BMW 7 Series Recall R/2004/141: Seat Occupancy Detector May Fail And Inpact On Airbag Protection, Who Is Affected And What To Do
- Urgent
- How serious
- 11 Aug 2004
- Launched
- 2,448
- vehicles in the UK
- R/2004/141
- DVSA reference
BMW recalled 7 Series vehicles built between 1 July 2003 and 2 June 2003. The front seat occupancy detector can fail to detect that a seat is occupied with the result that the front and associated side air bags and seat belt pre-tensioners may fail to operate in the event of a collision. The recall notice describes the fix as: recall likely to be affected vehicles and carry out full coding of the ECUs reprogramming as necessary. You won't usually pay for it.1
What’s Wrong
The front seat occupancy detector can fail to detect that a seat is occupied with the result that the front and associated side air bags and seat belt pre-tensioners may fail to operate in the event of a collision.
DVSA's Original Wording
Concern: SEAT OCCUPANCY DETECTOR MAY FAIL AND INPACT ON AIRBAG PROTECTION Defect: The front seat occupancy detector can fail to detect that a seat is occupied with the result that the front and associated side air bags and seat belt pre-tensioners may fail to operate in the event of a collision. Remedy: Recall likely to be affected vehicles and carry out full coding of the ECUs reprogramming as necessary.
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
The Risk
The recall notice describes the concern as: seat occupancy detector may fail and inpact on airbag protection.
The Fix
The recall notice describes the fix as: recall likely to be affected vehicles and carry out full coding of the ECUs reprogramming as necessary. The fix is a software update, which usually takes under an hour at the dealer.
Are You Affected?
7 Series built between 1 July 2003 and 2 June 2003 may be included. BMW estimates 2,448 vehicles in the UK. Enter your registration to check, then confirm by VIN with BMW, because not every car in the date range may be included.
Which Car Is It?
Choose the make and model so we can match recalls to your car.
What To Do Now
- Check your car by registration above, then by VIN with BMW.
- Book with any franchised BMW dealer, quoting the DVSA reference R/2004/141. See how to get a BMW recall fixed.
- Follow the letter's instructions until the repair is done. See can you drive a car with a recall?.
Related Recalls
| Launched | Vehicle and fault | Severity | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 Series, 5 Series Touring, 7 Series, 7 Series - High Security and 2 moreChecking and re-securing the air-conditioning wiring harness | Urgent | R/2026/092 | |
| 1 Series 3 Door Hatch, 1 Series 5 Door Hatch, 3 Series, 3 Series PHEV and 14 moreReplace the engine starter motor | Urgent | R/2025/405 | |
| 2 Series Active, 5 Series, 5 Series Touring, 7 Series and 5 moreHydraulic brake system unit replacement | Urgent | R/2024/414 | |
| 5 Series, 5 Series Touring, 7 Series, M5Replace double universal joint (Steering) | Urgent | R/2024/409 | |
| 1 Series, 2 Series Active, 5 Series, 5 Series Touring and 10 moreIntegrated braking system | Urgent | R/2024/383 |
This is one of 275 BMW recalls in DVSA’s data. The BMW recall launched before it was R/2004/131 on 14 Jul 2004, for possibility of inadvertnent loss of engine power. The one launched after it was R/2004/172 on 29 Sep 2004, for connections on the control arm to the rear axle may become loose. You can also see every BMW recall, all recalls launched in 2004 and airbag recalls across every make.
Source: DVSA recall R/2004/141, launched 11 August 2004. Data updated 15 October 2026. How we grade urgency.
Sources
- The Code does not itself say repairs are free. GOV.UK guidance says "You will not usually have to pay for any repairs or parts under a safety recall." gov.uk Checked 15 Oct 2026.