SENSOR IS BAD. THIS CAUSES A WARNING MESSAGE TO OCCUR THAT STATES THAT THE RESTRAINT SYSTEM IS MALFUNCTIONING. AFTER FURTHER RESEARCH, IF THIS MESSAGE IS DISPLAYED, THE AIRBAGS WILL NOT DEPLOY IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH. *TR
THE CAR HAS AN ISSUE WITH PASSENGER AIRBAG OCCUPANCY SENSOR, WHEN SOMEONE SITS ON THE PASSANGER SEAT THE AIRBAG TURNS ON, THESE BMWS HAS MANY RECALLS FOR THIS ISSUE, FOR SOME REASON MINE DOES NOT FALL INTO THE RECALL. I HAVE SCANNED THE COMPUTER AND CONFIRMED THAT THE SENSOR IS THE ISSUE, I WOULD LIKE THIS ISSUE TO BE RECALLED ON MY CAR BECAUSE THIS A COMMON ISSUE FOR THESE, I HAVE READ MANY OTHER…
UPON STARTING MY CAR, I RECEIVED AN ERROR MESSAGE " FAULT IN PASSENGER RESTRAINT SYSTEM AFFECTING AIR BAGS, BELT TENSIONER OR BELT FORCE LIMITER" THE MESSAGE CONTINUES TO SHOW UP EVERY DAY.. THIS IS THE SAME ISSUE THAT HAS A RECALL IN ALL OTHER 5 SERIES MODELS FOR THIS YEAR, 2006 AND HAS A RECALL FOR THOSE VEHICLES. THIS MODEL SHOULD BE ADDED SINCE ITS THE SAME ISSUE. SEE ATTACHED.
THE VEHICLE WARNING SYSTEM DISPLAYED A PASSENGER RESTRAINT FAULT WHICH DISABLES THE PASSENGER AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT. THE PROBLEM WAS INITIALLY INTERMITTENT, BUT WITHIN ONE WEEK IS NOW PERMANENTLY DISPLAYED. A DIAGNOSTIC SCAN BY MY DEALER INDICATES A FAULT WITH THE PASSENGER SEAT OCCUPANCY SENSOR(S). THIS SAME PROBLEM RESULTED IN A RECALL FOR OTHER MODELS/YEARS, BUT APPARENTLY NOT THIS ONE FOR SOME RE…
THIS VEHICLE MAKE/MODEL/YEAR HAS A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT OCCUPANCY SENSOR FAILING. THIS SENSOR FAILS SHORTLY AFTER THE WARRANTY PERIOD EXPIRES AND PREVENTS THE PASSENGER FRONT SEAT AIRBAG FROM DEPLOYING IN THE EVENT OF A COLLISION, THEREBY INCREASING THE LIKELIHOOD OF SERIOUS BODILY INJURY TO, OR DEATH OF, THE FRONT SEAT PASSENGER. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 BMN M5. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG AND SEATBELT WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE AIR BAG SENOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 38,000...UPDATED 08-10-12 *BF UPDATED 08/16/2012 *JS
Common questions
How serious is the airbags problem on the 2006 BMW M5?
It's a documented issue but not catastrophic. 23 complaints have been filed. Repairs average $1,100 and most owners catch it before it causes a breakdown.
At what mileage does the airbags typically fail?
Mileage data is limited for this issue. Owners report failures across a wide range, suggesting cause is more about driving conditions and maintenance than mileage alone.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $1,100 for airbags repairs on this vehicle. Dealer pricing tends to run 20-40% higher. The exact figure depends on the specific failure mode, parts availability, and your local labor rates. If you're outside factory warranty, an extended service contract often covers this category.
Are there any recalls related to airbags?
No active recalls currently cover airbags issues on this vehicle. The complaints filed represent owner-reported failures that haven't risen to the level of a manufacturer-issued recall — but they're still worth knowing about before you buy or budget for repairs.
Other problem areas on this vehicle
Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public records database. Severity ratings are derived from reported crashes, fires, injuries, and fatalities.
Repair cost estimates are independent-shop national averages and may differ in your area.
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