Problems with 2005 MINI Cooper S AIR BAGS

When adjusting the driver and passenger seats, the airbag light illuminated. after researching online, i conducted troubleshooting. i verified that the wiring harnesses and connectors for the airbag sensors under both seats had come loose, and certain wires de-pinned. the car was running, and parked when this occurred.

2005 mini cooper s was traveling 50mph when it hit icy bridge spun around and rolled 3 times driver was wearing a seatbelt and passenger was not and got ejected and died.no airbags deployed. hwy 299.*dt *js

The passenger seat occupancy mat was replaced by recall on 10/28/2016. on 10/2018 i noticed that when there is a passenger in the seat with their seat belt on the air bag was off, in 1 weeks time the passenger side seat belt light was on all the time and the air bag is off all the time with or without someone occuping the seat. reguardless if the car is idiling or going down the rode. at least before the recalled mat sensor was replaced the seat mat sensor worked most of the time. now it does not work at all. i took it to the dealership and they tested the oc3 mat (passenger side mat sensor) and said there are multiple codes for the oc3 mat and they found internal faults and it requires replacement again. they said this recall is no longer under warrenty and i need to pay over 1500.00 to have it replaced. it is unsafe for me to have a passenger in my car if we got into an accident their airbag would not be on, there for they would have no airbags to deploy to try and protect them. how is this my fault? they replaced my mat sensor with another faulty one that is worse then the first one. how long are the warrenties for recalls and the parts replaced? i have the papers from the dealership stating what i just reported to you.

Airbag light illuminated at all times. dealership reports $1200 to replace sensor for passenger seat and may impact all airbags if not fixed.

I have a safety recall (no. 25v-205), an air bag problem, issued last june and have now received another recall ((15v-660). the first recall has yet to be repaired.the air bag "off" light is on all the time. i have contacted mini and the dealer twice and they tell me there is not a fix yet. i think 6 months is long enough for an air bag problem. i have not had a problem with the second recall, a steering problem, but i assume it could happen. i am concerned that the combination of these two creates an extra dangerous condition. i asked mini if they would pay for a rental when i needed to have a passenger. they refused. this is my only vehicle and i have no other choice.

Tl* the contact owns a 2005 mini cooper s. the contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 15v205000 (air bags) however, the part to do the repair was unavailable. the contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the repair. the manufacturer was made aware of the issue. the contact had not experienced a failure. updated 11/18/15*lj the consumer stated she paid for an air bag sensor two years. updated 12/15/15. *jb

Tl* the contact owns a 2005 mini cooper s. the contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 15v205000 (air bags) and stated that the part was not available within a reasonable timeframe to schedule the recall repair. the dealer did not give a specific date for when the part would become available. the manufacturer could not provide an estimated date for when the contact's vehicle would receive the recall repair. the contact was not experiencing a failure.

Tl* the contact owns a 2005 mini cooper s. the contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 15v205000 (air bags); however, the part needed to do the repair was unavailable. the contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. in addition, the contact stated that the air bag warning light illuminated. the manufacturer was made aware of the issue. the failure mileage was approximately 32,000.

My passenger air bag has been inactive for over two years due to a problem with the seat sensor. i recently saw there was a recall for this issue, but according to my vin my vehicle has no open recalls so it would seem i'm not covered by the current recall even though i have the issue. can you please investigate and let me know as i would love to get this faulty safety feature repaired!

My passenger air bag sensor lights goes on and off. it does not matter if a person is in the seat. i don't know if the air bags will work or not. my research on the internet suggest this is a common problem with the minin passenger weight sensor similar to the ones in bmws. *tr

The airbag light that warns of the passenger airbag being turned off comes on sometimes when nobody is in the seat and sometimes when a full sized adult is in the seat. *tr from what i have read this means the airbag sensor is defective and the airbag could either fail to work or deploy when it should not. i have learned that bmw issued recalls for many of their cars built with this particular seat sensor but have not done so with the mini. are you aware of a recall for the mini? we are very worried about using this car to carry a passenger but we have to do so every day. your help will be greatly appreciated.

