2021 BMW X3/X4 Knee Airbag Wiring Harness Extended Warranty

Important Warnings for Owners

Owners should be aware of several key points regarding this extended warranty. This bulletin, SIB 65 01 22, is a notice of a limited warranty extension, not a recall or service action. There is no immediate repair required unless your BMW vehicle is currently experiencing the problem described.

BMW North America (BMW NA) is sending VIN-specific customer notification letters to affected owners. It is important to note that air bag replacement(s) or repairs for other Supplemental Restraint System (SRS)-related issues are excluded under this specific coverage. Furthermore, repairs performed on ineligible vehicles, or for issues outside the intended scope of this extended coverage, are not covered. This exclusion also applies to repairs conducted using non-genuine BMW parts or used BMW passenger car/light truck parts. This extended warranty supersedes any coverage provided under the BMW Certified Pre-Owned Program or any BMW Group Vehicle Service Contract that might apply to the vehicle.

Symptoms

Owners of affected 2017-2021 BMW X3 and X4 vehicles may notice specific indications of this issue. A "check control message (CCM) for the restraint system (Air bag)" appears. Additionally, in the instrument cluster, the "red air bag warning light lights up permanently."

Fault Codes / DTCs

If your vehicle is experiencing this issue, one or more of the following fault codes may be stored in the Air Bag Control Unit (ACSM):

• 930949 - Knee airbag, driver: short circuit to negative terminal
• 93094F - Knee airbag, front passenger: short circuit to negative terminal
• 93094C - Knee airbag driver's side: Resistance too great
• 930952 - Knee airbag, front passenger: Resistance too great

Diagnosis / Trigger Conditions

The root cause of this issue is the knee airbag wiring harness. Over time, the wiring harness going to the knee air bag(s) can rub against the metal support tubes for the instrument panel, leading to chafing and damage to the wiring. This chafing can eventually damage the insulation and the wiring itself, triggering the warning messages and fault codes. Technicians should also inspect the ACSM control module (A11) for any signs of corrosion within its electrical connectors.

Repair Procedure Summary

The repair for the BMW X3 knee airbag wiring harness involves several steps to address the chafing and replace the damaged wiring. First, the center console must be removed to access the Air Bag Control Module (ACSM) wiring connector (A11*2B), following Repair Instructions 51 16 165. The under-dash trim panels on both the driver's and passenger's sides are then removed, as per Repair Instructions 51 45 184 (which includes Plus code 51 45 684) and 51 45 195 (which includes Plus code 51 45 695).

Technicians will unplug the knee airbag connectors (B81B for the driver's side and B771B for the passenger's side). The existing knee airbag wiring harness is cut near the connector and tied back with a cable strap. Felt tape is then applied to potential chafing locations, such as the dash support bracket, to protect the wiring. The wiring connector from the ACSM (A11*2B) is unplugged. Before cutting, the wire color and pin number for the knee airbag wiring harnesses at the ACSM connector must be confirmed by referencing Wiring Diagram 'Airbag firing circuits' SP0000061332.

After confirmation, the four wires for the knee airbag wiring harnesses are cut near the ACSM connector and tied back with a cable strap. Specifically, ACSM Pin 25 connects to pin 1 of the driver knee air bag (B81B), ACSM Pin 20 to pin 2 of the driver knee air bag (B81B), ACSM Pin 5 to pin 1 of the passenger knee air bag (B771B), and ACSM Pin 10 to pin 2 of the passenger knee air bag (B771B). New air bag repair wiring harnesses are then run from the ACSM control module to both knee airbags. It is important that the replacement harnesses do not need to follow the exact original routing path. Both replacement harnesses must be installed, even if only one side of the BMW X3 knee airbag wiring harness shows a fault. Finally, the knee wiring harnesses are wrapped with abrasion-resistant fabric tape, part number 61 13 6 925 452.

It is important to note that the dashboard cover and the knee airbags themselves do not need to be removed for this repair.

