2006 Mini Cooper S

The contact owns a 2006 Mini Coop S. The contact stated that the air bag warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the passenger’s side seat occupancy mat had failed. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was not notified of the failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that they could not assist since the VIN was not included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V205000 (Air Bags). The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 90,350.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 MINI COOPER S. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNDISCLOSED SPEED, THE AIR BAG SENSOR LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND REMAINED ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG SYSTEM WAS DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. SOUTH BAY MINI LOCATED AT (18800 HAWTHORNE BLVD, TORRANCE CA) WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE BUT NO ASSISTANCE WAS OFFERED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 79,000.

UPON STARTING MY CAR, AFTER BEING IN A STORE, THE PASSENGER AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON WHILE A PASSENGER WAS IN THE SEAT. THE INDICATOR STAYED ON AFTER TURNING THE CAR OFF AND BACK ON. I RESEARCHED TO SEE IF THERE WERE ANY RECALLS FOR A FAULTY PASSENGER AIRBAG COVERING MY YEAR, MAKE AND MODEL, AND FOUND NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V205000. I CONTACTED MY LOCAL MINI DEALER AND WAS TOLD THAT THERE WAS NO INFORMATION PERTAINING TO MY CAR AND THAT I NEEDED TO CONTACT MINI USA DIRECTLY. I DID SO AND WAS TOLD THAT THEY ALSO COULD NOT FIND ANY INFORMATION PERTAINING TO MY CAR AND THAT THEY NEEDED TO OPEN AN INVESTIGATION IN ORDER TO DETERMINE THE STATUS OF MY VEHICLE. I WAS TOLD THAT BECAUSE MY CAR WAS PURCHASED THROUGH AN OVERSEAS MILITARY PROGRAM THE SYSTEMS WERE NOT THE SAME AND THAT A SUPERVISOR WOULD HAVE TO TRY AND FIND THE INFORMATION AND MANUALLY ADD IT TO THE MINI USA SYSTEM. I WAS ALSO ASKED, REPEATEDLY, IF MY CAR WAS A CANADIAN SPEC VEHICLE. IT WAS NOT ORDERED AS SUCH. AFTER SEVERAL WEEKS OF WAITING, I CALLED MINI USA TO INQUIRE ABOUT THE STATUS OF THE INVESTIGATION. I WAS TOLD THAT I HAD ALREADY BEEN NOTIFIED THAT MY CAR WAS NOT INCLUDED ON THE RECALL FOR THE AIRBAG SENSOR ISSUE. WHEN I INQUIRED AS TO WHY MY VEHICLE WAS NOT COVERED FOR THE EXACT PROBLEM FOR WHICH THE RECALL WAS ISSUED, I WAS TOLD THAT MY CASE WAS NOW CLOSED AND IF I HAD ANY OTHER QUESTIONS I NEEDED TO CONTACT MINI CUSTOMER SERVICE.

I COMPLAINED WITH MINI COOPER BACK IN 2011 WHEN MY WARRANTY EXPIRED AND DEALERSHIP SAID THAT REPLACEMENT WILL BE DONE OUT OF POCKET. I HAVE BEEN DRIVING MY CAR AT RISK; MORE OFTEN THAT NOT, I DO NOT DRIVE MY CAR WITH A PASSENGER IN THE FRONT SEAT. FAST FORWARD TO 2015 WITH RECALL BUT UNABLE TO EXECUTE THE RECALL DUE TO LACK OF PARTS. NHTSA SHOULD INVESTIGATE WHAT THE CAUSE OF DELAY AND SINCE THE ORIGINAL PART WORKS ALBEIT BAD DURABILITY, FORCE MINI COOPER/BMW TO PERFORM STOP GAP REPAIRS WITH OLDER PARTS, BYPASS SENSOR OR CHANGE SOFTWARE CODE TO DISREGARD BAD SENSOR INPUT. THE BURDEN IS TOO GREAT FOR ME TO USE MY CAR WITH NO PASSENGER OR PASSENGER AT RISK. STOP GAP REPAIRS, INCLUDING CHANGING THE SOFTWARE CODE AND ELIMINATE SENSOR INPUT TO DISABLE THE AIRBAG CAN BE A TEMPORARY REPAIR. HOW HARD IS IT FOR BMWQ TO SHORT OR "FAKE" THE SENSOR SIGNAL, SO THE SYSTEM WOULD NOT DISABLE THE AIRBAG; HENCE IT WOULD DEPLOY WHEN THERE'S A PASSENGER ONBOARD. PUT A STICKER ON THE DASHBOARD THAT SAYS AIRBAGS ARE TEMPORARY ACTIVE AND CHILD SEATS NOT ALLOWED. MY SAFETY INSTINCT TELLS ME IT IS PREFERRED TO HAVE THE AIRBAG ACTIVE AND DEPLOY WHEN NEEDED. THE NUMBER OF POTENTIAL CHILD SEAT IS MOST LIKELY A VERY LOW NUMBER THAT MOST OWNERS WOULD PREFER TO HAVE AN ACTIVE AIRBAG. IT IS UNACCEPTABLE THAT THIS IS TAKING SO LONG, AND PUTTING THE OWNERS AT RISK WHEN THERE ARE STOP GAP MEASURES AVAILABLE. BYPASSING THE SENSOR AND HAVING THE AIRBAGS ACTIVE SEEMS TO BE THE MOST LOGICAL ONE EXCEPT NHTSA MAY BE THE PROBLEM FOR COMING UP WITH AUTO-SENSORS TO PREVENT CHILD SEAT ACTIVATION. NHTSA SHOULD MAKE A CHOICE AND DECIDE WHAT IS MORE IMPORTANT, SAFETY OF THE PASSENGERS, OR HAVING TO GIVE BMW INSTRUCTION AND WAIVERS TO ALLOW STOP GAP AND NOT PUT ME AND MY PASSENGERS AT RISK.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 MINI COOPER S. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT FLASHED REPEATEDLY MONTHS AFTER RECEIVING NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V205000 (AIR BAGS); HOWEVER, THE DEALER STATED THAT THE PART WAS NOT AVAILABLE WITHIN A REASONABLE TIMEFRAME TO SCHEDULE THE RECALL REPAIR. THE DEALER DID NOT GIVE A SPECIFIC DATE FOR WHEN THE PART WOULD BECOME AVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER COULD NOT PROVIDE AN ESTIMATED DATE FOR WHEN THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE WOULD RECEIVE THE RECALL REPAIR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG LIGHT CONTINUED TO FLASH FOR MONTHS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN. UPDATED 11/06/15*LJ THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE WAS SCHEDULED TO BE REPAIRED. UPDATED 2/2/2016*JS *CN

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 MINI COOPER S. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED CONTINUOUSLY. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V205000 (AIR BAGS); HOWEVER, THE PARTS NEEDED WERE UNAVAILABLE TO PERFORM THE REPAIRS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REMEDY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 45,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 MINI COOPER S. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V205000 (AIR BAGS); HOWEVER, THE PART NEEDED TO PERFORM THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE.