Owner-reported complaints naming the airbag system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming the air-bag system — deployment behaviour, inflators, sensors and warning lights. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2008 MINI Cooper S submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 30 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
The 25 most recent of 30, in the owner's own words
THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT OCCUPANT DETECTION MAT SENSOR HAS FAILED. THE FRONT PASSENGER AIR BAG IS NOT ACTIVATE IN A CRASH WHEN THE SEAT IS OCCUPIED. RECALLS ACTIVE FOR THIS EXACT ISSUE FOR THE SAME MAKE IN OTHER YEARS AND MODELS ARE CURRENTLY RECALLED HOWEVER OTHERS ARE EXCLUDED.
TO THE BEST OF MY KNOWLEDGE THE AIRBAG SYSTEM IS OFF LINE. THE PASSENGER AIRBAGS DO NOT TURN ON WHEN A PASSENGER IS SEATED. THE PASSENGER AIRBAG INDICATOR LIGHT SHOWS THAT IT IS NOT TURNING ON WITH OR WITHOUT A PASSENGER. ALSO THE DRIVERS SIDE AIRBAG INDICATOR LIGHT COMES ON THE DASHBOARD AND THE TACHOMETER WHEN I START THE VEHICLE. THIS PROBLEM BEGAN WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED AND STATIONARY.
WARNING MESSAGE FOR SEAT BELT TENSION/AIR BAG MALFUNCTION AND BOTH LIGHTS ARE ON. THE VEHICLE HAS 40+ THOUSAND MILES ON IT, I AM A SECOND OWNER. THIS PROBLEM JUST STARTED ON MAY 29, 2020. NO ACCIDENTS FOR THIS VEHICLE. COST FOR REPAIR IS OVER $2000 AND SO FAR THERE'S ONLY RECALLS FOR 2008 CONVERTIBLE WHICH I TOTALLY DON'T UNDERSTAND. THIS LOOKS TO BE AN ONGOING PROBLEM WITH THE MINI AND NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED DUE TO THE AIR BAGS BEING AFFECTED. I CURRENTLY HAVE NO PHOTOS BUT CAN READILY SUPPLY PHOTOS UPON REQUEST. THE SEAT BELT LIGHT/AIR BAG EMBLEM SHOWS ON THE DASH SCREEN WHEN ENTERING THE KEY WHILE STATIONARY, NO ONE IS SITTING IN THE PASSENGER SEAT WHEN THIS HAPPENS AND DOES NOT GO AWAY WHEN OCCUPIED. *TR
PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG SEAT MAT IS DEFECTIVE. JUST STOPPED WORKING. COST TO REPLACE IS OVER $2000. SO, THE WARNING LIGHT FOR DEFECTIVE AIRBAG SENSOR REMAINS ON.
SEAT BELT WARNING LIGHT COMES ON WHEN STARTING CAR. CALLED LOCAL MINI DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD THERE WAS AN "EXTENDED WARRANTY" FOR SEAT MAT SENSOR.
I WAS IN A BAD CAR ACCIDENT IN WHICH MY CAR WAS REAR ENDED. I WAS IN THE VERY MOST RIGHT HAND LANE ON THE HIGHWAY, AT A STOP IN STOP AND GO TRAFFIC. THE VEHICLE BEHIND ME DID NOT STOP, HITTING ME AT APPROXIMATELY 75 MPH. AS A RESULT, MY CAR SPUN OUT TO THE RIGHT AND HIT THE GUARD RAIL ON THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY HEAD ON. THE CAR THEN BOUNCED OFF OF THE GUARD RAIL, AND SPUN ABOUT 180 DEGREES TO THE LEFT, WHERE THE REAR END OF THE CAR THEN HIT THE SAME GUARD RAIL AND FINALLY STOPPED. WHEN THE CAR CRASHED INTO THE GUARD RAIL HEAD ON, THE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY AND I HIT MY HEAD AND MY CHEST AGAINST THE STEERING WHEEL. I SUSTAINED A FRACTURE IN MY T2 VERTEBRAE AND BAD CHEST BRUISING.
AIRBAG PASSENGER SIDE LIGHT ON W ONLY 25000 MILES ON IT, MECHANIC TOLD ME IT'S A SHORT IN THE WIRING CAUSED BY SUNROOF SLICING INTO IT. SAID HE COULD FIX IT BUT HEADLINER HAS TO COME DOWN AND HE DOESN'T DO THAT KIND OF WORK. CONTACTED MINI USA AND WAS TOLD IT'S OUT OF WARRANTY AND DEALER PROB WON'T FIX IT WITHOUT CHARGE. WHEN SOMEONE GETS KILLED OR MAMED, MAYBE THEY'LL RECALL. COST TO REPAIR ABOUT $5K...
STARTING AROUND 65,000 MILES PASSENGER AIRBAG SENSOR APPEARED ON THE DASHBOARD WHEN CAR WOULD BE TURNED ON AND WOULD REMAIN ON WHILE DRIVING EVEN THOUGH NO ONE WAS IN THE PASSENGER SEAT. HAD IT CHECKED BY LOCAL MINI WORKSHOP AND THEY SAID IT WAS DUE TO THE DEFECTIVE PASSENGER AIRBAG MAT IN 2001-2008 MODELS. THEY LOOKED UP MY CAR FOR RECALL USING MY VIN AND MY CAR WAS NOT INCLUDED, THOUGH THE 2008 COOPER S CONVERTIBLE THAT USES THE SAME EXACT PART WAS INCLUDED. THIS MAKES ABSOLUTELY NO SENSE WHATSOEVER. THIS IS A SAFETY RECALL!! ALL MODELS SHOULD BE INCLUDED SINCE ALL MODELS HAVE THE PROBLEM!! IT IS COMPLETELY ABSURD THAT MINI WOULD PICK AND CHOOSE WHICH OF THEIR CUSTOMER'S LIVES THEY WANT TO SAVE. I AM BEING QUOTED BETWEEN $700 AND $1200 TO GET THIS ISSUE FIXED. MINI SHOULD FOOT THAT BILL; THEY INSTALLED A DEFECTIVE PART THAT IS CRUCIAL IN THE SAFETY OF THEIR CUSTOMERS AND THEY NEED TO OWN UP TO IT.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MINI COOPER S. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE SEAT OCCUPANCY MAT WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 63,000.
TAKATA RECALL: MY 2008 MINI COOPER S HARDTOP BEGAN EXPERIENCING ISSUES WITH THE "PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF" LIGHT STAYING LITE WHETHER OR NOT A PASSENGER IS IN THE CAR. ON APRIL 28, 2016, I TOOK MY CAR TO A MINI COOPER DEALERSHIP TO HAVE THE ISSUE DIAGNOSED (AT A COST OF $53.95). THE DIAGNOSIS STATES "FAULT PASSENGER SIDE SEAT MAT SENSOR" (INVOICE COPY ATTACHED). I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY MY VEHICLE THAT MEETS THE CRITERIA FOR THE APRIL 2015 AIR-BAG RECALL EXCEPT IT IS A HARDTOP INSTEAD OF A CONVERTIBLE IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. TO FIX THIS ITEM WILL BE OVER 1300. MY CAR ONLY HAS 14,000 MILES ON IT. DUE TO THE COST, AT THIS POINT I DO NOT PLAN ON HAVING IT FIXED AND WILL SAY MY PRAYERS EVERY TIME I TRAVEL WITH A PASSENGER IN THE VEHICLE.
THE SEAT OCCUPANCY SENSOR MALFUNCTIONS. THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG MAY NOT DEPLOY EVEN IF THE PASSENGER SIDE SEAT IS OCCUPIED. THE AIRBAG LIGHT SOMETIMES STAYS ON, WHILE SOMETIMES GOES AWAY. MINI HAS RECALLED SEVERAL CARS FOR SEAT OCCUPANCY SENSOR MAT FAULT BUT MY CAR ISN'T ON THE LIST. THE LIGHT STAYS ON WHEN VEHICLE IS STATIONARY AND ALSO WHILE RUNNING. I'M UNABLE TO USE THE PASSENGER SEAT FOR SAFETY CONCERN. THE AIRBAG LIGHT GOES AWAY ON ITS OWN AS WELL BUT TURNS BACK ON WITHIN A FEW MILES.
