NHTSA Complaint #10472382 — 2002 MINI COOPER S

I TOOK MY 2002 MINI COOPER S IN FOR A VIRGINIA STATE SAFETY INSPECTION AND IT FAILED THE INSPECTION BECAUSE THE SRS AIRBAG LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND THEY FOUND THAT THE SEAT BELT TENSIONER AND WIRING TO THE SEAT BELT AND PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG WERE FAULTY. THE DEALER IS CHARGING ME $1,000 TO REPAIR THE PROBLEM. I HAVE SEEN THAT THERE WAS AN INVESTIGATION PE05053 RESULTING IN BMW ACKNOWLEDGING THERE IS AN ISSUE WITH THE FAULTY WIRING AND SEAT BELT TENSIONER. AND IT STATES THAT THE ELECTRICAL RESISTANCE IS HIGH ENOUGH TO ILLUMINATE THE AIRBAG LIGHT BUT DOES NOT EXCEED A LIMIT TO SET THE AIRBAG OFF. MY PROBLEM IS IF THE AIRBAG LIGHT IS ILLUMINATED I CANNOT PASS VIRGINIA'S STRICT SAFETY INSPECTION AND IF IT IS A PROBLEM THAT HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED BY BMW WHY ARE THEY NOT RECALLING ALL VEHICLES TO FIX THIS PROBLEM. MY VEHICLE HAS 81,000 MILES ON IT WAY UNDER THE 150,0000 MILE WARRANTY AND I AM RIGHT AT THE TEN YEAR MARK.BMW TOLD ME THAT THERE IS NOT A RECALL AND THAT THERE IS ONLY A BULLETIN TELLING THE MECHANICS THAT THERE IS AN ISSUE TO BE AWARE OF. BMW WOULD NOT REPAIR THIS UNDER A WARRANTY. *TR