Pay to have rear aribags activated??

avo8686 · #1 08-23-2006, 04:46 PM

I took my X to the dealership to have the rearairbags activated.They come as an option but the factory delivers the car with the rear airbags deactivated.

The dealership is charging me $367

for having them activated?? is this normal? I thought it was like having the daytime running lights activated that was complementary??

Sponsored Links

noncom23 · #2 08-23-2006, 05:06 PM

Did a search and looks like its an option from the factory that they mean to get payed for. Couldn't find a comparable price.

///MB · #3 08-23-2006, 05:08 PM

I had to take it back to the dealer I bought it from, to get them activated for free. I think it's kinda stupid that they come de-activated. If someone ordered them, they probably want to use them. They should come activated, then deactivated by request. Anyway, good luck.

nupe10123 · #4 08-23-2006, 05:12 PM

I'm sure this is a stupid question, but how do you know if they are activated or not? Is there a light on the dash?

I've only been in my backseat a handful of times and just always assumed that they are activated. Is there a check for the front and/or side airbags too. If I was in my car, I'd check the manual, but since i'm not...

TheLazer · #5 08-23-2006, 05:26 PM

The only thing I can think of (not know the real answer) is maybe they are de-activated to allow people to have rear-facing child seats or normal child seats in the back. Maybe have the airbags activated would cause a problem for child safety.

avo8686 · #6 08-23-2006, 06:38 PM

There's a sticker in the rear doors which says that the rear airbags are deactivated.If you have a child then dont get the rear aribags, or at least they shouldn't be charging for activating them as people already paid for it when ordered this option.!?

X5 Meister · #7 08-24-2006, 01:58 AM

I looked into this extensively.

For the E53 X5, this does not apply to other BMW models, from start of production to October 2003 all rear seat side-impact airbags (option code 261) came DEACTIVATED from the factory. When the car was delivered from the dealer to the customer, the customer would decide whether or not they wanted to have them ACTIVATED or to keep them DEACTIVATED. Whatever choice the customer made, they had to sign a release form that they understood what was being done.

For E53 X5 BMW's made from October 2003 to end of production, BMW changed the policy and X5's now came from the factory with their rear seat side-impact airbags ACTIVATED. If the customer wanted to have those airbags DEACTIVATED, they needed to make this request to the dealer and it would get done.

If you bought your car used, either from a BMW dealer, another dealer, or a private party, and your car has rear seat side-impact airbags installed, it is your responsibility to find out if those airbags are ACTIVATED OR DEACTIVATED. You CANNOT make this determination by visual inspection (stickers, labels, etc). Per the instructions on doing the work to activate or deactivate the service tech is supposed to apply or remove certain door jam stickers, but unfortunately they do not always do this (I have personally seen plenty of examples) so the only way to know for certain is to have the BMW dealer connect the car to the diagnostic computer to make this determination.

Please keep in mind that if you want to have the airbags DEACTIVATED or ACTIVATED, BMW will pay for this service.

PLEASE READ POST # 15 FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION AND REFERENCES

Tomaz · #8 08-24-2006, 02:35 AM

Is your car still under warranty? Mine is and my dealer activated my rear airbags for free and added warning stickers indicating the activation. By the way, your right, daytime headlight, and other dealer activations were free too. Good luck

X5 Meister · #9 08-24-2006, 03:44 AM

The dealer HAS to do it for free as it's a direct safety related matter and outlined in the relevant SIB. This is similar to any safety recall that must be done for free.

Update: This is still correct.

PLEASE READ POST # 15 FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION AND REFERENCES

X5Sport · #10 08-24-2006, 06:25 AM

Interesting - my 2005 3.0D has the rear airbags installed as a factory option, and they come armed and ready for use. Stickers warning not to allow a childs head anywhere near the side of the car are on both rear door apertures.

Perhaps in Europe things are done differently.

Sponsored Links