2009 Mini Cooper Clubman

I recently purchased a 2009 mini cooper clubman. Within three weeks of taking possession of the car, the airbag warning light activated. Upon a diagnostic test, it was determined that the passenger occupancy sensor was malfunctioning. After discussing this with the mini cooper dealer in my area and mini USA, it was acknowledged that this was a well known and documented issue. First generation mini coopers were afforded a safety recall to rectify this safety issue while second generation cars were given an extended warranty. Unfortunately, I am now driving a car outside of the extended warranty that was only offered to the original owner with a faulty airbag system for any passenger in my car. A recall MUST be issued for the second generation mini cooper to hold the company responsible for this faulty design. Owners of these cars are avoiding the $2500 repair bill by installing sensor bypass modules in order to clear the malfunctioning light warning. NHSTA is well aware of this problem as I have read hundreds of issues and concerns in mini cooper forums. Please address this problem as force the recall on the occupancy airbag sensor before a passenger is seriously injured or killed.

The passenger-side airbag is not recognized when a passenger is in the vehicle. Mechanic says this is a known recall for Mini's and has repaired several but my model is not covered under the recall. There has not been an incident or accident to report at this time. I have reached out to Mini and asked them about the recall and they originally said they would fix it bc it was under recall. When I brought the car in they said they couldn't because the recall doesn't cover the R55 model. After months of going back and forth with them, they have concluded that they will only repair at their service cost of $1500.

Following approximately 12 months of slow deterioration, the passenger-side airbag deployment system in this vehicle appears to have become continuously inoperative (red airbag failure annunciator continuously illuminated on instrument cluster in conjunction with continuous illumination of the amber "Passenger Airbag OFF" informational annunciator in the overhead console). Failure now occurs whether passenger seat is empty or occupied, although it previously only occurred when the seat was unoccupied and ambient temperatures were colder (below approximately 40 degrees F). I suspect that the passenger seat occupancy sensor mat is the failed system component due to the slow onset of the problem (continuous illumination of aforementioned annunciators was spurious at first, then intermittent, now continuous). Vehicle has not been submitted to a MINI dealer for diagnosis. However, MINI/BMW has already issued a recall on the passenger seat occupancy sensor mats in 2005-2008 model MINIs, setting the precedent that other model years could be similarly affected as well. Vehicle will not pass Texas state inspection with the airbag failure annunciator illuminated, and therefore cannot be registered. Recommend that MINI/BMW expand the sensor mat recall to include at least their 2009 model year vehicles as well.

PASSENGER SEAT OCCUPANCY SENSOR HAS STOPPED WORKING DURING ALL STATES OF VEHICLE OPERATION. UPON STARTING THE CAR AND WHILE DRIVING, THE PASSENGER AIRBAG LIGHT TURNS ON REGARDLESS OF WHETHER OR NOT A PASSENGER IS IN THE SEAT. IF I WERE TO GET INTO A CRASH, MY PASSENGER SEAT AIRBAG WILL NOT ACTIVATE, LEAVING THE PASSENGER IN THE CAR UNPROTECTED.