In an offset frontal accident, both front airbags deployed even with the front passenger seat unoccupied. based upon information provided about this vehicle, the passenger side air bag should not have deployed. this appears to be a defect related to the operation of the air bag deployment system. the driver of this vehicle suffered a serious second degree burn approximately 2 inches in diameter to the inside of the right wrist. the long sleeve sweater driver was wearing had a large hole burned thru it in the location of the burn to the wrist. this burn was caused by the air bag hot gas discharge. hands were between the 9 & 10 and 2 & 3 o'clock positions on the steering wheel. driver was sitting correctly positioned relative to steering wheel and was properly wearing the seat belt. *tr

About 1 week after i bought the car, the passenger air bag off light comes on when i have a passenger and the airbag malfunction sign comes on the dash. in the manual it says :in the event of a malfunction, have the airbag system checked immediately. otherwise, there is a risk that the system will not function as intended in response to a severe impact occurring within the system's normal triggering range. i have bumper to bumper warranty but they told me it is not a safety issue and i have to pay 100 to have it looked at. i just want to make sure everything is okay. but i do not have the money to do that. *tr

Air bag indicator came on, and the "passenger air bag off" indicator came on simultaneously. called mini cooper of pensacola, fl and they said the car was not eligible for repair. they said the bag would deploy if their was an accident at full force. i bought the car for my grand daughter and feel the air bags should be active and operable for the life of the vehicle. there are numerous complaints on the internet about this issue. i feel bmw is negligent in not recalling these vehicles and correcting a major flaw, and inherent safety issue. *tr

Srs light came on...passenger seat sensor issue. *tr

The air bag light is on and says the passenger air bag is turned off. it appears that there is a weight sensor in the seat and it is defective. i have researched this issue on the internet and have found this to be a common problem. one of my concerns is that there is conflicting information not there as to weather the air bags will work or not in this condition. the dealer fix cost between 1000 and 1200 dollars to fix. these safety items should last the life of the car and not cost this much to repair. why isn't bmw recalling this car and fixing an obvious defect? *tr

Passenger safety indicator light remains on. called local mini service center after reading multiple complaints on this issue and they stated they (mini usa) have/will not service/repair the faulty seat module. this must be considered as a safety issue for the passenger and should be dealt with under an extended warranty or recall. *tr

My air bag light on the passenger side is on. mini dealer says it is a broken sensor in the seat. i checked online forums and this is a common problem lots of complaints. mini will not correct the problem unless i pay. it seems as if this is a safety issue and not an isolated case. i would think because of the nature of the problem there should be a recall. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2005 mini cooper s. the contact stated while driving at various speeds, the two air bag lights illuminated stating that the air bags were off despite a passenger being in the seat. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic for diagnosis and the contact was informed that the passenger side air bag mat sensor would need to be replaced. the manufacturer was notified but they offered no assistance. the vehicle had not been repaired. the failure and current mileage was 74,000.

Passenger bag system has not worked for over two years. *tr

Airbag light on center display as well as yellow airbag off light on overhead console intermittently appear and disappear for no apparent reason. mini want over $1500 to replace a seat bottom pad sensor. *tr

Passenger airbag off warning light on. dealer wants $1800 to fix defective system. *tr

When passenger exited vehicle, light airbag off notification came on. this happens every time someone exits the passenger seat. also airbag warning light & seatbelt not buckled light come on. *tr

The passenger air bag weight sensor stop working. as a result my vehicle displays a warning that the passenger side air bags are off. my driver side fog light housing melted and crack apart. i used stock 55w halogen bulbs. my passenger side fog light housing has also begun to melt. my power steering is not leaking now. but it has been replaced 3 times. *tr

While driving on the freeway to sacramento, ca from alameda, ca, for no apparent reason, my red dashboard air bag warning light and the roof-mounted yellow passenger airbag disable warning indicator light both came on. the roof-mounted yellow light then went out after about 5 minutes, but the red dashboard air bag warning light has remained on every time the ignition was turned on. *tr

The occupancy sensor has failed. this causes the airbags to be unarmed while the vehicle is in use. i have contacted mini about the problem. they covered the repair on certain vehicles, but not mine. this is a safety issue, and it should be covered on all vehicles that it has occurred on, regardless of mileage. the repair is very expensive, and should be covered. *tr

Air bag light keeps coming on due to faulty oc sensors, and faulty oc sensor connectors. mini usa refused extended warranty on sensor, or recall while passenger safety is in jeopardy. the passenger side air bag warning indicator illuminated until the engine was turned off. the failure occurred whenever the engine was in operation. the vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer who stated the front passenger seat sensor pad was faulty and would need to be replaced. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was notified of the problem in which there was no resolution. the approximate failure mileage was 35,000. i believe this is a safety related issue that should be addressed by the dealer as a warranty issue as i am not comfortable with the current situation but do not want to pay for an expensive safety related defect. i am the original owner of the vehicle and still have it. part failed is a seat sensor. dealer wants close to $2k to replace it, but it failed a long, long, long time ago. i would think it should last longer than 2 or 3 years. can find tons of the same problems at http://www.northamericanmotoring.com/forums/stock-problems-issues-9-2.html *jb

Both airbag warnig lights come on when someone sits in front pass seat. when the "passenger airbag status lamp" is on that means no one is in the front passenger seat. if someone is sitting in the passenger side front seat while it's on and there is an accident the airbag might not deploy b/c the car thinks someone isn't in the seat. *js

