PASSENGER OCCUPANCY SENSOR MALFUNCTION THAT DISABLES THE AIRBAGS IN 2006 E90 BMW 3 SERIES SEDAN. THIS MALFUNCTIONING SENSOR COULD CAUSE GRAVE BODILY INJURY OR DEATH. BMW RECALLED PREVIOUS YEARS SENSORS BUT HAS NOT FIXED THE ISSUE IN LATER MODELS. SOME PEOPLE ARE BYPASSING THE SENSOR IN THERE VEHICLES AND ARE PLACING UNKNOWING SUBSEQUENT OWNERS CHILDREN AT RISK OF AIRBAG INJURY. BMW FORUMS ALL HAVE MULTIPLE COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE SAFETY CONCERNS NHTSA SHOULD INVESTIGATE AND FORCE A RECALL OF THE PASSENGER OCCUPANCY SENSOR AS IT DID IN SOME EARLIER 2006 BMWS WITH THE SAME ISSUE. *TR
IT IS COMMON KNOWLEDGE THROUGH CAR CLUBS, PARTS SUPPLIERS AND THE MECHANICS PROVIDING REPAIRS THAT THE ELECTRONIC CLIMATE CONTROL UNIT OFTEN FAILS COMPLETELY OR BECOMES INTERMITTENT IN OPERATION. WHEN IT FAILS THERE IS NO CONTROLS OR CHANCE OF CHANGING FUNCTIONS. THIS ALLOWS THE CONDITION TO EXIST THAT THE VEHICLE OPERATOR CAN NOT SELECT THE WINDSHIELD DEFROSTER FUNCTION AND POSSIBLY IMPAIRING THE DRIVERS ABILITY TO VIEW THROUGH THE WINDSHIELD. I HAVE TWO CARS OF THIS BUILD TYPE AND THEY BOTH HAVE THIS PROBLEM. THE MECHANICS REPAIR BILLS OFTEN AMOUNTS TO AN EXCESS OF $400 PER REPAIR. HERE IS A QUOTE FROM A REPUTABLE PARTS SOURCE, WWW.BAVAUTO.COM WEBSITE: THIS IS THE DIGITAL CLIMATE CONTROL COMPUTER. THESE ARE A COMMON FAILURE ITEM ON ALL 1996-1999 3 SERIES. WHEN THESE FAIL, THE LCD SCREEN WILL GO DIM/BLANK (USUALLY IINTERMITTENTLY AND EVENTUALLY PERMANENTLY) AND THE VENTILATION & AIR SYSTEM WILL NOT FUNCTION." PART NUMBER: 64 11 8 379 521 DESCRIPTION: CLIMATE CONTROL COMPUTER MODULE - IN-DASH RICE: 74.95. *AK