2008 Mini Cooper

FAULTY SEAT OCCUPANCY DETECTOR IN PASSENGER SEAT. THERE HAS BEEN A RECALL ON THIS IN SEVERAL MODELS, BUT THEY DO NOT CURRENTLY INCLUDE THIS MODEL/YEAR. FAILURE OF THE SEAT SENSOR PREVENTS DEPLOYMENT OF THE PASSENGER AIRBAG AND CAN ONLY BE FIXED BY REPLACING THE ENTIRE SEAT (EXPENSIVE). NO USER-SPECIFIC ACTIONS HAVE CAUSED THIS DEFECT, IT'S A WELL KNOWN PROBLEM. THE ISSUE WAS ORIGINALLY DIAGNOSED IN 2014, RE-DIAGNOSED 1/3/2016. THE BEST RESOLUTION WE HAVE BEEN OFFERED IS 10% OFF REPAIR COSTS.

MY 2008 MINI COOPER WAS IN ACCIDENT IN JAN 2016. THE (PASSENGER) LIGHT CAME ON AND IT WAS IMMEDIATELY TAKE TO AUTOBODY SHOP. THE PASSENGER AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT WAS EVALUATED AND ADDED TO REPAIRS. THE SEAT MAP SENSOR IS THE CHIEF PROBLEM. THE CAR IS UNDRIVABLE. THE DEALERSHIP IN STERLING INDICATED THAT IT WOULD TAKE 15-30 DAY TO RECEIVED THE PART. THE PART WAS DELAYED UNTIL MARCH 24,2016. THREE DAYS PRIOR TO DELIVERY IT WAS UPDATED TO JUL 13, 2016. AT THIS POINT MY RENTAL CAR FROM THE INSURANCE COMPANY RAN OUT. I CONTACTED CUSTOMER CARE BUT WAS NOT ABLE TO RECEIVE A DATE NOR ASSISTANCE ABOUT MY PART AND LOST OF VEHICLE. AFTER CONVERSATION WITH LIBERTY MUTUAL, AUTO SHOP AND DEALERSHIP, WE WERE TOLD THAT THE VEHICLE WAS SAFE TO DRIVE WITHOUT A PASSENGER IN THE SEAT. NO RESOLUTION HAS BEEN MADE, MANY INDIVIDUALS ( CONSUMER, INSURANCE COMPANY AND AUTO SHOP) INVOLVED IN THE SITUATION STATED IT WAS NOT SAFE NOR COULD LOSS BE GUARANTEED. AS OF THE 4/18/2016, THE PART HAS BEEN PUT ON INDEFINITE BACK ORDER. CURRENTLY THERE IS NO KNOWN TIME FRAME RETURN OF VEHICLE. I AM WITHOUT TRANSPORTATION AND I WILL NEED TO PURCHASE ANOTHER CAR. ADDITIONALLY I HAVE HEARD FROM OTHER REPAIR FACILITIES, MINI'S PASSENGER SEAT OCCUPANCY SENSOR AFFECTS FAR MORE MODEL YEARS THAN THOSE FOR WHICH BMW HAS ALREADY ANNOUNCED RECALLS. I AM ALSO AWARE THAT MORE THAN 60 MINI OWNERS ARE WAITING ON THIS PART AS WELL.

