2007 Mini Cooper

WHILE DRIVING ON THE STREET WITH MY WIFE THE "PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF" LIGHT CAME ON AND WOULD NOT GO OFF IMMEDIATELY. SINCE THEN IT HAPPENS SPORADICALLY WITHOUT ANY NOTICE. I TOOK IT INTO THE DEALER AND THEY SAID IT WAS THE PASSENGER SEAT AIRBAG SENSOR AND IT WOULD COST $1300 TO REPAIR IT. I KNOW THERE WAS A RECALL FOR THE 2007 COOPER S BUT NOT FOR THE 2007 MINI COOPER. IT SEEMS TO ME THE SAME PART COULD BE HAVE BEEN USED IN THE SAME MODEL YEAR CAR.

I WAS INFORMED BY MY MINI SERVICE DEPARTMENT THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG SENSOR LOCATED UNDER THE PASSENGER SEAT WAS MALFUNCTIONING AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THIS EXACT PART HAS BEEN THE CAUSE OF A RECALL FOR MINIS MADE THE SAME YEAR AS MINE, BUT MY CAR IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THIS IS OBVIOUSLY THE SAME PROBLEM THAT GENERATED THE RECALL. I CANNOT AFFORD TO MAKE THIS REPAIR MYSELF, AND NEITHER THE MINI DEALER NOR MINI CORPORATE HAS BEEN HELPFUL IN RESOLVING THIS ISSUE. I FEEL THAT MY CAR SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN THIS RECALL AND THEREFORE SHOULD BE REPAIRED AT NO COST TO ME. I'D LIKE TO REQUEST THAT MY CAR BE INCLUDED IN THE RECALL OFFICIALLY, SO THAT I CAN COMPLETE THESE REPAIRS. OTHERWISE, I RISK DRIVING UNSAFELY, WITHOUT THE FUNCTION OF THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG.

MY 2007 MINI COOPER STARTED TO OVERHEAT, DISPLAYING BOTH THE YELLOW AND RED INDICATION LIGHT SIMULTANEOUSLY. I STOPPED, LOOKED AT THE MANUAL AND IT SUGGESTED THAT I TURN THE CAR OFF AND LET IT COOL OFF. I LET MY MINI "COOL DOWN" AND WHEN I WENT TO START MY CAR IT WOULD NOT START UP. MY CAR IMMEDIATELY SHUT OFF, I CALLED MINI COOPER WHICH IS 75 MILES AWAY AND GOT MY CAR TOWED. I WAS TOLD MY ENGINE NEEDS REPLACEMENT FOR 11K. MY MINI WAS CHECKED LESS THAN ONE MONTH AGO AND I RECEIVED NO WARNING THAT MY ENGINE WAS FAILING. MY 2007 MINI ONLY HAS 83,000 FAR FROM THE EXPECTED OVER 100,000 LIFE EXPECTANCY. I WAS TOLD MY ENGINE FAILED DUE TO LOW COMPRESSION AND THE REPLACEMENT OF A THERMOSTAT; A THERMOSTAT THAT HAVEN'T BEEN IN STOCK FOR MONTHS. AFTER GOOGLING THIS ISSUE, I FOUND HUNDREDS OF COMPLAINTS FOR THE SAME ISSUE. BMW REFUSE TO RECALL THE THERMOSTAT OR ENGINE, AND IT'S AN OUTRAGE. TO MAKE MATTERS WORST, A FAIR CONDITION, RUNNING 2007 MINI W/83,000 MILES AND PACKAGES VALUE IS LESS THAN 5K, A CLEAR SIGN OF THE WORTH OF A MINI. SUPER SAD CUSTOMER.

I MOVED THE PASSENGER SEAT FORWARD TO LET SOMEONE INTO THE BACK SEAT. THE PASSENGER AIR BAG SENSOR LIGHT STARTED TO GO ON AND OFF LATER THAT DAY INDICATING THAT THAT THE AIR BAG WAS NOT ON FOR THE PASSENGER SEAT. NOW THE LIGHT IS ON CONSTANTLY. I SAW ON THE INTERNET THAT OVER 90,000 OF THESE SENSORS HAVE BEEN RECALLED INCLUDING THE 2007 MINI CONVERTIBLE, BUT NOT MY HARDTOP. WHY IS MY MODEL NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL? THIS IS A LITTLE CAR AND I AM AFRAID TO HAVE ANYONE SIT IN THE PASSENGER SEAT WITH THE AIRBAG DISENGAGED.

WHEN I START MY CAR WHILE PARKED IN MY GARAGE FROM COLD THERE IS A EXTREMELY LOUD RATTLE KNOCK NOISE IN THE ENGINE. I WAIT FOR IT TO WARM UP THEN I DRIVE IT THERE IS STILL A LOUD ENGINE NOISE THAT IT MAKE IT SOUND LIKE IF IT IS A DIESEL ENGINE. AND AFTERWARDS THE ENGINE STALLS AND IT LOOSES RPM WHEN I AM DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY OR STREET MAKING IT HAZARDOUS AND DANGEROUS BECAUSE THE ENGINE CHOKES AND WANTS TO DIE OUT ON THE ROAD WHILE I AM DRIVING IT.

WHEN I START MY CAR WHILE PARKED IN MY GARAGE FROM COLD THERE IS A EXTREMELY LOUD RATTLE KNOCK NOISE IN THE ENGINE. EVEN IF I WAIT FOR IT TO WARM UP WHILE I AM DRIVING THERE IS STILL A LOUD ENGINE NOISE THAT IT MAKE IT SHOULD LIKE IF IT IS A DIESEL ENGINE. AND AFTERWARDS THE ENGINE STALLS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AND IT LOOSES ITS RPM WHILE DRIVING MAKING IT HAZARDOUS AND DANGEROUS BECAUSE IT APPEARS TO DIE OUT ON THE ROAD WHILE I AM DRIVING IT.

2007 MINI COOPER WITH 31,000 MILES. I AM USUALLY THE ONLY ONE IN THE CAR. ON THIS DAY MY HUSBAND AND A FRIEND WERE WITH ME. WE MOVED THE PASSENGER SEAT UP TO ALLOW THE THIRD PERSON TO GET IN THE BACK SEAT. LATER IN THE DAY THE LIGHT ON THE DASH WHICH SIGNIFIES THAT THE PASSENGER AIRBAG IS TURNED OFF STARTED GOING ON AND OFF. I THOUGHT MAYBE THERE WAS A LOOSE WIRE UNDER THE SEAT, BUT WAS TOLD BY A MECHANIC THAT I NEEDED A NEW AIRBAG SENSOR. THE PART COSTS 1100.00 AND WAS ORDERED TWO MONTHS AGO. I AM STILL WAITING. THE LIGHT IS ON ALL THE TIME NOW. APPARENTLY, MINI HAS RECALLED OVER 90,000 CARS WITH THIS SAME PROBLEM. THE CARS MADE IN 2006 ARE INCLUDED IN THE RECALL AS WELL AS 2007 CONVERTIBLES. HOW MANY PEOPLE HAVE TO REPORT THIS PROBLEM FOR ALL 2007'S TO BE INCLUDED IN THE RECALL? THIS IS AN ESPECIALLY ALARMING PROBLEM BECAUSE THE MINI IS SUCH A SMALL CAR. LUCKILY, WE HAVE TWO CARS AND I DO NOT HAVE TO PUT ANYONE IN THE PASSENGER SEAT UNTIL THIS IS FIXED.