Air bag light keeps coming on due to faulty oc sensors, and faulty oc sensor connectors. mini usa refuses extended warranty on sensor, or recall while passenger safety is in jeopardy. *tr

I had returned home to california after living in hawaii for a few months. i got in my car, drove it for a few days, only to find that while on one of those drives my airbag light illuminated. not one person had driven my car since i had been gone. i took my car into bmw and after paying $180 for just a diagnostic fee, i am now told that my "passenger side floor mat sensor" has gone bad and will need replacing for $1,600. they said they would have to replace my entire seat for this. bmw has, supposedly, recognized this same exact issue in other bmw models on the passenger floor side and is indeed a manufacturers defect and has recalled bmws accordingly. however, with the minis, they have not fessed up to this being a manufacturers defect and the dealer now wants $1,600 from me. i have absolutely zero motivation to pay for something that did not break under my watch, and something that is clearly a manufacturers defect. my car was sitting in a garage under a car cover for 3 months, and there is no way with just 50,000 miles on my car that this should be happening. because i refuse to give them $1,600, my passengers are now at risk for an airbag either a) going off when not supposed to, or b) not working at all. i pay top dollar for this car and it is an absolute disgrace that bmw will not recognize that this is a safety issue above all. i am really hoping that someone will not have to lose their life over this faulty airbag that they are trying to make customers pay for. i expect top service from a top brand like mini and bmw, and so far they have not taken responsibility for an issue that is clearly their fault. *tr

Passenger seat airbag sensor failed. *tr

Passenger seat occupancy sensor/mat failed causing airbag "off" warning light and possibly (conflicting info from publicly-available sources) turning off passenger seat airbag triggering function. the cost of replacing this component is such a large portion of the airbag system purchase price and the fact that it may also be essential for the system's proper functioning, make it seem reasonable that it should be warrantied for the life of the (airbag) system itself, or a "fix" engineered and installed at no cost to a vehicle owner. *tr

The airbag sensor in the passenger side seat does not correctly detect a person sitting in it. when a passenger is in the seat, the airbag sensor stays "off". *tr

Passenger airbag, front seat, sensor has a fault or short in it. intermittently, while adult passenger is in seat, the warning light turns on, and passenger airbag "off" warning light comes on--thus shutting off the passenger airbag. this a known issue with the 2005 and 2006 mini coopers and a serious safety issue. in this past month the frequency has increased to approximately 99% where the passenger has no safety protection as air bag is shut off. to date mini is not warrantying this defect and it is a very expensive repair. i think a safety recall should be issued asap. *tr

The airbag warning light comes on intermittently. the repair shop says the sensor under the passenger seat is bad. bmw has known about this issue for several years and issued a 10 year 150,000 mile extended warranty and recall for approximately 150,000 vehicles over model years 2004 - 2006. for some reason they refuse to include the 2005 mini cooper s in the extended warranty and want ~$2,000 to replace the entire seat bottom for the defective sensor. this is a safety issue caused by a known and admitted defective part. mini should issue a recall and replace the defective sensor under extended warranty as their parent company bmw has done for various models affected by the same defect. *tr

Air bag sensor lights remain illuminated when ignition is powered. seat can be either occupied or unoccupied. initial problem intermittent, within 1 month problem constant, both airbag lights remain on. there are (2) airbag lights in this vehicle, one red lamp that is in the dash, the second a yellow lamp located near the inside center rear view mirror. feedback appears that the issue is the airbag sensor located in the passenger seat bottom after studying several similar complaints commented on a mini owners website. this is also a known problem occurring on bmw vehicles that is covered under warranty. *js

Very disappointed to find out that a vehicle i have taken exceptional care of to avoid costly repairs has also had the occupancy mat go bad out of the blue.... i wasn't even driving the car! i held out hope that the repair would be covered under warranty, and was told off the record by the service advisor that this issue has been one of the biggest complaints he receives and in his opinion has cost mini a tremendous amount of repeat business. it is very hard to swallow the $1400 repair when it is evident that this is a manufactures problem which will cost someone their life one day; maybe then they will do the right thing and fix their problems. like toyota; it took people dying for them to address the accelerator problem. sad, very sad. *tr

Passenger side "air bag" off light is on all of the time and thus, the passenger air bag will not be deployed in an collision. have had sensor worked on, system flashed by bmw, etc to resolve issue. bmw unable to resolve without extensive cost. *tr

The passenger airbag srs floor mat sensor is damaged and may cause the passenger airbag to not deploy in the case of an accident. the srs airbag light is illuminated. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2005 mini cooper s. while driving approximately 35 mph, the passenger side air bag warning indicator illuminated until the engine was turned off. the failure occurred whenever the engine was in operation. the vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer who stated the front passenger seat sensor pad was faulty and would need to be replaced. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was notified of the problem in which there was no resolution. the approximate failure mileage was 41,000.

