2006 MINI Cooper S Convertible Airbags Problems

PASSENGER SIDE SEAT AIRBAG SENSOR (RECALL 15V-205, OC3 SEAT OCCUPANCY MAT) IN MY 2006 MINI COOPER S CONVERTIBLE HAS FAILED. THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG LIGHT ON DASH AND OVERHEAD STAY LIT AT ALL TIMES. RECALL ISSUED BY MINI IN 2015 COVERING EXACT PROBLEM DESCRIBED FOR SAME MAKE AND MODEL FOR YEARS 2005 - 2008. DEALER SHIP AND MINI USA BOTH SAY THE VIN NUMBER FOR MY 2006 S CONVERTIBLE IS NOT INCLUDED WITH THIS RECALL. HOW CAN THIS BE, THE EXACT PROBLEM FOR THE EXACT VEHICLES IDENTIFIED FOR THIS RECALL. MINI STATES THAT THIS VEHICLE IS THE CORRECT TYPE, MODEL AND YEAR BUT NOT PART OF THE RECALL BECAUSE IT PROBABLY DIDN'T HAVE THE SAME PART THAT HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED AS FAILING INSTALLED. I WAS TOLD THERE IS NOTHING THEY WILL DO FOR ME AND WHAT I'VE BEEN TOLD IS THAT THE COST FOR THE FIX WILL BE AT LEAST $1,200 OUT OF POCKET. THIS COST IS RIDICULOUS AND SHOULD BE INCLUDED UNDER THE STANDING RECALL FROM THE MANUFACTURER. THE FACT THAT THIS IS A MANUFACTURING DEFECT IS OBVIOUS AND IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE!

NHTSA ID

11091069

Incident

Mar 5, 2018

Mileage

80,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 MINI COOPER S CONVERTIBLE. AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED, THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V205000 (AIR BAGS) HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

NHTSA ID

10783225

Incident

Apr 15, 2015

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 MINI COOPER S CONVERTIBLE. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V205000 (AIR BAGS); HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE.

NHTSA ID

10779839

Incident

Jun 20, 2015

OUR 2006 MINI COOPER AIR BAG SENSOR GOES ON AND OFF. THE DEALERSHIP INDICATED THE ENTIRE SEAT WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED AS IS AN EMBEDDED SENSOR. THIS DOES APPEAR TO BE A SAFETY ISSUE BUT THE VEHICLE IS NOT ONE OF THE RECALLED MINI COOPERS.

NHTSA ID

10721546

Incident

Apr 1, 2014

Mileage

65,000 mi

AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT STAYS ON. BUBBLES ON RUN FLAT TIRES (ONE REPLACED). RUBBER SEALS DETERIORATING ON OUTSIDE OF VEHICLE. WATER PUMP LEAKING (REPLACED). UPHOLSTERY IS COMING APART ON DRIVERS SEAT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10692148

Incident

Jan 3, 2013

Mileage

8,000 mi

MY 2006 MINI COOPER CONVERTIBLE HAS INTERMITTENT EXPERIENCED WITH PASSENGER AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT STAYING ON EVEN WHEN PASSENGER IS IN SEAT AND PROPERLY BUCKLED IN. THIS SHOULD BE A RECALL BY BMW. ALSO, HARMONIC BALANCER BROKE AT JUST UNDER 60,000...AND HAVE HEARD THIS IS A MAJOR PROBLEM ON MANY MINI COOPERS. BMW SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR REPLACEMENT. FAULTY EQUIPMENT. ALSO, CONVERTIBLE GASKET NEEDS REPLACING. INFERIOR MATERIAL USED BY BMW. VERY EXPENSIVE TO REPLACE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10659724

Incident

Nov 5, 2014

Mileage

59,000 mi

PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG SENSOR IS FAULTY, CAUSING THE AIRBAG TO NOT DEPLOY IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH, EVEN THOUGH THERE IS A PASSENGER IN THE CAR. THIS IS A HUGE SAFETY CONCERN, AND MINI NEEDS TO DO A RECALL. THERE ARE THOUSANDS OUT THERE WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. *TR

NHTSA ID

10659255

Incident

Nov 6, 2014

Mileage

50,020 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 MINI COOPER S CONVERTIBLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG SENSOR WAS CONSTANTLY ILLUMINATED. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE SENSOR MALFUNCTIONED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 48,000.

NHTSA ID

10616912

Incident

Aug 22, 2013

Mileage

48,000 mi

THE PASSENGER SEAT AIR BAG SENSOR IS DEFECTIVE, DOES NOT REGISTER THAT ANYBODY IS SITTING IN THE SEAT AND AIRBAG SYSTEM DOES NOT "ARM". AIRBAG DISABLED LIGHTS STAY ILLUMINATED. I'M CONCERNED THAT AIR BAGS WILL NOT DEPLOY PROPERLY IN THE EVENT OF AN ACCIDENT. NEEDS TO BE FIXED. *TR

