Expert: John Kingery - 10/13/2010

Question
Does that model have a 'floor mat' on the passenger side containing electronics which would cause the air-bag light to come on?  I understood that model did not have such a mat.  Thank you so much for a prompt answer.


Answer
I think you are referring to the "butt sensor" in the seat.

I thought this was on all BMW's of this era, but I can't find anything that specifically says it is on the 318ti.

A dealer is usually the only one that can tell you the code behind the air bag light.  You can also buy a tester that will tell you what the code is from an outfit called Peake.  Check out their website.  Also, these are often found on eBay, but be sure you get the one for reading and resetting SRS codes, not engine codes.