The airbag light for the passenger seat comes on intermittently when someone is sitting in the seat. also, the light which indicates the passenger side airbag is off comes on when someone is sitting in the passenger seat. certainly, this is a safety issue and we believe bmw/mini should fix this at no charge. *tr

The airbag light in the car shows that the airbag is off when there is someone sitting in the front passenger seat. the light comes on and then goes off, over and over again, whenever the seat is occupied. this indicates to me that the person sitting in the seat has no reliable airbag protection. this has been going on for over three years in my car. original complaint was on 5/31/11. still no action. emailed mini usa and they told me there were no recalls and offered no help. this was done about one month ago. do we have to wait until people start dying before this safety issue is fixed by mini? i am not the only mini owner having this problem. bmw has recalled cars having this same problem. they deemed this a safety issue. why shouldn't mini? can you help with this problem? *tr

The airbag light on the dash came on while driving. there was no accident or incident that prompted the light to come on. apparently, minis produced three months after this vehicle are included in a recall or "extended warranty" by the manufacturer for airbag sensor lights, but not this specific vehicle. based on discussions with dealer service, it could be a very costly repair, estimated at $1200. it seems very strange that vehicles manufactured so close to the covered time period are also having issues. perhaps mini needs to consider expanding the scope of the airbag sensor extended warranty.

Around 2 years ago, while driving with a passenger in the front passenger seat and while driving without a passenger in the front seat, the light comes on indicating that the passenger air bag is off. this is extremely concerning that the car's passenger airbag might not be working, particularly with a passenger in the front seat. this malfunction has been reported on other forums to be linked to a faulty sensor in the car seat, and a nhtsa service bulletin (id number: 10043927) has been filed. i hope that nhtsa can conduct an investigation into whether a recall should occur, given the safety concern of potentially not having a passenger airbag go off if a passenger is in the front seat and an accident occurs. *tr

I have a 2005 mini cooper s with 60,000 miles on it and about 55,000 miles the airbag warning lamp and passenger airbag off lamp illuminated intermittently. at 58,000 miles it has stayed on constantly. after researching the issue i took the car to a trusted mechanic and he diagnosed that the weight sensor pad in the seat cushion is defective and would require the car to go to the dealer to be replaced. i feel that this is a safety issue and the dealer should issue a recall on the vehicle since it is a well known problem. i have attempted to contact miniusa by email and have been waiting over a week for a response. *ln

2005 mini cooper warning lights indicated the passenger side air bag turned off while an adult passenger was in the passenger seat. issue started during a cold ny winter after 5 yrs of fault free operation. normally the passenger seat will sense the weight of a passenger and automatically adjust the force of a deploying airbag. dealer reported faulty seat mat sensor with a replacement cost of $1300 which is not covered by warranty. after extensive internet search for similar problems, these sensor mats fail at a regular rate, and are not covered by any recall. due to the high cost and repeated failure these repairs are not being performed. *tr

I have a 2005 mini cooper. the airbag sensor in the passenger seat failed around 50,000 miles. i was told that the passenger seat had to be replaced at a cost of $1400.00. this is a know issue with this year of mini cooper s. dealships need to be aware of this problem and mini/bmw needs to have a recall. *tr

The srs light was on and wouldn't go out. the dealer checked it and said that the passenger seat mat is defective and it was a hard fault which prevents the air bag from working. the light sometimes goes out but usually stays on. they would not warranty this and wanted $1330 to repair it. the passenger seat has probably only been sat in 10% of the time. *tr

Passenger air bag sensor is defective. the passenger air bag off light, illuminates 3-4 seconds after engine start, along with the red air bag failure light, on the main speedometer. this occurs, whether there is a passenger in the seat, or not, due to this safety defect. mini cooper dealers, deny this is a problem, however, i have found over 40 other complaints registered on this exact defect !!! major repair cost from the dealer, to change the whole bottom seat cushion assembly, which includes the defective air bag sensor, that separates from the seat cushion, after a short time! *js

Initially we were parked with a large adult who weighs ~200lbs sitting in the passenger seat, and the passenger airbag off lights illuminated. shifting around and unbuckling-rebuckling seatbelt caused the lights to go off for a bit. we began to drive anyway, the terrain was mountainous, and eventually the lights went off. that night. in the following weeks and months, it was an intermittent problem, sometimes upon getting seated and starting to drive, other times once we were in motion, very unpredictable. the problem sometimes resolved by shifting his weight or fussing with the seatbelt to get the lights off, but for the past month it has been a constant problem. *tr