NHTSA Complaint #10449491 — 2005 MINI COOPER

THE AIRBAG LIGHT SAYING THAT THE AIRBAG IS TURNED OFF HAS BEEN TURNING OFF AND ON FOR A WHILE. PROBABLY SEVERAL YEARS. IN THE LAST FEW MONTHS, THE SEAT BELT SIGNAL WILL ACTIVATE EVEN WHEN NO ONE IS SEATED IN THE PASSENGER SEAT. IT USUALLY HAPPENS RIGHT AFTER THE PASSENGER HAS EXITED THE VEHICLE. THE ONLY WAY TO STOP IT IS TO BUCKLE THE SEAT. THEN THE AIRBAG WARNING LAMP ON THE DASHBOARD WILL TURN ON AS WELL AS THE "AIRBAG LIGHT IS OFF" SIGNAL. SOMETIMES BOTH STAY ON FOR A WHILE. THERE IS NO WAY OF KNOWING WHEN AND IF THE AIRBAGS ARE ACTUALLY WORKING WHEN I HAVE A PASSENGER IN MY CAR, WHICH IS FRIGHTENING TO ME. I HAD MY MECHANIC RUN DIAGNOSTICS AND HE FOUND THAT THERE'S A TSB FOR THIS VERY PROBLEM ON 2005 MINIS. IT REQUIRES REPLACEMENT OF THE SENSOR MAT. I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP WHERE I BOUGHT THE CAR TO VERIFY WHETHER SUCH A KEY SAFETY COMPONENT OF THE CAR SHOULDN'T BE UNDER SOME EXTENDED WARRANTY AND WAS TOLD NO IT WASN'T. THE ONLY WAY TO REPAIR THE ISSUE IS TO REPLACE THE BOTTOM SEAT OF THE PASSENGER SIDE WHICH I WAS TOLD WOULD COST $650 + LABOR OF $400 OR SO. THEY ALSO TOLD ME THAT IF I ORDERED THE NEW SEAT AND HAD IT REPLACED BY MY MECHANIC AND THAT DIDN'T RESOLVE THE PROBLEM, THEY WOULD NOT TAKE BACK THE SEAT. THE ONLY WAY IT WOULD BE COVERED IS IF I HAD THEM RUN THE DIAGNOSTIC FOR $95. I THINK IT'S OUTRAGEOUS THAT WITH SO MANY PEOPLE EXPERIENCING THIS SAME KEY SAFETY PROBLEM WITH THEIR CAR THAT THEY CAN GET AWAY WITH NOT EXTENDING THE WARRANTY TO THIS MODEL OR ELSE RECALLING THE ITEM. AND WHAT'S WORSE, THERE IS NO WAY TO BE ASSURED THAT EVEN WHEN THE LIGHTS ARE NOT ON, THAT THE AIRBAGS WILL ACTUALLY DEPLOY PROPERLY IN THE EVENT OF AN ACCIDENT. *TR