Side/window Air Bag problems of the 2001 BMW 330

On Friday, may 16th, 2014, while driving alone approx 40 mph on a city street, I hit a pothole on the right side of the road. I immediately heard a loud noise when my wheel hit the pothole and at the same time an extremely loud 'pop'. The door side airbag hit my arm and the plastic covering from the curtain airbag above the driver's side window hit the side of my face but I was not injured. I smelled a 'smokey' smell and my car immediately shut itself off. I have hit potholes on rare occasions when I can't avoid them, but I would never have expected my airbag to deploy. This is a safety concern, and a costly one for the consumer, because I was not in an collision and the impact of the pothole should not have caused my airbags to deploy.

Vehicle was hit by another driver running a red light. The other driver centered on the driver's side front wheel but damaged the driver's side door and windshield. The driver's door airbag deployed. The driver's side airbag partially deployed. We could see hit hanging from the rear pillar to the front pillar but it was still tubular shaped and did not prevent the driver from hitting her head on the side of the car. The car was totaled. The front panel was compressed all the way to the engine compartment.

The contact owns a 2001 bwi 330i. While driving approximately 25 mph the front passenger side air bag spontaneously deployed. The vehicle was taken to the dealer. The passenger side air bag was replaced. The technicians were unable to diagnose the cause of the failure. The vehicle was repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 65,000.

The contact owns a 2001 BMW 330ci. The contact stated that the driver was traveling approximately 30 mph and merging into a turn lane when he crashed into a median. The driver and passenger side air bags deployed causing the contact, who was a passenger in the vehicle, to sustain injuries to the eye and fractures to the orbital wall. The driver did not receive any injuries. A police report was available. The driver and passenger were both transported to the hospital via ambulance. The contact stated that the vehicle was not inspected and he was awaiting the opening of an investigation. The failure and current mileage was approximately 99,088.

I was driving home from school, about 30-35 mph when I hit a pot hole. The side airbags deployed. I was riding alone & nothing was in the seat. I took the car to the shop & that was when the man who looked at the car said that it was not supposed to do that unless someone was sitting in the seat. Also, my car one day just wouldn't unlock or it would start not locking using the remote. I used the key and sometimes it would work. It went back to normal after not touching it for a few days. Months after, it started doing it again. Id be locked out or locked in. It wouldn't work using the remote, key, nor manually from the inside. Now, the driver door wont open at all, thus I have to crawl across the seat to drive. The back blinker started dimming so we took it to get it replaced but the man said it wasn't the bulb but maybe the wiring. Im starting to think maybe the wiring is causing the mishaps in the locks and doors.

Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6) I was rear ended while stopped at a traffic light in December of 2009. My drivers side air bag as well as the door mounted side air bag did not engage. The insurance carrier totaled my vehicle, a 2001 BMW 330ci - VIN # [xxx] .

The contact owns a 2001 BMW 330i. While driving approximately 20 mph, the driver's side air bag deployed without warning. The failure may have been triggered by a pothole in the road. There were no warning indicators illuminated on the instrument panel. The driver was not injured. In addition, there was a sudden loss of engine power. The vehicle was pushed to the side of the road and the engine restarted and resumed normal operation. The vehicle has not been repaired. The nearest authorized dealer was located 70 miles away. The vehicle is not being driven due to the safety risk involved. The failure and current mileages were 115,000.

We were driving my 2001 BMW 330i the posted speed limit (70 mph) in missouri on hwy 57 northbound in the right-hand lane when suddenly, at mile marker 19, there was an explosion on the drivers side causing the driver to temporarily lose control of the vehicle due to the impact of the airbags hitting him on the side of the face, up against his right arm and elbow, and covering him with a light, white powder. He quickly regained control of the car and managed to pull off the road on to the right side shoulder, hitting several potholes, slicing into the both passenger side tires (slicing the sidewalls) , damaging the rims and damaging the alignment all in an attempt to keep the car on the road and avoid having the car careen down the embankment into the ravine and off into the woods. Upon inspection by us and by trooper spain from the missouri state highway patrol it became clear that no collision or accident had occurred. Meaning, none of us could locate any exterior damage on the vehicle possibly due to flying debris or hitting another car, nor could we find any road hazards like potholes in the center of the road. Apparently both side airbags on the drivers side door spontaneously deployed (without cause) breaking the window, hitting the driver and destroying the drivers side door paneling and resulting in other damage as he tried to retain control of the car. With some direction from the state trooper, we took photos of the vehicle on all sides; the tire marks on the road; the glass on the road where the explosion occurred (in the center of the highway showing no potholes) and all the interior damage. The car was just serviced by perillo BMW in chicago in preparation for this roadtrip - where the oil and belts were changed. The airbag indicator was not on and did not come on during our trip. I have the accident report; photos; and car records dating back to 2001 including work from all previous owners proving no prior accidents or possible cause.

I was making a lane change in order to merge onto the freeway traffic. Without hitting any objects, unexpected deployment of the front side airbag (driver side) occurred. My head was hit by some flying objects from the deployment. Vehicle was pulled over to the shoulder and couldn't be started after that for almost 15 mins. Finally chp showed up and helped me to start my car so that I could drive it to local dealer. After few days of "investigation", the dealer decided it was not the fault of the airbag system. Instead, they blamed my rear tire on my passenger side causing the deployment. As a result, they refused to repair the vehicle under BMW's cost.

The car hit a pothole and the airbag that runs alongside the roofline of the passenger's seat deployed.

Hitting a pothole caused an airbag deployment. Both side curtain airbags and the driver side door airbag deployed.

My driver side curtain and door airbags deployed after hitting a pot hole. There is no damege to any sides of the vehicle. After they deployed, the car cut off, and I am still rolling. Hazzard lights did come on. And now, I am scared to drive the car.

I hit a pothole in my 2001 BMW 330i at about 40 mph and my tire ruptured. My passenger side head restraint airbag deployed along with the drivers side seat belt tensioners.

Consumer stated that while driving at 55mph and without warning the side air bag deployed for no reason causing a distraction to the consumer and they was forced to pull over. Dealer notified. Ts.

At around 5:30pm at the stop light of the bruckner blvd 138th st exit. I step on the gas . . . And at aroung 25 yards ran over a pot hole puncturing the right front tire, also the deploying the ride side and passenger head airbags.

While driving down a smooth road, the side impact air bags inadvertantly deployed.

While traveling at approximately 45 to 50 mph vehicle went over a pothole that caused right front tire to blowout. However, drivers side door airbag and passenger's side airbag deployed. Please provide any additional information/attachments.

We hit an average sized pot hole and the side airbags deployed. It was very frightening, and my right ear is ringing. This is totally unacceptable. The car was a loaner from the dealership, because I had brought in a company vehicle to be serviced.

While driving consumer was to close to the median and damaged the tires, as a result both drivers side door airbag deployed prematurely (claim#43-r604-736).

Consumer states while driving the driver side door air bag deployed, resulting damage to rims and underneath (claim# 53-c792-940).