NHTSA Complaint #11156742 — 2016 MINI COUNTRYMAN

ON NOV 19, 2018 AT 6:00 PM I WAS DRIVING ON 6 LANE ROADWAY APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH WHEN FRONT DRIVER AIRBAG AND 2 SIDE AIRBAGS (FRONT AND REAR) DEPLOYED FOR NO APPARENT REASON. THE CAR CAME TO AN ABRUPT HALT IN THE INTERSECTION. STUNNED I THOUGHT I HAD HIT SOMEONE. I GOT OUT OF THE CAR BECAUSE THE CAR WAS FILLED WITH SMOKE AND I THOUGHT THE CAR WAS GOING TO CATCH FIRE. THE HORN WAS BLARING NONSTOP. I PUT THE CAR IN PARK, RELEASED MY SEAT BELT. UPON LEAVING THE CAR AN OFF DUTY POLICE OFFICE CAME TO MY ASSISTANCE AND STATED 'MAM, ARE YOU OK? DID SOMEBODY HIT YOU?' I STATED ' I THINK I HIT SOMETHING. HE REPLIED 'YOU DIDN'T HIT ANYTHING AND NOBODY HIT YOU. I WITNESSED THE WHOLE INCIDENT.' WE CALLED A TOW TRUCK AND THE CAR WAS TRANSPORTED TO OUR MECHANICS SHOP. LATER THE NEXT DAY WE HAD IT TOWED TO A BMW BODY SHOP. BMW NORTH AMERICA SENT AN ENGINEER TO THE BODY SHOP TO INVESTIGATE THE CAUSE OF THE DEPLOYMENT OF THE AIRBAGS. WE ARE WAITING FOR THE REPORT FROM BMW.