Required Tools or Parts

To perform this repair, specific parts are required:

• Repair cable, airbag system (Knee air bag): Part Number 61 12 5 A56 386 (Quantity: 2)
• Felt strip, self-adhesive (130 x 40 x 3 mm): Part Number 54 34 7 248 700 (Quantity: Up to 4/cut to size)

Bulk Supply Material:

• Fabric adhesive tape abrasion resistant (25 mm x 25 m): Part Number 61 13 6 925 452 (Up to $5.00 worth)

Additional small parts and materials, such as fluids, lubricants, one-time use screws, nuts, and seals, may be required and should be selected according to ISTA repair instructions or the Electronic Parts Catalogue.

Extended Warranty Coverage

BMW of North America, LLC (BMW NA) has extended the limited warranty for the knee airbag wire harness repair cable procedure. This coverage applies to eligible US-specification BMW vehicles, including those from model years 2017-2021 for various X3 and X4 variants, that are registered and operated in the United States (including Puerto Rico). The extended warranty covers defects in materials and/or workmanship for a period of 10 years or 120,000 miles, whichever comes first, from the vehicle's original in-service or delivery date.

This coverage is specific to the vehicle's VIN and is transferable to subsequent owners. It is subject to the same eligibility requirements, limitations, and exclusion criteria that apply to the BMW New Vehicle Limited Warranty for Passenger Cars and Light Trucks. This coverage supersedes any coverage provided under the BMW Certified Pre-Owned Program or any BMW Group Vehicle Service Contract that might apply to the vehicle.

Claim Information for Dealers

For qualifying repairs, the defect code is 6112900300, described as "G0x F9x Check Control message, restraint system (wiring harness, knee airbag)." Dealers should obtain Flat Rate Unit (FRU) allowances for applicable labor operations. These include:

• 00 00 006: Carrying out vehicle test (Main work) - As applicable
• 00 00 556: Carrying out vehicle test (Plus work) - As applicable
• 61 21 528: Supporting voltage of the vehicle electrical system / recharging vehicle battery - As applicable
• 61 00 006*: Carrying out vehicle diagnosis, ABL (Work time) - WT FRU
• 00 58 500*: Diagnosis Worktime Flat Rate - 2 FRU
• 51 16 665: Completely removing and installing center console (includes Plusposition labor operation codes 51 45 684 and 51 45 695) - As applicable
• 00 72 587: Install repair cable of left or right knee airbag for one side (Associated work, after vehicle diagnosis) (center console removed) - 4 FRU
• 00 72 587: Install repair cable of left or right knee airbag for the other side (Associated work, after vehicle diagnosis) (center console removed) - 4 FRU

Work time labor operations 61 00 006 and 00 58 500 are not considered Main labor operations. Dealers can use the BMW Group's AIR Application Resource to find corresponding FRU allowances by entering the VIN.

For documenting and claiming diagnosis work time, job/repair work time, and vehicle repairs, dealers should refer to SI B01 01 20 or B01 07 20.

Customer Reimbursement for Previous Repairs

BMW NA will provide reimbursement for qualifying customer-pay repairs that were performed on an eligible vehicle prior to the release of this extended limited warranty. To be eligible, the repair must have primarily addressed the covered issue of the BMW X3 knee airbag wiring harness and been performed correctly according to BMW Group approved repair standards.

Owners can request reimbursement online at www.BMW-RP.com using the reference "BMW ELW Knee Air Bag Wire Harness 10Y/120M". The online process requires attaching PDF files of supporting documentation. Alternatively, reimbursement requests can be submitted via mail or fax to:

BMW Customer Reimbursement Center Attention: BMW ELW Knee Air Bag Wire Harness 10Y/120M P.O. Box 54067 Hurst, Texas 76054

The fax number for reimbursement requests is 877-434-2992. Please allow 4-6 weeks for processing your request. For questions regarding the reimbursement process, owners can call 1-844-857-0341.

Required documentation includes a copy of the completed page 2 checklist from the customer letter, legible copies of the repair order/invoice, proof of payment, the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN), the date of repair, the mileage at the time of repair, and itemized lists of labor charges and parts used. BMW NA reserves the right to review and adjust/reduce reimbursement amounts based on customary, fair, and reasonable costs. Illegible, altered/modified, incomplete, non-authentic, and/or fabricated repair order/invoice documentation will not be accepted.

NHTSA ID: 11013058