NHTSA ID

10568190

Incident

Mar 10, 2014

Mileage

107,500 mi

THE SEAT BELT INDICATOR AND AIR BAG INDICATOR LIGHTS HAVE BEEN INTERMITTENTLY COMING ON WHETHER OR NOT SOMEONE IS IN THE SEAT. NOW THE AIR BAG INDICATOR LIGHT IS ALWAYS LIT AND THE SEAT BELT INDICATOR IS STILL INTERMITTENT. I SPOKE TO THE DEALER WE BOUGHT THE CAR FROM AND THEY WILL NOT TEST THE CONDITION UNDER THE WARRANTY. WE PURCHASED THE CAR ON 12/22/2012. IT WILL COST OVER $100 JUST FOR THEM TO TELL US IF THERE IS A MALFUNCTION. SOUNDS AS THOUGH THE REPAIR WILL COST WELL OVER $1,000. FROM RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET, IT SOUNDS AS THOUGH THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM AND BMW RECALLED THE BMW MODELS FOR A SIMILAR ISSUE, BUT MINI WILL NOT FIX THIS KNOWN PROBLEM. I FEEL THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AS WE DO NOT KNOW IF THE AIRBAG SYSTEM IS WORKING PROPERLY OR NOT. THANK YOU FOR ANY ASSISTANCE YOU CAN PROVIDE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10543256

Incident

Apr 30, 2013

Mileage

79,586 mi

IN 2010 MY CAR'S PASSENGER AIR BAG SYSTEM WARNING CAME ON AND I TOOK TO THE DEALER TO HAVE REPAIRED UNDER WARRANTY. THE DEALER REPLACED THE SEAT BECAUSE THE SEAT MAT OCCUPANCY DETECTOR HAD FAILED. IN 2013, THE LIGHTS CAME ON AGAIN. I TOOK BACK TO THE DEALER AND ASKED THEM TO FIX AT NO CHARGE, AS TO HAVE THE SAME SYSTEM FAIL TWICE ON A CAR WITH LESS THAN 50,000 MILES ON IT SIGNALED A DEFECTIVE DESIGN. MINI REFUSED TO REPAIR AT NO COST AND INSTEAD PROVIDED ME WITH A $1,700 ESTIMATE TO REPLACE THE SEAT AND SYSTEM. I HAVE FILED A FORMAL COMPLAINT WITH MINI USA AND AM AWAITING A RESPONSE. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AS THE PASSENGER AIRBAG IS EFFECTIVELY PERMANENTLY OFF. I HAVE READ ON THIS WEBSITE AND ELSEWHERE THAT MANY OWNERS ARE EXPERIENCING SIMILAR ISSUES WITH THIS CAR. *TR

NHTSA ID

10508113

Incident

Mar 1, 2013

Mileage

46,500 mi

PASSENGER SEAT BELT LIGHT COMES ON INTERMITTENTLY. *TR

NHTSA ID

10508106

Incident

Apr 11, 2013

Mileage

46,230 mi

PASS AIR BAG LIGHT STAYS ON. *TR

NHTSA ID

10503510

Incident

Sep 18, 2012

Mileage

107,000 mi

MY 2006 MINI COOPER S HAS A DEFECTIVE PASSENGER SEAT AIR BAG SENSOR, I WAS QUOTED $1200 TO REPLACE IT. THIS IS THE EXACT SAME PART THAT BMW RECALLED IN 2008. BMW RECALLED AROUND 150,000 VEHICLES IN NORTH AMERICA TO FIX A POSSIBLE DEFECT THAT MAY KEEP THE FRONT PASSENGER AIRBAG FROM OPENING IN A CRASH, THE RECALLED CARS INCLUDE 2006 3-SERIES, 2004-06 5-SERIES AND 2004-06 X3 VEHICLES. MINI USES THIS SAME RECALLED PART BEING MADE BY BMW, YET HAS NOT RECALLED THE PART. I KNOW MANY PEOPLE THAT HAVE HAD THIS PART REPLACED AT THERE OWN EXPENSE SEVERAL TIMES. IT IS A HUGE SAFETY HAZARD. *JS BMW RECALL INFORMATION... MANUFACTURER: BMW OF NORTH AMERICA, LLC, MODEL YEAR: 2004, 2005,2006, MODELS AFFECTED:3 SERIES, 5 SERIES, X3, NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 08V384000, POTENTIAL UNITS AFFECTED: 200000,

NHTSA ID

10453479

Incident

Feb 24, 2012

Mileage

85,000 mi

THE PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF LIGHT CAME ON WITH NO ONE IN THE SEAT, WHEN ADULT SAT DOWN THE LIGHT DID NOT GO OFF. ALSO THE AIRBAG FAULT LIGHT CAME ON. THE SEAT BELT WARNING LIGHT DOES NOT COME ON WHEN PASSENGER DOES NOT BUCKLE SEAT BELT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10450809

Incident

Mar 1, 2012

Mileage

62,000 mi

WHILE DRIVING MY 2006 MINI COOPER CONVERTIBLE THE POWER STEERING FAILED WHILE MAKING A TURN ON THE OFF RAMP OF THE HIGHWAY. THE PASSENGER AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT STAYS ON INDICATION THAT THE AIRBAG IS NOT TURNED ON. *TT

NHTSA ID

10446011

Incident

Jan 27, 2012

Mileage

53,650 mi

PASSENGER AIRBAG LIGHT IS ON EVEN IF LESS THEN 25 LBS IS ON THE PASSENGER SEAT. *TT

NHTSA ID

10445955

Incident

Dec 1, 2011

Mileage

40,000 mi

THE PASSENGER SEAT AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT IS ON ALL THE TIME, INDICATING LESS THAN 25 LBS IS ON THE SEAT, EVEN THOUGH THERE IS NOTHING ON THE SEAT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10435626

Incident

Oct 10, 2011

Mileage

60,000 mi