Bmw acsm crash safety unit

mrsS_2

I have a four year old bmw 218d auto tourer 37000 miles. Always serviced on time etc.  Last year the idrive refused to work and I had to pay for a software download. So I’ve already had a weird problem.  This week driving on motorway at 65 mph 2 warning lights come on A red one that says the pedestrian protection system had been activated. Don’t open bonnet.  A yellow one that says passenger restraint system and air bags no longer active  drive carefully to a bmw garage for repair.   I took it to my local garage who now service my car (used to get it done at bmw but found customer service truly shocking so won’t go back) and they said they can’t fix it.  That it’s the acsm module control unit.  Bmw repair only.   It’s going to be expensive.  My garage say that as my car was one of the first ones of the design that it’s probably something that should be sorted out on recall but as I’m early registration I’m going to have to just lump the cost probably.   Haven’t been able to get hold of bmw yet but really want some advice.   Should this have happened on a 4 year old car?  How much will it be to fix?   Where do I stand?   It’s drivable as obviously the pedestrian protection system never actually activated because I didn’t hit anything but there are no airbags or seat belt tensioner so this has to be sorted before the mot later this year.     Sorry for long post.  Grateful for any help. Thankyou

mrsS_2

Sorry. The title should be bmw acsm crash safety module unit

AdrianC

mrsS_2 said:

I have a four year old bmw 218d auto tourer 37000 miles. Always serviced on time etc.  Last year the idrive refused to work and I had to pay for a software download. So I’ve already had a weird problem.  This week driving on motorway at 65 mph 2 warning lights come on A red one that says the pedestrian protection system had been activated. Don’t open bonnet.  A yellow one that says passenger restraint system and air bags no longer active  drive carefully to a bmw garage for repair.   I took it to my local garage who now service my car (used to get it done at bmw but found customer service truly shocking so won’t go back) and they said they can’t fix it.  That it’s the acsm module control unit.  Bmw repair only.   It’s going to be expensive.  My garage say that as my car was one of the first ones of the design that it’s probably something that should be sorted out on recall but as I’m early registration I’m going to have to just lump the cost probably.   Haven’t been able to get hold of bmw yet but really want some advice.   Should this have happened on a 4 year old car?  How much will it be to fix?   Where do I stand?   It’s drivable as obviously the pedestrian protection system never actually activated because I didn’t hit anything but there are no airbags or seat belt tensioner so this has to be sorted before the mot later this year.     Sorry for long post.  Grateful for any help. Thankyou

You mean a 218d Active Tourer, rather than a 2-series coupe/convertible? 4yo, 2016, wasn't that "early production" - they were launched in 2014.

First question has to be why it's spat the dummy. There's a whole raft of sensors and actuators which are involved, as well as the ECU module itself. Some of those sensors are in vulnerable places, like the front bumper. The ACMS detects if you're in the throes of hitting a pedestrian, and pops the bonnet up a bit on pyrotechnic hinges, so that there's more "give" when they land on it. That's why the warning says "don't open the bonnet"...

So it might be something that's a manufacturing issue, or it might be that your bumper's been nudged and damaged the sensor. But, without proper diagnostics, it's all guesswork.

mrsS_2

well bmw garage has looked at it and confirmed it’s the crash safety module and they want mega bucks to fix it.  I have asked how this has come about and they have said it’s basically just part of the electrics that have failed for no reason.   I’m not happy. It’s not a consumable item that needs replacing due to wear and tear and it hadn’t been caused by me actually having an accident.  I have asked the garage to contact bmw to make a contribution but they say because I didn’t get it serviced last time at main dealer that my chances are slim.   Is there anything else I can do please ?

jimbo6977

It's not failed for no reason, nothing fails for no reason, it's just that the reason is not known.

Sometimes it's effectively not possible to find a reason, sometimes it is possible but very expensive to find a reason, and sometimes it's a two minute job with a screwdriver, but unfortunately you probably won't know which of these applies before you start!

And even if you do find evidence of a reason for the failure, you might not like where it points. 

There are auto-electrical engineers qualified to give an expert opinion but they won't be cheap.