2006 Mini Cooper

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 MINI COOPER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE SEAT BELT WARNING LIGHT AND THE AIR BAG DISABLED LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. IN APRIL 2015, THE RECALL NOTICE FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V205000 (AIR BAGS) WAS RECEIVED. AFTER CONTACTING THE DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS, THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE PARTS NEEDED TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE WERE STILL NOT AVAILABLE AND NO ESTIMATED TIME FOR RECEIVING THE PARTS COULD BE GIVEN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000. MA 10/5 UPDATED 10/06/15*LJ *CN

FROM MY RESEARCH, THE 2006 MINI HAS A FAULTY PASSENGER OCCUPANCY SENSOR IN THE PASSENGER SEAT BOTTOM REQUIRING A REPLACEMENT AT A COST OF OVER $1000. SINCE 2006 WAS THE FIRST YEAR FOR THIS REQUIREMENT, I BELIEVE THEY DID NOT PROPERLY TEST THE DEVICE BEFORE RELEASING THEM INTO PRODUCTION AS I HAVE RESEARCHED AND READ ON MANY FAILURES OF THIS DEVICE. I CANNOT DETERMINE CONCLUSIVELY IF THE AIRBAG WILL OR WILL NOT DEPLOY IN THIS SITUATION AND MINI WILL BE LIABLE IN A SITUATION IF IT DOES NOT DEPLOY THE AIRBAG PROPERLY WITH A PASSENGER SEATED. THIS IS A SITUATION THAT NEEDS TO BE REMEDIED THROUGH A RECALL. MINI EXTENDED THEIR AIRBAG SYSTEM WARRANTY ON THE 2002 - 2005 MODELS TO 10 YEARS OR 150,000 MILES AND SHOULD DO THE SAME FOR THE 2006+ MODELS. *TR

DURING THE PAST COUPLE WEEKS, THE AIR BAG INDICATOR LIGHT WOULD COME ON. AT TIMES IT WOULD STAY ON FOR A LONG PERIOD, OTHER TIMES NOT AS LONG. THIS WEEK THE SEAT BELT INDICATOR LIGHT CAME ON AFTER A PASSENGER LEFT THE CAR AND THE ALARM SOUNDED FOR APX. 10 MINUTES UNTIL I STOPPED AND SHUT OFF THE CAR. THE AIR BAG INDICATOR ALSO CAME ON. I TOOK IT FOR SERVICING TODAY BUT THE GARAGE COULD NOT GET ANY CODES FROM THE SRS CONTROL UNIT. *TR

THE SRS LIGHT IS ON AND THE PASSENGER AIRBAG LIGHT IS ALSO ON EVEN WITH A PASSENGER SITTING IN THE SEAT. THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE DUE TO BAD WIRING HARNESS UNDER THE SEATS BUT BMW, MINI IS REFUSING TO RECTIFY THE FAULTY PROBLEMS FOR 2005 AND 2006 MODELS OF THE 1ST GENERATION MINI COOPER. 2004 AND 2003 MINI COOPERS WERE HONORED WITH AN EXTENDED WARRANTY ON THE SRS SYSTEM FOR 150K MILES OR 10 YEARS. WITH THE SRS LIGHT ON, THE AIRBAG SYSTEM AND THE SEAT BELT ACTIVATION SYSTEM MAY FAIL ON THE PASSENGER SIDE EVEN WITH A PASSENGER IN THE CAR. THE PROBLEM HAS ALREADY BEEN REPORTED WITH A SERVICE BULLETIN. THE AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT IS ON WITH A FAULT STORED. THE WIRING UNDER THE SEAT MAY BE PINCHED OR DAMAGED. SERVICE BULLETIN NUMBER:SIM-65-06-11 NHTSA ITEM NUMBER:10039593. *TR

BOTH THE PASSENGER SEAT BELT LIGHT AND THE AIRBAG SYSTEM LIGHT ILLUMINATE WHILE SEAT IS OCCUPIED INDICATING THE SYSTEM IS NOT OPERATIONAL AND MAY NOT FUNCTION IN A CRASH. INTERNET RESEARCH REVEALS MANY COMPLAINTS TO BMW CONCERNING THIS PROBLEM IN THE 2006 MINI. MANUFACTURER DEALERSHIPS WILL NOT DIAGNOSE WITHOUT A LARGE FEE. *TR