2011 Mini Cooper

The passenger seat occupancy detection module and program failed. The red airbag and seatbelt lights went on. According to the dealership, the default setting is that the airbag will not go off if the module is broken. A Google search suggests that this is a common problem; so much so that there is an electronic gadget you can buy and videos on YouTube on how to install it to do a "workaround" to get the light to go off without fixing the module.

Car shows signs of passenger seat occupancy sensor recall. Mini acknowledges the recall has not been performed. Mini expanded recall to 10 years from date of service but because previous owner didn't get recall done I cannot. This is a known issue with these cars and should not have an expiration date! Dealer I purchased car from used says that because recall isn't listed here then they aren't liable to fix it...

MY VEHICLE STARTED EXPERIENCING MECHANICAL ISSUES AT 78000 MILES. THESE ISSUES INCLUDED THE WATER PUMP, THERMOSTAT HOUSING AND MOST CONCERNING THE PASSENGER AIRBAG SYSTEM. I WAS ABLE TO AFFORD THE OUT OF POCKET EXPENSES FOR THE THERMOSTAT AND WATER PUMP WHICH WAS AROUND 2500$ I LATER GOT A LETTER ABOUT THE WATER PUMP REGARDING A CLASS ACTION. WHICH I'M HOPING TO BE REIMBURSED FOR. SO THE AIRBAG ... =( ..I'VE MADE SEVERAL ATTEMPTS TO HAVE MINI WILLINGLY LOOK INTO THE COMPLAINT WITH THE AIRBAG SYSTEM. I CANNOT GET A REASONABLE RESPONSE FROM THEM REGARDING MY COMPLAINT. I AM DIRECTED TO GO TO MY LOCAL MINI DEALER. WHEN HAVING THE OTHER REPAIRS DONE THEY WOULD NOT PERMANENTLY ENABLE THE AIRBAG SYSTEM BUT COULD "LOOK" AT IT FOR 125$ SINCE OTHERS HAVE QUOTED THIS REPAIR COSTING UPWARDS OF 2000$ I DECLINED. I HAD TO PAY FOR THE OTHER REPAIRS. MANY OTHER VEHICLES HAVE AN OVER RIDE FOR THIS BEING A KEY. I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY THIS ISN'T BEING ADDRESSED WITH PREVIOUS RECALLS AND MANY CONSUMER COMPLAINTS. THE PASSENGER AIRBAG SYSTEM COMES ON AND OFF INTERMITTENTLY AS DESCRIBED IN OTHER COMPLAINTS. I'M ONLY ADDING MY COMPLAINT IN HOPES THAT IT HELPS MYSELF AND OTHERS RESOLVE THE ISSUE. I WANT TO ALSO NOTE THAT I PURCHASED SEVERAL WARRANTIES WITH THIS VEHICLE. WHICH WERE NOT HONORED AND CANNOT GET A REFUND FOR. ONE WARRANTY INCLUDED DAMAGE TO THE SEATS AND WOULD BE REPAIRED. I FEEL LIKE THESE WARRANTIES SHOULD BE REIMBURSED SINCE NO WORK IS BEING DONE IN REGARDS TO ALL THE ISSUES I'VE HAD.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 MINI COOPER CONVERTIBLE. WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THE LIGHTS ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL ILLUMINATED WITHOUT WARNING. THE PASSENGER SEAT SENSOR MALFUNCTIONED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED IN ORDER NOT TO AFFECT THE AIR BAG FUNCTIONALITY. UPON SHIFTING THE WEIGHT ON THE SEAT, THE LIGHTS NEAR THE ODOMETER ILLUMINATED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING, BUT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 51,000.

I AM THE OWNER OF THIS CAR. I HAVE RESEARCHED ON LINE THE AIR BAG LIGHT ON THE PASSENGERS SIDE OF THIS CAR. MANY MANY COMPLAINTS ARE LISTED AND YOU ARE WELL AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. I SUPPOSEDLY NEED TO REPLACE SOME PARTS AND LABOR TO THE TUNE OF $1904!!! I AM ON A FIXED INCOME AND I DO NOT HAVE THIS MONEY. SINCE YOU HAVE ISSUED A RECALL FOR CONVERTIBLES IN THE MINI AND RECALLED CARS IN THE BMW LINE FOR THIS, WHY ISN'T THIS A COVERED EXPENSE? IT SEEMS LIKE THE CAR IS SET UP TO HAVE THIS PROBLEM AND THE CUSTOMERS ARE LEFT TO WORRY ABOUT FIXING IT. ANY PRODUCT THAT HAS A DEFECT AND IS STILL SOLD NEEDS TO SHOW RESPECT FOR THEIR BUYERS AND FIX THINGS THAT ARE WELL KNOWN AS PROBLEMS. I CAN NOT AFFORD THIS AND I AM OFTEN IN THE PASSENGER'S SEAT. IF ANYTHING HAPPENS DUE TO THE AIR BAG NOT CONNECTED CORRECTLY I FEEL THAT ANYONE INVOLVED IN THE MINI/BMW PLANTS ARE RESPONSIBLE. YOU HAVE FULL KNOWLEDGE OF THE PROBLEM AND YOU ARE PUTTING PROFIT BEFORE CONSUMERS. THIS IS A DISGUSTING WAY TO RUN A BUSINESS.

I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER ON 12/15/11 BECAUSE THE PASSANGER AIRBAG OFF LIGHT TURNED ON WHEN A PASSANGER WAS SEATED. THE LIGHT TURNED ON AGAIN JAN 7, 2012. HERE ARE THE DEALER'S NOTES FROM THE 12/15/11 VISIT: SEAT MAT SENSOR OC3 RECODING CHECK FAULT MEMORY NO RELEATING FAULT STORED. COMPLETED TEST PLAN B6577 ACM4. CHECK CONNECTOR TO SENSOR OK. TEST PLAN CONCUDED TO RECODE OC3. UPDATED VEHICLE. D6577 0000 57 310. RETEST OK. AT THE SAME TIME THE CAR ALSO ALERTED TO A TIRE INFLATION ISSUE. HERE ARE THE DEALER'S NOTES REGARDING THIS ISSUE (ALSO 12/15/11): PSI: TIRE INFLATION CHECK SET TIRES TO 33PSI *TT