2009 Mini Cooper

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.

BOUGHT A 2009 MINI S FOR MY DAUGHTER IN AUGUST OF 2015 WITH 36K MILES ON IT. SINCE THEN I'VE SPENT OVER $5000 IN REPAIRS AND THE CAR IS CURRENTLY PARKED AND NOT BEING DRIVEN BECAUSE NOW THE TIMING CHAIN NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. MY CAR IS 5 MONTHS PAST THE "WARRANTY" PERIOD FOR THIS SERVICE BULLETIN CAMPAIGN, AND THIS REPAIR WILL LIKELY COST ANOTHER $3000OR MORE I'VE PAID FOR TO REPAIR THE OIL LEAK IN THE TURBO LINE AS WELL AS THE WATER PUMP FAILING, AND REPLACED THE VALVE COVER DUE TO OIL LEAKING, ALL WELL KNOWN ISSUES WITH THIS CAR. THE TIMING CHAIN AND TENSIONER ISSUES ARE WELL KNOWN BY BMW/MINI AS WELL AND THERE IS NO RECOURSE FOR OWNERS OF THESE CARS AT THIS POINT. MY CAR ONLY HAS 48,000 MILES ON IT! THERE IS NO REASON FOR ALL OF THESE PARTS TO BE FAILING THE WAY THEY ARE. I WILL HAVE SPENT MORE THAN DOUBLE WHAT I PAID FOR THIS CAR BEFORE ITS DRIVABLE AGAIN. VERY UNHAPPY WITH MINI!!!!!

TURBO OIL LINE LEAKS AND DRIPS ON TURBO MANIFOLD CAUSING BURNING OIL SMELL AND SMOKE. THE ENGINE CAUGHT A SMALL FIRE, LUCKY I WAS PARKED ON SIDE OF A HIGHWAY ROAD UP IN THE MOUNTAINS. (NO FIRE STATIONS OR VERY LITTLE TRAFFIC) I SMELT SOMETHING BURNING UNDER TO HOOD WHEN IT HAPPENED AND CAUGHT THE FLAMES IN TIME TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE. 2 SEATTLE AREA MINI DEALERS STATE THAT THIS IS A PROBLEM WITH ALL THE TURBO ENGINES IN THIS CLASS. THEY WANT YOU TO PAY FOR THIS REPAIR IT'S A $1300 FIX. I BELIEVE THAT MINI/BMW NEEDS TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY AND REPAIR/RECALL THE TURBO OIL LINE BECAUSE IT POSES A SAFETY ISSUE THE CAR COULD CATCH FIRE AND POTENTIALLY INJURE SOMEONE CAUSE AN ACCIDENT, OR WORSE DEATH.

MY 2009 MINI COOPER HARDTOP WITH 6 SPEED MANUAL TRANSMISSION CONSUMES ONE QUART OF ENGINE OIL PER 1000 MILES. THIS IS TRULY UNACCEPTABLE. IT IS AN ONGOING PROBLEM AND EXPENSE THAT IS VERY ANNOYING. NOT TO MENTION THE SAFETY SIDE OF IT AND THE POSSIBILITY OF BURNING OUT THE ENGINE. BMW/MINI NEEDS TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY AND REBUILD AND REPAIR THE ENGINE TO CORRECT THIS VERY IMPORTANT PROBLEM.

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.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 MINI COOPER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG WARNING INDICATOR HAD ILLUMINATED AND REMAINED ILLUMINATED. DUE TO THE AIR BAG WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATING, THE AIR BAG WARNING CHIME WAS ACTIVATED AS WELL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER TO BE DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT REFERENCED NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V205000 (AIR BAGS) HOWEVER THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 66,000.

I WENT OUT OF THE COUNTRY FOR 21 DAY AND LEFT MY MINI PARKED IN THE GARAGE. I AM THE ONLY DRIVER OF MY CAR AND TAKE PRIDE IN APPEARANCE AND MAINTENANCE. I WAS EXTREMELY SURPRISED WHEN I RETURNED THE WARNING LIGHTS WAS ON. THE MILEAGE IS JUST UNDER 60000. THE SEAT BELT AND AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT ON OUT OF THE BLUE (STAYS ON). WHEN I TOOK MY MINI TO THE AUTO REPAIR SHOP, IT WAS SUGGESTED TO LOOK FOR RECALLS FIRST. UPON RESEARCH FOUND ALOT OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE SAME ISSUE BUT NO RECALLS FOR 2009. THIS IS VERY DISAPPOINTING AND BMW SHOULD BE ASHAMED. I WILL NEVER PURCHASE ANOTHER PRODUCT FROM BMW AND WILL WARN OTHERS BEFORE THEY CONSIDER MAKING THE SAME MISTAKE. I WILL BE TRADING MY CAR IN FOR AN AMERICAN MADE VEHICLE.

AIRBAG SENSOR MAT DOES NOT RECOGNIZE WHETHER A PERSON IS SITTING ON THE PASSENGER SIDE THEREBY NOT ACTIVATING THE AIRBAG; THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING ON & OFF FOR MONTHS; PASSENGER AIRBAG LIGHT COMES ON IMMEDIATELY DESPITE OCCUPANCY WHILE PARKED AND DURING DRIVING (ALL CONDITIONS-HIGHWAY, CITY STREET, TURNING. THIS ISSUE STARTED RIGHT AFTER THE WARRANTY WAS OVER. THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD, AS NONE OF THE AIRBAGS WILL DEPLOY IN CASE OF IMPACT. I FEAR FOR MY SAFETY. THIS IS A MANUFACTURING DEFECT.