I PURCHASED MY 2008 MINI COOPER BRAND NEW FROM MINI OF THE WOODLANDS IN TEXAS. ABOUT A YEAR AGO, THE PASSENGER AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT STARTED ILLUMINATING RANDOMLY, WHICH DISABLES THE PASSENGER AIRBAG WHILE IT IS ILLUMINATED. THIS HAPPENED MORE AND MORE FREQUENTLY, UNTIL IT STAYS ILLUMINATED MOST OF THE TIME NOW. I BROUGHT IT TO MINI IF THE WOODLANDS FOR EVALUATION, AND WAS TOLD THAT THE SEAT SENSOR HAD GONE BAD, AND IT WOULD COST $1,900 TO REPLACE IT. I FIND THIS FAILURE TO BE A LITTLE ODD, CONSIDERING THAT MY MINI'S PASSENGER SEAT HAS ALMOST NEVER HAD ANYONE IN IT! ALSO, SLIDING THE SEAT FORWARD/BACKWARD SEEMS TO AFFECT THE FREQUENCY & DURATION OF THE SENSOR FAILURES; THOUGH THE OVERALL FREQUENCY & DURATION CONTINUES TO INCREASE. FROM WHAT I'VE SEEN ONLINE, AND HEARD FROM OTHER REPAIR FACILITIES, MINI'S PASSENGER SEAT OCCUPANCY SENSOR AFFECTS FAR MORE MODEL YEARS THAN THOSE FOR WHICH BMW HAS ALREADY ANNOUNCED RECALLS. I'D EVEN BE HAPPY IF MINI COULD JUST CIRCUMVENT THE PASSENGER SEAT SENSOR, AND HAVE THE AIRBAG DEPLOY IN AN ACCIDENT WHETHER OR NOT THERE'S ANYONE IN THE PASSENGER SEAT. THAT'S A FAR BETTER OPTION THAN HAVING IT DEACTIVATED WHETHER OR NOT THERE'S A PASSENGER IN THE CAR! BUT MINI OF THE WOODLANDS TOLD ME THAT THERE'S NO WAY THEY CAN DO THAT.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MINI COOPER. THE CONTACT STARTED THE VEHICLE AND THE FRONT PASSENGER'S SIDE AIR BAG WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED CONTINUOUSLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, WHO CONFIRMED THAT THE AIR BAG SENSOR WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER AND DEALER WERE NOTIFIED AND THEY WERE UNABLE TO PROVIDE AN EXPECTED DATE FOR THE PART TO BECOME AVAILABLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 52,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MINI COOPER. WHEN SHIFTING INTO FIRST GEAR, THE VEHICLE EASILY SWITCHED INTO THE REVERSE POSITION. THE CONTACT WAS INVOLVED IN A CRASH. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THERE WERE NO INJURIES AND A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 46,000.

THE WEIGHT SENSOR IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT THAT DETERMINES WHETHER TO DEACTIVATE THE AIRBAG WHEN A CHILD IS SEATED, OR IF THE SEAT IS UNOCCUPIED, IS BROKEN. THIS HAS CAUSED THE FRONTAL AIRBAG TO BECOME PERMANENTLY DEACTIVATED AT ALL TIMES. THERE HAS BEEN A RECALL OF OTHER CARS FOR THIS ISSUE, BUT BMW REFUSES TO INCLUDE MY VEHICLE DESPITE IT BEING THE SAME YEAR AND EXPERIENCING THE IDENTICAL PROBLEM.

MY AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON SO I SCHEDULED AN APPOINTMENT WITH MINI DEALER. THEY INFORMED ME THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE OC3 MAT SENSOR NEEDED REPLACED. THEY INFORMED ME THAT THERE IS NO RECALL FOR IT AND MY CAR IS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY. THE COST TO REPLACE IS GOING TO BE $1,454.52. AFTER LOOKING ONLINE AT VARIOUS FORUMS, I HAVE FOUND HUNDREDS OF OTHERS WHO ARE EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEM AT RANDOM MILEAGES, ANYWHERE FROM 30,000 - 150,000 MILES. IF THIS SENSOR, WHICH IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE, KEEPS FAILING ON HUNDREDS OF VEHICLES, THIS PART SHOULD BE RECALLED AND FIXED AT THE MANUFACTURES EXPENSE. HOW CAN THEY EXPECT A CUSTOMER TO PAY OVER $1,400 TO REPLACE A SENSOR THAT IS JUST GOING TO FAIL AGAIN IN A SHORT TIME, NOT TO MENTION PUTTING LIVES AT RISK? THIS ISSUE HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR SEVERAL YEARS NOW WITHOUT CORRECTION. PLEASE RECALL THIS PART.

AIR BAG SENSOR GOES OFF AT RANDOM TIMES. THERE IS A CURRENT RECALL FOR 2005-2008 MINI COOPERS, BUT NOT ALL MAKES. THE 2005-2006 MODELS ARE THE MINI COOPER, MINI COOPER S, MINI COOPER CONVERTIBLE AND MINI COOPER CONVERTIBLE S. THE RECALL IS EXTENDED THROUGH 2008 MODELS BUT THOSE MODELS ONLY INCLUDE THE CONVERTIBLE AND THE CONVERTIBLE S. THE 2007-2008 MINI COOPER AND MINI COOPER S ARE ALSO HAVING THIS AIR BAG ISSUE, AS NUMEROUS PEOPLE HAVE MENTIONED ON VARIOUS MINI FORUMS, AND SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. ..UPDATED 09/03/15 *BF

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MINI COOPER. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V1205000 (AIR BAGS); HOWEVER, THE CLOSEST DEALER WAS EIGHTY MILES AWAY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER OFFERED TO PAY FOR THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR, BUT THE CONTACT WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR PAYMENT OF THE LABOR FOR THE REPAIR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE RECALL NOTICE STATED THAT THE RECALL REPAIR WOULD BE MADE FREE OF CHARGE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE.