2002 MINI Cooper Air Bags & Restraints Problems

Unoccupied passenger side airbags; all front & backseat bags deployed after passenger side tires hit pothole on road. Pieces of interior, including decorative plastic, interior light covers were projected across cabin & hit me. I had no idea what had happened. Car shut off shortly after incident. It was night, I was sitting in middle of my lane, unable to start Mini. Good samaritans helped push it into parking lot while waiting for assistance. After 15 minutes, car started and was driven home. I had slight injuries from being hit by hard material projectiled across cabin. Very thankful I was the only occupant because if a passenger had been in the seat, they would have most definitely sustained injuries. I had to cut the airbags out in order to have clear lines of sight before driving the following day. I’m fearful that the drivers side air bags may do this as well. I have owned this vehicle since 2004. Not aware of history prior to 2004;(accidents, original airbags?). only know it came from a Dealer in CA. (Possibly “Friendship” may be name of town or dealership). I have not had repairs made yet. I don’t drive this vehicle daily. There are no police reports since there was no need. No insurance claims since 2002 model. There were no malfunctions with the warning light prior to incident. However, the following day when I drove, the airbag indicator light came on for passenger side. I did not find a recall but not sure if I would for a 22 year old vehicle.

AT 140,000 MILE: + AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON. DEALER SAID THAT THE AIRBAG COMPUTER MODULE WILL COST $1,000 TO REPLACE. I SEE ON-LINE BLOGS AND NHTSA HAVE HAD NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ON THE AIR BAG DASH LIGHT COMING ON AND NHTSA IS STILL INVESTIGATING.

I WAS EXITING FROM 35TH STREET IN NEWPORT NEWS, VA ONTO THE WARWICK BLVD OFF RAMP IN TRAFFIC, COASTING WITH THE BRAKES AT ABOUT 5 MPH, WHEN I WAS REAR ENDED BY A NAVY OPERATED FLAT NOSE SCHOOL BUS, WHICH FORCED MY VEHICLE INTO A LATE MODEL CHEVY TRAILBLAZER. MY AIR BAGS (FRONT AND SIDE) DID NOT DEPLOY, AND WHEN I CAME TO REST MY SEAT BACK HAD RECLINED AGAINST MY CHILD'S CAR SEAT (CHILD WAS NOT IN VEHICLE). THE RIGHT REAR UNIBODY WAS CREASED DUE TO THE IMPACT FROM THE BUS. I SUFFERED NECK, BACK, AND SPINE TRAUMA. THE DRIVER OF THE TRAILBLAZER COMPLAINED OF NECK PAIN AT THE SCENE. LOCAL NEWPORT NEWS FIRE AND RESCUE UNITS ARRIVED ON SCENE, AS WELL AS A VIRGINIA STATE TROOPER. THE TROOPER HANDLED THE ACCIDENT. *TR

THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED USED IN 2011, SOON THERE AFTER THE AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON, IT WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL REPAIR SHOP AND THE AIR BAG LIGHT WAS RESET, I WAS ADVISED BY THE SHOP OWNER THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM IN THE OLDER MINI. HE ALSO ADVISED THAT IT IS EXTREMELY EXPENSIVE, AS MINI USA BASICALLY THROWS ALL NEW PARTS AT IT AT THE OWNERS EXPENSE WITHOUT REALLY GETTING TO THE BOTTOM OF THE PROBLEM. THE AIR BAG LIGHT ILLUMINATED AGAIN IN JULY OF 2015, RIGHT AFTER I HAD RETURNED FROM VACATION, APPARENTLY THE PARKING VALET HAD SLID THE SEAT BACK AND MOST LIKELY STRETCHED THE AIR BAG SEAT HARNESS. THIS IS A PROVEN DEFECT WHICH MINI USA HAS FINALLY ADDRESSED WITH A RECALL OF 2005 TO 2008 MODELS ONLY. IT IS RELATED TO A FAULTY SEAT HARNESS THAT CANNOT DETECT WHETHER A PASSENGER IS IN THE RIGHT SEAT. IT IS ALSO BEEN SHOWN THAT IN MOST CASES THE AIRBAGS WILL NOT DEPLOY IN AN ACCIDENT.

THE AIRBAG SENSOR IN THE SEAT CUSHION HAS FAILED AND A WARNING LIGHT NOW PERMANENTLY SHOWS ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE PASSENGER AIRBAG MAY NOT FUNCTION AS DESIGNED. *TR

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

THE AIRBAG LIGHT WAS ON IN MY MINI. THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE CABLE TENSIONER, BUT ON MODELS OF 2003 AND ABOVE. I AM WANTING YOU TO RECONSIDER THE YEAR OF THIS RECALL TO INCLUDE 2002. I NEEDED TO REPLACE THE REP CABE F SEAT SIDE AIRBAG, REP CABLE BEL TENSIONER, CABLE STRAP, CABLE CONNECTOR, SHRINKING HOSE AND CABLE STRAP WITH BRACKET FOR A COST OF 800. THE AFFECT OF THIS DEFECT IN THE CAR IS FOR THE CAR TO BE UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE WEIGHT OF THE PASSENGER IN THE CAR IN ORDER TO DEPLOY THE AIRBAG PROPERLY. *TR

THE AIRBAG SENSOR IN THE SEAT CUSHION HAS FAILED AND A WARNING LIGHT NOW PERMANENTLY SHOWS ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE PASSENGER AIRBAG MAY NOT FUNCTION AS DESIGNED. UPDATED 11/25/15*LJ UPDATED 2/5/2016 *JS UPDATED 11/07/2017*CN

EVER SINCE BUYING THIS CAR USED IN JANUARY OF 2012, THE SRS WARNING LIGHT HAS BEEN ON. THE CAR STORE WE BOUGHT THE VEHICLE FROM DID CANCEL THE CODE WHEN WE DISCOVERED IT WAS ON AFTER PURCHASE. HOWEVER, THE CODE CAME BACK. WE BROUGHT IT TO BE FIXED, AND I BELIEVE SOMEONE ELIMINATED THE COUPLER UNDER THE PASSENGER SEAT, WIRING THE SEAT TO THE ECU DIRECTLY, BY CRIMPING WIRES TOGETHER. STILL, THE LIGHT CAME BACK ON. IT HAS BEEN ON CONSTANTLY FOR OVER A YEAR NOW. I HAVE SOLDERED THE WIRES UNDER THE PASSENGER SEAT TOGETHER, AS ONE CONNECTION SEEMED BROKEN, HOPING THIS WOULD ELIMINATE THE LIGHT. I BOUGHT A CODE READER TO RESET THE LIGHT, BUT THE CODES ONLY TEMPORARILY DISAPPEAR AND AFTER BLINKING A FEW TIMES THE LIGHT IS BACK ON. I DO NOT KNOW, NOR DO I HAVE CONFIDENCE IN KNOWING, WHETHER OR NOT THE AIR BAG WOULD DEPLOY IN CASE OF AN ACCIDENT. I HOPE NEVER TO FIND OUT, OF COURSE. BUT I DO KNOW THAT THE AIR BAG LIGHT BEING ON IS A CONSISTENT AND PERSISTENT PROBLEM WITH MINI COOPERS BUILT FROM 2002 - 2006. AND I KNOW THAT THERE HAS BEEN NO RECALL, NOR AN EXTENDED WARRANTY THAT WOULD COVER WORK THAT APPARENTLY WILL COST AROUND $2,000 AT A DEALER REPAIR SHOP. WITH THE RECENT RECALL OF AIR BAGS MADE BY JAPANESE AIR BAG MAKER TAKATA, INCLUDING THOUSANDS OF BMWS MADE IN A SIMILAR TIME FRAME AS THE AIR BAGS IN MY MINI COOPER, I AM ALSO WONDERING IF THE MINI AIR BAGS ARE MADE BY TAKATA, AND SENSIBLY WORRY ABOUT THEIR SAFETY SHOULD THE IN FACT DEPLOY AS DESIGNED. BMW HAS RECALLED SOME OF THEIR OWN CARS FOR AIR BAG LIGHT ISSUES, INVOLVING SEAT SENSORS, BUT NOT ON THE MINI, EVEN THOUGH BOTH CARS USE IDENTICAL COMPONENTS. IT IS TIME FOR BMW TO TAKE OWNERSHIP OF A SERIOUS PROBLEM THE AIR BAG SYSTEMS IN THEIR EARLY MINI COOPERS. I WOULD HOPE THAT YOU CAN FORCE THE ISSUE, AS THIS CERTAINLY IS A SAFETY ISSUE WHICH EXISTS/PERSISTS ON THOUSANDS OF VEHICLES SOLD IN THE US. *TR

THE AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT CAME ON IN MY 2002 MINI COOPER S. THE MINI DEALER SERVICE DEPARTMENT SAID THAT THE AIRBAG CONTROL UNIT WAS FAULTY...THAT THE "MRS CONTROL UNIT SHORTED". SINCE THIS IS A PIECE OF SAFETY EQUIPMENT, AND SINCE IT IS NOT A MECHANICAL DEVICE THAT WOULD BE SUBJECT TO WEAR, I BELIEVE THE DEALER SHOULD HAVE REPLACED THIS UNIT AT NO CHARGE...AND/OR AN ALERT SHOULD GO TO OTHER MINI OWNERS. I HAVE SINCE HAD THE CONTROL UNIT REPLACED (AT CONSIDERABLE EXPENSE) BECAUSE I FELT UNSAFE DRIVING WITHOUT AIRBAGS. *TR

AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT STAYS ILLUMINATED AFTER PASSENGER SEAT WAS MOVED. LIGHT WILL NOT TURN OFF. *TR

THE CAR HAS GONE BACK TO A MINI DEALER 4 TIMES SINCE WE'VE OWNED THE CAR BECAUSE OF THE AIR BAG LIGHT ON. LITTLE DID WE REALIZE WHEN WE TOOK IT ON A TRIP TO FLORIDA, THE WHOLE SYSTEM WAS SHUT DOWN. TOOK IT TO A MINI DEALER IN FLA. ON FEB. 15, 2012.....$2126.04 LATER. DROVE IT HOME TO HAVE THE LIGHT GO ON AGAIN , TOOK IT TO MINI OF BEDFORD, NH ON 5/28/13, PICKED IT UP ON 6/4/2013.....$1527.09 LATER. DROVE IT HOME ON 6/4/2013, ONLY TO HAVE THE LIGHT GO BACK ON APPROX 6/10/2013. AAA HAD TO USE A RAMP TRUCK TO BRING IT BACK TO BEDFORD, NH.....BECAUSE THE DRIVERS SEAT TIPPED OVER BACKWARDS WHILE DRIVING & ALMOST CAUSED A SERIOUS COLLISION. ALSO THERE IS A NEW PROBLEM WITH STEERING WHEEL. BOTH LATER ISSUES OCCURRED AFTER THEY HAD TORN IT APART IN DEALERSHIP & KEPT IT FOR A WEEK "FIXING THE PROBLEM". NOW IT SITS AT MINI OF BEDFORD..& THEY ARE TELLING US ANOTHER AIRBAG SENSOR HAS TO BE REPLACED...IT NEED A NEW SEAT....AND THEY'RE NOT SURE ABOUT THE STEERING WHEEL, BECAUSE THEY CAN'T TEST UNTIL THEY PUT IN A NEW SEAT. EVERYTHING IS ON HOLD AT THE MOMENT...#1 WE CAN'T KEEP PAYING FOR SHODDY WORKMANSHIP...#2 WE ARE VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THE SAFETY OF THIS CAR. HAVE BEEN READING SOME WEBSITES & SEE STORIES SIMILAR TO THIS AIR BAG PROBLEM. *TR

AIR BAG LIGHT STAYS ON. IT CAME ON A FEW MONTHS AGO AND STAYS ON. HAS BEEN CHECKED BY DEALER BUT NO KNOWN CAUSE. *TR

AIRBAG LIGHT ON. CONTINUOUSLY ON. SEE NHTSA ACTION PE05053 SAME ISSUES AS PE05053, BUT DIFFERENT CABLES AND CONNECTORS IN THE SAME CIRCUIT ARE CAUSING THE SAME PROBLEM. BMW IS NOT COVERING THESE FAILURES UNDER WARRANTY AT THIS TIME. ENTIRE CIRCUIT NEEDS TO BE EVALUATED. *TR

DRIVER SIDE AND HEAD AIRBAG DEPLOYED WHEN A "BUMP" (PAVEMENT AT DIFFERENT HEIGHTS DURING REPAVING) IN THE ROAD WAS HIT BY THE VEHICLE. *TR

2002 MINI COOPER S MODEL. AIRBAG LIGHT STAYS ON. HAS BEEN REPAIRED MANY TIMES AND STILL STAYS ON, DEACTIVATING SAFETY FEATURES OF THE RESTRAINT SYSTEM. THIS APPEARS TO BE A VERY COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE MINI. BMW NEEDS TO ISSUE A RECALL I FEEL FOR OUR SAFETY... *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 MINI COOPER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED AND THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE AND THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TAKEN TO A LOCAL REPAIR SHOP WHERE THE AIR BAG LIGHT WAS RESET. THE FAILURE RECURRED WITHIN 28 MILES OF DRIVING. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT BECAUSE THE LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED, THE AIR BAGS WOULD NOT FUNCTION IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH. THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER WHO OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 50,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 69,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 MINI COOPER F. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAGS WARNING LIGHTS ARE ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL SHOP WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE DRIVER SIDE AIR BAG AND ATTENTION TO HARNESS. THEY ALSO, ADVISED HER TO CONTACT THE MANUFACTURER BECAUSE THEIR WAS A RECALL FOR THIS SPECIFIC FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND THEY STATED THAT THE VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER WAS NOT INCLUDED ON THE RECALL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 20,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 54,000. UPDATED 3/28/11 *CN UPDATED 12/20/11 *CN

AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON AND STAYED ON. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER, HE COULD NOT FIX THE PROBLEM. NOW I READ THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE MINI. *TR

THE AIRBAG LIGHT IN THE VEHICLE GOES ON, AND THE DEALER TOLD ME THAT NOTHING WAS WRONG, NOW THE AIRBAG LIGHT IS CONSTANTLY ON. *TR