Driver Restraint System Malfunction

[GrabacrOne]

I started up my car today and within a few seconds, "Driver Restraint System Malfunction" error showed up on the instrument cluster and iDrive display. Instructs me to continue wearing the seatbelt and drive to the nearest service center. The driver side seat controls and heated/ventilated seat buttons don't work. Has anyone else seen this before?

I got this message a few months ago and it just went a way after a few days. So I used E-Sys to clear all DTCs and VO code ACSM but the error still persists. I will try to take it to the dealer later this week. However, in the mean time, do you guys suggest anything else? Car's been great for the past year, first issue I've experienced.

[mememagno]

I have this problem twice in just one year. My F15 from 2015 with 35K miles. Getting sick of BMW...and all the electronic problems which dealership doesn't know how to fix (except reinstalling the whole software). BTW: My warranty expired last month (3 years)...so I don't know what I should be expecting from cost perspective. Summary: Time to move to a more reliable car...

[bogdiniciu]

Originally Posted by BMWMacht

I started up my car today and within a few seconds, "Driver Restraint System Malfunction" error showed up on the instrument cluster and iDrive display. Instructs me to continue wearing the seatbelt and drive to the nearest service center. The driver side seat controls and heated/ventilated seat buttons don't work. Has anyone else seen this before?

I got this message a few months ago and it just went a way after a few days. So I used E-Sys to clear all DTCs and VO code ACSM but the error still persists. I will try to take it to the dealer later this week. However, in the mean time, do you guys suggest anything else? Car's been great for the past year, first issue I've experienced.

Hi BMWMacht. Have you solved the issue? It just happened to me today while driving.

Thanks

[X3MBullet]

Originally Posted by BMWMacht

I started up my car today and within a few seconds, "Driver Restraint System Malfunction" error showed up on the instrument cluster and iDrive display. Instructs me to continue wearing the seatbelt and drive to the nearest service center. The driver side seat controls and heated/ventilated seat buttons don't work. Has anyone else seen this before?

I got this message a few months ago and it just went a way after a few days. So I used E-Sys to clear all DTCs and VO code ACSM but the error still persists. I will try to take it to the dealer later this week. However, in the mean time, do you guys suggest anything else? Car's been great for the past year, first issue I've experienced.

I had this happened to me. It could be many things. I would have it diagnosed first to see what code is throwing. With mine it was a cable that comes out of the battery and has a safety feature in case of an accident where it will explode and cut the power to the entire car. That cable needed to be replaced. It was mainly the part. The replacement labor was easy.

[GrabacrOne]

Originally Posted by bogdiniciu

Hi BMWMacht. Have you solved the issue? It just happened to me today while driving.

Thanks

Yes, my car had a malfunctioning driver's seat mat sensor which couldn't properly get the weight and seating position of the occupant. As a result, it could not properly arm the airbags so it disabled the driver's airbags and kept throwing an error.

The dealer ended up replacing the seat mat sensor under warranty and the issue never returned. Nothing was spilled and rain water didn't enter the seat (I had the ventilated seats) so I'm not sure what caused the issue.

But like F15Bullet said, it could be a number of things in the safety system that could cause the issue.

[Maverik259]

There are ways to get the codes for SRS. Not sure exactly in the X5 as I've never tried but I know even in my fiancée '02 Honda Accord to read the codes specifically for SRS I had to put a paper clip on two of the wires of the OBD port and the dash board seat belt light would flash a certain number of times to tell me it was the passenger seat belt housing that went bad.

Weird but ya. Also Honda interestingly enough covered all SRS parts and labor for the life of the vehicle. Thought that was kinda cool.