2009 Mini Cooper

I RECENTLY PURCHASED A 2009 MINI COOPER AND THE AIRBAG AND SEATBELT WARNING LIGHTS COME ON WHENEVER I GET IN THE CAR. THE LIGHT CAME ON RECENTLY WHEN I STARTED THE CAR AND IT NOW OCCURS EVERY TIME I TURN THE MOTOR ON. I'VE BEEN ONLINE RESEARCHING THE PROBLEM AND DISCOVERED THAT THIS MAY MEAN THAT THE AIRBAGS WILL NOT DEPLOY IF I HAVE AN ACCIDENT. THIS APPEARS TO BE A PROBLEM FACING A NUMBER OF MINI COOPER OWNERS AND BMW HAS NOT RESOLVED THIS PROBLEM AFTER MANY COMPLAINTS.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 MINI COOPER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE SOUTH SHORE MINI COOPER WAS CONTACTED AND DIAGNOSED THE AIR BAG SENSOR MAT WAS DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURERS WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 17,000....UPDATED 10/23/17 *BF UPDATED 10/24/2017*JS

34,000 MILES 2009 MINI COOPER. PASSENGER AIRBAG LIGHT ON AND OFF INTERMITTENTLY. QUOTED COST TO REPAIR ABOUT $800 JUST FOR THE PART, POSSIBILITY OF AIRBAGS NOT DEPLOYING WHEN IN AN ACCIDENT. SEEMS TO BE A TYPICAL MINI ISSUE WITH A SLEW OF SIMILAR ISSUES (SOMETIMES MULTIPLE REPLACEMENTS), SENSOR IN SEAT CUSHION AND ENTIRE SEAT WOULD NEED REPLACED. SAME PROBLEM THAT RESULTED IN 2005-2008 MODEL RECALLS, BUT NOT 2009? WITH THE ISSUE BEING THIS PREVALENT? VERY WORRISOME, PASSENGERS RIDING IN CAR WITHOUT THE PROTECTION OF AN AIRBAG DEPLOYING.

TAKATA RECALL THE WARNING INDICATOR THAT MY PASSENGER AIR BAG IS OFF COMES ON FREQUENTLY (WITH OR WITHOUT PASSENGER). I AM AFRAID TO LET ANYONE RIDE IN MY CAR. WHEN I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER THEY SAID IT WAS AN INTERNAL FAILURE OF PASSENGER SIDE FRONT MAT SENSOR, THAT I HAD NOT DONE ANYTHING TO CAUSE THE PROBLEM, THAT THERE WAS A WORLDWIDE SHORTAGE OF THE PART, AND THAT IT IS A $1200.00 FIX. I DO NOT BELIEVE I SHOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR THAT REPAIR!! I WROTE TO BMW IN JULY---NO RESPONSE. THIS HAPPENS EVERY TIME I DRIVE SOMEWHERE---WITH OR WITHOUT PASSENGER. IT COMES ON AND OFF.....DRIVING OR STATIONARY, ALL SITUATIONS. THE ONLY DOCUMENTATION I HAVE IS COPY OF THE DEALERSHIP LABOR REPORT FROM THE DIAGNOSIS AND A COPY OF MY 7-19-2016 LETTER TO BMW SENT VIA EMAIL TO MINIUSA.COM. I HAVE NO WAY TO SCAN THOSE TO ATTACH.

MY AIRBAG SENSOR LIGHT IS ON CONTINUOUSLY AND MY MECHANIC DIAGNOSED IT AS PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG SENSOR MAT PROBLEM. THIS IS THE SAME PROBLEM THAT RESULTED IN A RECALL FOR 2005-2008 MODELS IN THE NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER 15V205000. I'VE CALLED MY LOCAL BMW/MINI SERVICE DEPARTMENT, BUT THEY SAY IT'S NOT PART OF THE RECALL AND THERE'S NOTHING THEY CAN DO.

PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT KEEPS COMING ON WHETHER A PASSENGER IS SEATED OR NOT IN FRONT SEAT. IT ORIGINALLY WENT ON AND OFF AT SPORADIC TIMES AND MIMI TOLD ME THAT I SHOULD NOT PLACE ANYTHING ON PASSENGERS SEAT LIKE MY HANDBAG AS IT WILL ASSUME A PASSENGER IS SITTING IN THE SEAT. THE LATER PART OF JUNE 2016, IT CAME ON AND STAYED ON CONTINUOUSLY. CURRENTLY, HAVE AN OUTSTANDING REPAIR ORDER WITH MINI BUT WAS TOLD PART HAS BEEN ON BACK ORDER FOR WELL OVER A MONTH. PRICE QUOTED FOR REPAIR $1240.00. I DRIVE THE INTERSTATE ON A DAILY BASIS AND AM CONCERNED THAT THE AIR BAGS WILL NOT DEPLOY IF I'M INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT. THE LIGHT COMES ON AS SOON AS THE CAR IS STARTED AND WILL SOMETIMES GO OFF FOR A FEW MINUTES WHILE DRIVING, BUT WILL THEN COME BACK ON.