2006 MINI COOPER Electrical System Problems

BMW issued a Recall 15V-205 Safety Recall, to cover the Airbag sensor in the passenger seat of my vehicle, a 2006 Mini Cooper S. The failure error was in the airbag sensor in the passenger seat, and the system warned of potential hazard with the passenger airbag. My car had a recall fix in 2018 for this fault. Now some 4 years later the same fault has arisen in the same sensor and system. I returned to BMW Mini who carried out the previous recall to have this fixed again. They said that while their repairs and parts generally carry an 8-year warranty, they do not warrant Recall repairs. They wanted over $2,000 to fix this issue. As this is a repeat of the original fault, and the car has under 100,000 miles I believe it should be covered, as their repair and or part has again failed. The date below is when I took it for the recall and was refused the warrenty repair.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 MINI COOPER. AFTER THE CONTACT PARKED THE VEHICLE, SHE WAS ALERTED TO THE ODOR OF SMOKE DURING THE NIGHT. THE CONTACT APPROACHED THE VEHICLE, QUICKLY DISCONNECTED THE BATTERY, AND ROLLED THE VEHICLE HALFWAY DOWN THE DRIVEWAY OUT OF THE GARAGE. THERE WAS A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF HEAT FROM THE ENGINE, BUT THE VEHICLE COOLED DOWN. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO STATED THAT THERE WAS AN ELECTRICAL FIRE FROM THE STEERING WHEEL PUMP AND MASSIVE REPAIRS WERE NEEDED, WHICH WOULD TOTAL APPROXIMATELY $3,500. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CALLED AND STATED THERE WAS NO RECALL ON THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE INSURANCE COMPANY WAS CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER OFFERED TO COVER THE $500 DEDUCTIBLE FOR THE MECHANIC TO PERFORM THE REPAIRS THAT THE CONTACT WOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR IF THEY DECIDE NOT TO COVER THE CLAIM. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 105,000.

Mileage: 105,000

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 MINI COOPER. WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME DIFFICULT TO TURN. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO NICK ALEXANDER MINI (6201 ALAMEDA ST, LOS ANGELES, CA 90001) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE POWER STEERING PUMP, ALTERNATOR, AND RADIATOR COOLING FAN FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURES. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,054.

Mileage: 80,054

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 MINI COOPER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH, THERE WAS A LOSS OF POWER STEERING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THE POWER STEERING PUMP WAS REPLACED HOWEVER THE FAILURE RECURRED THE NEXT DAY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE MECHANIC AND UNKNOWN REPAIRS WERE PERFORMED. IN ADDITION, THE AIR BAG WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED CONTINUOUSLY. ON A SEPARATE OCCASION, THE ALTERNATOR FAILED AND WAS NOT REPLACED. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE ENGINE COOLING FAN ALSO FAILED TO FUNCTION, WHICH CAUSED THE RADIATOR TO BE REPLACED TWICE. THE ENGINE WAS REPLACED AT A DIFFERENT TIME. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 118,000.

Mileage: 118,000

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 MINI COOPER. WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, THE VEHICLE LOST POWER. ALSO, WHEN MAKING A LEFT OR RIGHT TURN, THE ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED FOR A SECOND AND DIMMED. THE FAILURE RECURRED EACH TIME THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED, BUT THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE LOCATED. THE FAILURE RECURRED. IN ADDITION, WHILE DRIVING 54 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT COASTED THE VEHICLE OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND IT BEGAN TO SMOKE AND LEAK OIL. THE DEALER DIAGNOSED THAT THE ENGINE FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 52,000.

Mileage: 52,000

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 MINI COOPER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED CONTINUOUSLY. THE VEHICLE WAS SERVICED UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V20500 (AIR BAGS) BUT THE REMEDY FAILED TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

AIR BAG SENSOR IN THE DETECTION MAT OF THE PASSENGER'S FRONT SEAT DOES NOT RECOGNIZE PASSENGER . THE AIR BAG LIGHT FOR THE PASSENGER IN THE FRONT PANEL IS INTERMITTENT, PUTTING AT RISK OF NOT DEPLOYING THE AIR BAG DURING AN ACCIDENT. THE LIGHT WILL COME UP EVEN WHEN I HAVE A PURSE ON THE SEAT OR WITH A FULL GROWN ADULT (OVER 150 POUNDS). I RECENTLY CALLED 2 LOCAL MINI DEALERS IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA (JULY 2015) REGARDING THIS AND BOTH STATED THE SAME: THAT THEY HAVE NOT RECEIVED THE SPARE PART REQUIRED FOR THIS RECALL AND CANNNOT PERFORM UNTIL MINI PROVIDES THEM WITH AN AUTHORIZATION LETTER. CALLED IMMEDIATELY THE MINI CUSTOMER SERVICE LINE FOR RECALLS (1-866-825-1525) TO FIND OUT WHEN THIS WILL BE SOLVED SINCE THIS HAS BEEN ON ONGOING ISSUE SINCE MID 2014. MINI'S CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE STATED THAT WE NEEDED TO WAIT UNTIL A NEW RE-DESIGN OF THIS SENSOR IN THE DETECTION MAT IS AVAILABLE FROM THEM IN ORDER TO PROVIDE THIS SPARE PART TO THE DEALERS. IN THE MEANTIME, WE ARE PUTTING AT RISK ANY PASSENGER WHO WILL RIDE IN OUR CARS FOR AN ISSUE THAT HAS BEEN KNOWN BY MINI FOR OVER A YEAR!

PARKED MY CAR WITH A VALET. RETURNED IN AN HOUR. IT WOULD NOT START. THERE WAS A SMELL AS IF SOMETHING HAD BURNED. THEY JUMP STARTED MY CAR. AS I BEGAN TO DRIVE THE POWER STEERING WAS OUT. IMMEDIATELY DROVE IT TO MY CAR REPAIR SHOP. BY THE TIME THAT I HAD TRAVELED THE 2 MILES, THE ENGINE WAS HEAVILY SMOKING. MY CAR REPAIR SHOP SAYS THAT THE POWER STEERING PUMP ELECTRICALLY MALFUNCTIONED - INTERNAL FAILURE OF THE POWER STEERING PUMP.

Mileage: 16,000

FROM MY RESEARCH, THE 2006 MINI HAS A FAULTY PASSENGER OCCUPANCY SENSOR IN THE PASSENGER SEAT BOTTOM REQUIRING A REPLACEMENT AT A COST OF OVER $1000. SINCE 2006 WAS THE FIRST YEAR FOR THIS REQUIREMENT, I BELIEVE THEY DID NOT PROPERLY TEST THE DEVICE BEFORE RELEASING THEM INTO PRODUCTION AS I HAVE RESEARCHED AND READ ON MANY FAILURES OF THIS DEVICE. I CANNOT DETERMINE CONCLUSIVELY IF THE AIRBAG WILL OR WILL NOT DEPLOY IN THIS SITUATION AND MINI WILL BE LIABLE IN A SITUATION IF IT DOES NOT DEPLOY THE AIRBAG PROPERLY WITH A PASSENGER SEATED. THIS IS A SITUATION THAT NEEDS TO BE REMEDIED THROUGH A RECALL. MINI EXTENDED THEIR AIRBAG SYSTEM WARRANTY ON THE 2002 - 2005 MODELS TO 10 YEARS OR 150,000 MILES AND SHOULD DO THE SAME FOR THE 2006+ MODELS. *TR

Mileage: 90,000

I WAS DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY AT 70MPH IN FAR LEFT LANE AND THE CAR JUST SHUT OFF. THE BRAKE AND STEERING WHEEL GOT STIFF AND WOULD NOT WORK RIGHT. THE AREA OF THE FREEWAY WAS CROWDED DUE TO CONSTRUCTION AND IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE TO GET TO THE SIDE. THE CAR BEHIND ME WAS ENTIRELY TO CLOSE AND IM SURPRISED I WAS NOT HIT. *TR

Mileage: 88,170