NHTSA Complaint #10692348 — 2008 MINI COOPER

I TOOK MY 2008 MINI COOPER IN FOR ITS ANNUAL SAFETY CHECK AND IT DID NOT PASS. THE FRONT SEAT PASSENGER AIRBAG SENSOR IS FAULTY, IT DOES NOT DETECT THAT THERE IS IN FACT A PERSON OCCUPYING THE SEAT. I FEEL THAT THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE THAT MINI COOPER SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR. THIS IS NOT A NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR ISSUE, AGAIN, IT'S A SAFETY ISSUE. THE PART TO REPLACE THIS SENSOR RANGES FROM $1200-$1400 DEPENDING ON THE RETAILER. THE COST OF THIS PART IS OUTRAGEOUS. THE LABOR HAS BEEN ESTIMATED TO BE 2-4 HOURS DEPENDING ON WHETHER OR NOT THE SEAT NEEDS TO BE COMPLETELY RE-UPHOLSTERED. I STRONGLY FEEL THAT THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL ON THIS FAULTY SENSOR AND THAT MINI COOPER SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR ENSURING THAT THEIR VEHICLE IS SAFE. *TR