PASSENGERS AIR BAG APPEARS OFF WHEN SOMEONE ARE SEAT. THIS EVOLVE A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE IN CASE OF ACCIDENT.
AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ON. PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF DESPITE SOMEONE SITTING IN THAT SEAT
I BOUGHT THIS CAR USED WITH 86,100 MILES ON IT. WHEN DRIVING WITHIN THE FIRST 500 MILES, THE AIRBAG LIGHT AND SEAT BELT RESTRAINT SYSTEM INDICATED ON MY DASH (BOTH THE TACHOMETER AND THE SPEEDOMETER). AN ALERT FOR THE AIRBAG APPEARS AS AN ICON ON THE TACHOMETER. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP WHO INDICATED THE AUTO GOT WET WHICH CAUSED THE AIR BAG MODULE TO FAIL, WHICH NOW NEEDS REPLACEMENT AT A RIDICULOUSLY HIGH COST.
AIR BAG WARNING WITH THE FAULT CODE 93C3 WHICH HAS CAUSED A RECALL OF 91 THOUSAND VEHICLES... MY MINI S IS NOT A RECALL CAR. (ON THE SAME GRID AS THE RECALLED MINI'S...SAME OEM REPAIR PARTS) MINI USA REPRESENTATIVE [JAMIE] SUGGESTED I REMOVE THE AIR BAG AND PUT A SIGN UP IN THE DASH INDICATING 'NO AIR BAG" IF I DID NOT WANT TO PAY THE $1500.00+ IN REPAIIR COST... AND THAT WILL ALLOW ME TO PASS THE STATE INSPECTION.
THE MILEAGE ON THE VEHICLE 16600MILES. THE WARNING LIGHT FOR THE FRONT PASSENGER AIRBAG GOES ON INTERMITTENTLY. THE LIGHT FOR THE FRONT PASSENGER AIRBAG ILLUMINATES "OFF". TOOK TO DEALERSHIP AND FOUND THE PASSENGER SEAT MAT FAULTY. STARTED FLICKERING WHILE DRIVING BUT NOW THE LIGHT IS ON CONSTANTLY WHEN START CAR AND DRIVING. I HAVE READ THAT THERE IS A RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM FOR VEHICLES MANUFACTURED UP TO JULY 2008. MY MINI S SHOWS A PRODUCTION DATE 8/01/08. I HAD THIS CAR BUILT TO MY SPECIFICATION IN JULY 2008. I HAVE PAID FOR THE PART BECAUSE I BELIEVE THIS IS FOR THE SAFETY FOR WHOM EVER RIDES WITH ME BUT THE PART IS ON BACKORDER AND WE ARE WAITING FOR IT TO ARRIVE FROM GERMANY. BMW/MINI HAVE NOT RESOLVED THE ISSUE IF IT IS STILL HAPPENING. THE COST TO REPAIR IS APPROX.$ 2153.00. IF I WAIT TILL I GET A RECALL AND THERE IS A FATALITY.....? IF AT A LATER DATE A RECALL IS MADE FOR MY VEHICLE CAN I GET THE FULL COST REIMBURSED?
PASSENGER AIRBAG LIGHT SAY LITE EVEN THOUGH NO ONE IS SEATED IN THE PASSENGER SEAT. DEALER SAID KNOWN ISSUE BUT NOT PART OF RECALL. QUOTED A VERY HIGH PRICE TO HAVE REPAIRED.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MINI COOPER S. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED, THE AIR BAG WARNING INDICATOR WAS CONSISTENTLY ILLUMINATED. THE FAILURE RECURRED EACH TIME THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, BUT THE FAILURE WAS UNABLE TO BE DETERMINED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V205000 (AIR BAGS). THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 50,000.
