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.
2006 MINI Cooper airbags problems
111 complaints (56% of all complaints for this car). Typical mileage when it fails: 65,000. 5 crashes reported.
- owner complaints
- 111
- of this car's complaints
- 56%
- typical mileage
- 65,000
- crashes
- 5
- recalls
- 1
Which part fails
- Frontal2
- Sensor: occupant classification: front passenger1
- Sensor: occupant classification1
- Frontal: sensor/control module1
At what mileage
Complaints by mileage at the time of the problem.
MINI Cooper airbags problems in other years
Specific symptoms reported on the 2006 MINI Cooper airbags
Phrases found in the owners' own descriptions, so one complaint can mention several symptoms.
Related recalls
Air bags: frontal
- What is wrong
- BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain model year 2005-2006 MINI Cooper and Cooper S vehicles manufactured January 5, 2005, to November 28, 2006, and 2005-2008 MINI Cooper Convertible and Cooper S Convertible vehicles manufactured January 5, 2005, to July 31, 2008. Due to manufacturing, installation, and exposure issues, the front passenger seat occupant detection mat may not function properly and, as a result, the front passenger air bag may not deploy in a crash.
- Risk
- An improperly functioning mat may cause the passenger frontal air bag to be inactive when the seat is occupied, and in the event of a crash, the air bag will not deploy, increasing the passenger's risk of injury.
- Remedy
- MINI will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger seat occupant detection mat, free of charge. The recall began on October 12, 2015. Owners may contact MINI customer service at 1‑866‑825‑1525.
Recall number 15V205000 · Recall details
What 2006 MINI Cooper owners say
Most recent owner complaints, unedited.
Blindsided Drive side impact car ignited I was cut from my car suffering emence Injuries due to the malfunction of the airbags . No air bags deployed.
Air bag service light on.
Car accident cause problems , having problems with clutch / flywheel was repaired one time drive slow won't move fast. Not steering , has leakage , damage dents on right side front end paint damages, not right color. Back bumper damage scratches , hatchback lock needs be replaced. Wheels damage lt rt . Abs symptom light on, airbag light on, front rear hood light on problems not closing. In motion street .
The seat sensor for the passenger airbag was replaced once under a recall. After 2 years, it has failed again. The dealer stated that there is only a two year warranty on teh part. It is a safety issue that makes the care unsafe and unusable.
2006 mini cooper. Consumer writes in regards to passenger front seat occupant detection mat sensor failure. *ld the consumer stated the vehicle experienced a detection mat failure. The consumer received a recall notice, but was in accident before it could be completed. The air bags did not deploy. As a result of the failure,the consumer received a skull fracture and other upper body damages. Updated 08/31/2017
Tl* the contact owns a 2006 mini cooper. While driving 20 MPH, the air bag indicator illuminated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The VIN was not included in the federal safety agency campaign number: 15v205000 (air bags). The approximate failure mileage was 92,455.
I was a passenger in a mini cooper 2006, my friend was hit head on by a drunk driver on a city street. My friend's mini cooper 2006 was totaled. The airbags did not deploy as a result of the front passenger mat sensor defect. I suffered multiple injuries to my chest, hands, arms, and neck that are very serious.
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.
Tl* the contact owns a 2006 mini cooper. The contact stated that the passenger side air bag warning indicator illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer but was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The contact received notification of the federal safety agency campaign number: 15v205000 (air bags). The consumer was informed the air bag control module needed to be replaced. The consumer believed that either the mat sensor or control modules were defective. Updated 03/23/16.*jb updated 04/14/16*lj *js *ln
Questions about the 2006 MINI Cooper airbags
Does the 2006 MINI Cooper have airbags problems?
Owners have filed 111 complaints about the airbags of the 2006 MINI Cooper, 56% of all its complaints, more than any other problem.
At what mileage do 2006 MINI Cooper airbags problems start?
The typical (median) mileage in owner complaints is 65,000 miles.
Was there a recall on the 2006 MINI Cooper airbags?
Yes, 1 recall: 15V205000. Check your VIN to see if your car still needs the free repair.
What year does the MINI Cooper have bad airbags?
The MINI Cooper model years with the most airbags complaints are 2006 (111 complaints), 2009 (62 complaints) and 2007 (47 complaints).
Other 2006 MINI Cooper problems
Steering 53Transmission 20Engine 19Seats 13Electrical 10Seat belts 5Acceleration 2Body 1Brakes 1Lights 1Suspension 1Visibility 1Wheels 1
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