I PURCHASED THIS CAR NEW. AFTER THE ORIGINAL WARRANTY EXPIRED, I EXPERIENCED ISSUES WITH THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT OCCUPANCY MAT. DUE TO THE HIGH COST TO REPAIR, AND THAT MINI HAD A RECALL ON THEIR 2008 MODELS FOR THIS SAME ISSUE, I CHOSE NOT TO REPAIR IT AND NOW HAVE 157,000 MILES ON THE CAR. I ASSUMED MINI WOULD EVENTUALLY INCLUDE THE 2009 MODELS IN THE RECALL. MINI HAS NOW SENT ME A LETTER OFFERING AN "EXTENDED WARRANTY" FOR THIS ISSUE ON MY CAR. HOWEVER, SINCE I ACTUALLY DRIVE MY CAR AND HAVE OVER 120,000 MILES, MINI WILL NOT REPAIR MY CAR UNDER THIS "EXTENDED WARRANTY." THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE THAT SHOULD BE A RECALL. I SHOULD NOT BE PENALIZED FOR A SAFETY ISSUE BECAUSE MY CAR HAS MORE MILES ON IT. I HAVE CONTACTED MINI, AND MY LOCAL DEALERSHIP AND THEY WILL NOT DO ANYTHING ABOUT THIS ISSUE. I SELDOM DRIVE THE CAR WITH PASSENGERS NOW AS I FEAR FOR THEIR SAFETY. MINI HAS LOST A CUSTOMER.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 MINI COOPER CLUBMAN. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY, THE AIR BAG INDICATOR ILLUMINATED WITHOUT WARNING. THE DEALER REPLACED THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG SENSOR THREE TIMES, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. IN ADDITION, THE DEALER STATED THAT THE DRIVER'S AIR BAG SENSOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED, BUT THE REPAIR WAS NOT COMPLETED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 66,000.

THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG SENSOR HAS BEEN GOING OFF INDICATING THAT THE AIRBAG WILL NOT DEPLOY EVEN WHEN SOMEONE OF NORMAL ADULT SIZE (160LBS) IS IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT. I HAVE CONTACTED MINI AND THEY REFUSE TO FIX IT UNLESS I PAY FOR THE COSTLY REPAIR, EVEN THOUGH THEY HAVE BEEN SLOWLY RECALLING OTHER MODELS FOR THE SAME PROBLEM. THE IMPROPERLY FUNCTIONING MAT IN MY MINI COOPER CLUBMAN MAY CAUSE THE PASSENGER FRONTAL AIR BAG TO BE INACTIVE WHEN THE SEAT IS OCCUPIED, AND IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH, THE AIR BAG WILL NOT DEPLOY, INCREASING THE PASSENGER'S RISK OF INJURY. THIS IS CLEARLY DUE TO A DESIGN, MANUFACTURING, INSTALLATION, AND/OR EXPOSURE ISSUES, THAT CAUSES THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT OCCUPANT DETECTION MAT NOT TO FUNCTION PROPERLY AND, AS A RESULT, THE FRONT PASSENGER AIR BAG MAY NOT DEPLOY IN A CRASH. THIS NEEDS TO BE RESOLVED AND NOT WAIT UNTIL MORE PEOPLE ARE HURT BY BMW'S REFUSAL TO ADDRESS THE PROBLEM IN ALL VEHICLES THAT HAVE THIS PROBLEM. THEY ARE WAITING FOR MORE DEATHS, INJURIES AND/OR COMPLAINTS BEFORE THEY FINALLY RESOLVE THEIR PROBLEM AT THEIR COST IN ALL CARS. WHAT CHANGE HAVE THEY EMPLOYED AFTER 2008 TO THIS DESIGN, MANUFACTURING AND INSTALLATION PROCESS IN THEIR PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG SENSORS THAT MAKES THEM ISOLATE ONLY SOME REPAIRS ON SOME MINIS? NONE! AT LEAST NONE THAT HAVE WORKED AS I HAVE A 2009 MINI COPPER CLUBMAN WITH THE IDENTICAL PROBLEM, SO CLEARLY THEY HAVEN'T RESOLVED IT AND SHOULD NOT LIMIT THEIR RECALL TO 2005-2006 MINI COOPERS AND COOPER S, NOR JUST CONVERTIBLE MINI COOPERS BETWEEN 2005-2008 MODELS. 2009 MINI COOPER CLUBMANS HAVE THIS SAME PROBLEM, YET BMW TELLS ITS CUTOMERS WITH WARRANTIES TO PAY FOR IT THEMSELVES! BAD BUSINESS. HOPE SOMEONE SUES THEM, BUT PROBABLY NOT UNTIL SOMEONE DIES. AT LEAST THIS PUTS THEM ON NOTICE SO THEY CAN BE SUED MORE EASILY. I HAVE CHILDREN...SHAME ON YOU BMW!