WITHOUT BEING INVOLVED IN ANY INCIDENT, THE AIRBAG AND SEAT BELT WARNING LIGHTS STAY ON. THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF COMPLAINTS ONLINE ON MINIS AND BMWS AROUND A FAULTY AIRBAG/PASSENGER SEAT SENSOR AND IT APPEARS TO BE A MANUFACTURING DEFECT THAT COULD BE RISKING MANY LIVES. MINI NEEDS TO DIAGNOSE/INVESTIGATE AND EXTEND RECALLS TO ALL VEHICLES THAT HAVE FAULTY MANUFACTURING.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MINI COOPER S. WHILE THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT WAS OCCUPIED, THE AIR BAG FAILURE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED, INDICATING THAT THE ENTIRE AIR BAG SYSTEM WAS DEACTIVATED. THE FAILURE RECURRED EACH TIME A PASSENGER WAS SEATED IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE SEAT OCCUPANCY MAT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 79,500. UPDATED 09/25/15*LJ UPDATED
(SORRY FOR MY ENGLISH) THE CAR TURN ON THE PASSENGER AIR BAG SENSOR EVERY TIME. I DONT HAVE PASSENGERS ANY TIME BUT THIS PROBLEM APPEARED. THERE IS A MINI RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEMS BUT THEY TOLD ME THAT MY CAR IS NOT IN THE RECALL LIST.
PASSENGER AIRBAG LIGHTS ON, THE DEALER SAID AIRBAG WORKS FINE. I FEEL THERE IS PROBLEM WITH AIR BAG OTHERWISE WARNING LIGHT SHOULD NOT BE ON.
AIRBAG AND SEATBELT LIGHT REMAIN ON IN THE VEHICLE. I WILL NOT PAY THE OUTRAGEOUS AMOUNT OF MONEY THE DEALERSHIP WANTS THE FIX OR REPLACE WHATEVER IS WRONG WITH IT. MAYBE ILL BE THE FIRST PERSON INJURED BECAUSE OF THIS FAULT THAT A RECALL ACTUALLY IS ISSUED FOR THIS DEFECT. *TR
FAILURE OF FRONT PASSENGER SEAT OCCUPANT DETECTION MAT. THE SAME BMW SEAT OCCUPANCY DETECTION MAT (OC3) THAT WAS REFERRED TO IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 08V-384 HAS BEEN FAILING IN MINI COOPERS ON A WIDE SCALE. THIS CAUSES THE AIRBAG TO BE DEACTIVATED WHICH IS A SAFETY HAZARD WHEN OCCUPANTS OCCUPY THE SEAT AND ARE INVOLVED IN A CRASH WHERE THE AIRBAG'S ACTIVATION COULD PLAY A SIGNIFICANT ROLE IN SURVIVABILITY. I BELIEVE THE INVESTIGATION SHOULD INCLUDE OTHER BMW CORPORATE MAKES AND MODELS, SUCH AS MINI, WHICH INVOLVE THE SAME SEAT SENSOR. *TR
PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG SENSOR IS GOING OFF WHEN EITHER A PASSENGER OF AVERAGE WEIGHT (150LBS.) IS OCCUPYING SEAT OR A SMALL BUMP IN ROAD IS HIT. THE AIR BAG SENSOR FOR WIRING AND SEAT CUSHION REPLACEMENT IS NO LONGER UNDER A WARRANTY FOR 2008 MODEL, BUT IS A KNOWN PROBLEM COSTING APPROXIMATELY $1200.00 TO REPAIR AT THE DEALER. THE 2002-2006 MODELS HAD RECALL BY MINI FOR THIS. ALONG WITH THE BELOW SERVICE BULLETIN. SERVICE BULLETIN NO.: SIM-65-08-03 COMPONENT(S): AIR BAGS NHTSA ID NUMBER: 10043927 MANUFACTURER: BMW OF NORTH AMERICA, LLC SUMMARY: BMW MINI: AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT IS ON: MRS FC 02, 03, 05, 06. *KB I WOULD LIKE A RECALL ON THIS MADE FOR THE 2008 MODEL AS THIS IS A MASSIVE SAFETY ISSUE AS I DON'T KNOW IF IN AN ACCIDENT EITHER DRIVER OR PASSENGER AIRBAG WILL DEPLOY. WITHOUT A RECALL OWNERS MUST PAY $1200 FOR WHAT IS A KNOWN DEFECT BY MINI. DOES SOMEONE HAVE TO GET INJURIES FOR THIS TO BECOME A RECALL? *TR
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
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