BMW X1 Airbag Warning & Soft Top Issues, Rollover Fix?

I have some experience with cars and went through something similar with my 2021 BMW X3. The airbag light started flashing and I had issues with the safety systems. Took it to my regular workshop where they diagnosed a faulty control unit that was messing with multiple systems. They had to replace the unit and recalibrate everything, set me back about 1000 Euro but fixed all the issues. Now everything works perfectly again. Before giving more specific advice, could you share: Have you had any recent accidents or bumps? Did the problems start suddenly or gradually? Are there any other warning lights showing up? Have you noticed any other electrical issues? Let me know and I might be able to help further!

Hey, thanks for sharing your experience! My X1 has 95217 KM on the clock and was just serviced last month. No accidents or bumps, but the problems started gradually over the past few weeks. The airbag light just out of nowhere came on while driving one day. The only other electrical quirk I've noticed is that the power windows sometimes seem a bit sluggish. Your control unit issue sounds similar to what I might be facing. Did your workshop mention how they pinpointed it was the control unit specifically? Just trying to avoid unnecessary repairs and costs if possible. Really appreciate the help!

Thanks for those extra details! Yeah, my situation was pretty similar with my X3. The way the workshop figured out it was the control unit was through their diagnostic system, they hooked it up and found multiple error codes all pointing back to the control unit. The sluggish power windows you mentioned actually rings a bell because I had that too before everything went haywire. One thing I should mention, before I got the control unit replaced, I tried disconnecting the battery for about 30 minutes to see if it would reset the system (kind of a last-ditch attempt to save some money). It actually made the airbag light go away for a few days, but then it came back with a vengeance. With your mileage being around 95K, it's actually pretty common for these control units to start acting up. Mine was about the same when it failed. The good news is that once it's fixed, it usually stays fixed, mine's been running perfectly for the past year. Just a heads up though, make sure they do a full system calibration after replacing the unit. My first workshop didn't, and I had to go back because some features weren't working quite right. Bit of a pain, but worth getting it done properly.

Thanks so much for all this detailed information! That's super helpful to know about the diagnostic process and the battery reset attempt. I might try that battery trick first just to see what happens, even though it's probably just delaying the inevitable. Really good to know about the calibration too, I'll definitely make sure to mention that if I end up needing the control unit replaced. I actually just called my workshop and they can get me in next week. I'll mention your experience with the control unit and ask them to specifically check for those multiple error codes. The fact that you had the same window issues makes me pretty confident we're dealing with the same problem. Thanks again for taking the time to help out, you've saved me a lot of worry and probably some cash too by helping me understand what I might be dealing with. I'll update the thread once I know what's going on with mine!