BMW Pedestrian Protection System Repair Cost

Pedestrian protection systems are present on almost all cars nowadays. They are designed to reduce injury in speed collisions with pedestrians and cyclists, and have proved quite successful in testing and real-world scenarios.

However, more electronic systems and sensors are not always a good thing for the owner's wallet, as repairs can be costly and time-consuming. In this article, we’ll take a look at what the pedestrian protection system does and how much it’s likely to cost you if it breaks.

BMW pedestrian protection system repair costs

Repairing an issue with your BMW pedestrian protection system can cost anywhere from £120 to £2,500, depending on the source of the problem.

Replacing the explosive bonnet hinges and resetting the system can cost upwards of £2,000 at BMW.

A simple software reset or update can sometimes fix erroneous warnings, which range from being free to £250.

In some cases, such as a software glitch, a simple system recalibration is all that's needed; however, if anything has been damaged or the system has been activated in an accident, replacing the necessary components can cost thousands.

You can use Bumper’s car repair finance to split the cost of vehicle repairs into interest-free monthly payments online.

What does the pedestrian warning system do?

BMW’s pedestrian protection system has functions to both reduce the likelihood of an accident with a pedestrian or cyclist, but also reduce the impact force in the event of an accident, with the active hood system.

The active hood system lifts the bonnet using pyrotechnic charges – similar to those in airbags – to reduce the force experienced as the pedestrian impacts the bonnet of the car, creating a cushioned or sprung surface that absorbs the impact energy.

Sensors in the front of the bumper, combined with camera technology, detect when a person has been hit and ignite the pyrotechnic hinges. These hinges lift the rear of the bonnet around 4 inches (10cm) and then provide a reasonably compliant surface, in contrast to the fixed surface on an ordinary bonnet.

Can the pedestrian protection system be reset?

With most car models, the PPS system needs both software and hardware resetting at the dealer if it has been activated.

This is because new pyrotechnic hinges need to be installed, and the software reset to tell the car's ECU the system is okay to be re-armed, which, for safety reasons, cannot be done without dealer-level diagnostics tools.

BMW pedestrian protection system common faults

With a system as complex as this, you might expect lots of common issues and problems to be reported, but there are surprisingly few, with most problems arising due to drivers colliding with things!

PPS system activated incorrectly - some owners have experienced the active bonnet system activating in the event of a small bump with a bollard or railing, in a car park, for example. Whilst the system should not activate then, its sensors are not as good at detecting an incident as humans.
PPS system sensor fault - Various sensors are used to detect pedestrians and impacts; these sensors can throw up error codes if they or their connections become misaligned or damaged, such as when the bumper is removed for work.
Malfunctioning control units - the sensors and bonnet hinges are connected to a control unit that monitors for crash events. These modules can become damaged through things such as water ingress, power surges or simply age.

If you’re facing a large bill for a pedestrian protection system repair, you can split the cost with Bumper’s car repair finance. Apply online and choose from thousands of dependable repairers already on the Bumper network.

Author - Joseph Law

Joseph has been writing about cars for over eight years and writing for Bumper for over three, blending his passion for automobiles with a talent for storytelling.

Joseph has written about engineering and cars for Autozilla, Komaspec, and several engineering manufacturers. When he's not writing or tinkering with one of his cars, Joseph dreams of owning an Alfa Romeo 33 Stradale.