What 71 owners told NHTSA about the 2013 Mini Cooper Countryman

Passenger occupancy sensor malfunctions all the time and there are hundreds of claims regarding this issue but was never addressed by the manufacturer The same issue prompted a recall in older models but has not been corrected in newer ones

NHTSA ODI 11621760

As per NHTSA there was a recall the replace OC3 SEAT OCCUPANCY MAT but I never received recall notice and just passed 10 years with 40K millage and started getting air bag light, dealer is not replacing it under warranty, if they was a recall they should have replaced my seat earlier so that I would not have this issue today. is there a way to extend warranty to longer time or recall all the cars and replace them so that we do not have to spend 2k to replace it? "01 11 16_OC3 SEAT OCCUPANCY MAT: LIMITED WARRANTY EXTENSION TO 10 YEARS/120,000 MILES"

NHTSA ODI 11617003

The contact owns a 2013 Mini Cooper. The contact stated while driving 60 MPH, the air bag warning light illuminated on the instrument panel. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who diagnosed a failure with the passenger's side seat occupancy sensor. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 106,000.

NHTSA ODI 11567358

BMW/MINI have known about a faulty airbag sensor in the seats, yet never did a recall. The passenger side airbag does not operate when someone sits in the seat due to a faulty sensor on the seat cushion. BMW was around $1600 to replace this. Big safety concern if a crash happens and air bag does not go off. Should be a factory recall.

NHTSA ODI 11562952

There have been at least 7 write-ups about air bag failure on this model reported to you. When a passenger sits in the seat of my car, with the seat belt on, 01 the airbag light and seat belt light come on. If I have an accident the airbag on the passenger side will not deploy, leading to death or injury to the passenger. This has been reported to a MINI dealership. They will inspect it at my cost to see if it rates as a safety item. It is available for inspection as I can't drive it with a passenger and I can't leave my disabled wife alone at home. The car has 92323 miles on it. [XXX]--- [XXX] INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI 11505013

When passenger is seated with safety belt on the seat belt light comes on along with a message that the passenger seat air bag will not deploy.

NHTSA ODI 11494448

The vehicle has a faulty seat sensor that causes the vehicle to default to having a non-occupied seat with warning lights. In this situation, a passenger will not have an air bag deploy even if they’re heavy enough to otherwise trigger the weight sensor. This is happening on my vehicle and, based on internet research, most other R56 models to the point of a market existing for electronic bypass modules. Mini will not repair for a reasonable cost.

NHTSA ODI 11457950

The passenger seat OC3 Occupancy Sensor has malfunctioned, leading to the ECU to believe the seatbelt is unbuckled and disabling the passenger airbag while the car is in motion. This is a frequent occurrence which can be seen across all of the Mini/BMW forums for an untold number of owners of this build.

NHTSA ODI 11451191

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 MINI COOPER COUNTRYMAN. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED, THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT CALLED BRAMAN MOTORCARS AT 561-609-0130 (LOCATED AT 2901 OKEECHOBEE BLVD, WEST PALM BEACH, FL 33409) WHERE A DIAGNOSTIC TEST WAS RECOMMENDED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 93,186.

NHTSA ODI 11280875

THE PASSENGER SEAT OCCUPANCY SENSOR IS FAULTY. BMW RECALLED MANY BMWS AND MINI COOPERS FOR THIS ISSUE BUT NOT THE 2013 MINI COUNTRYMAN - BUT IT ALSO HAS THIS ISSUE. IT IS ALL OVER THE INTERNET WITH VIDOES TEACHING YOU HOW TO TRY TO BYPASS IT. THE LIGHT COMES ON TELLING YOU THERE IS AN AIRBAG DEFECT AND SEATBELT LIGHT COMES ON FOR PASSENGER SIDE. IT ONLY MAKES THE SOUND WHEN SOMEONE IS IN THE SEAT MOVING AROUND. IF NO ONE IS IN THE SEAT, THE LIGHTS ARE STILL LIT BUT NO ALARM IS SOUNDED. YOU CAN SIMPLY GOOGLE THIS AND TONS OF COMPLAINTS COME UP. IT HAPPENS WHEN YOU TURN ON THE CAR.

NHTSA ODI 11270162

TAKATA RECALL: THE WARNING LIGHT IS ALWAYS ON THE PAST 6 MONTHS SAYING MY AIRBAG ON PASSENGER SIDE IS NOT OPERATIONAL. MINI DEALERS WANT TO CHARGE ME $145 PLUS TO CHECK IF THE AIRBAG IS DEFECTIVE. DON'T THEY HAVE TO CHECK THIS AT NO CHARGE FOR ME? I AM VERY CONCERNED FOR MY PASSENGERS, BUT CANNOT AFFORD TO DO THIS.REPAIR SHOP SAID RF SEAT OCCUPANCY SENSOR NEEDS REPLACEMENT. COST $1082. ADVISED ME TO CHECK WITH YOU IF THAT IS COVERED BY MINI. ISSUE #2: HAD TO REPLACE ALL 4 FAULTY IGNITION COILS. SERVICED THROTTLE BODY. COST ME MANY $$$$

NHTSA ODI 11229943

WHILE IN MOTION, PASSENGER SEAT BELT ALARM WAS GOING OFF THIS AM WITH NO ONE IN THE PASSENGER SEAT. ALSO NOTICED THAT THE PASSENGER AIR BAG SIGNAL WAS NOT LIT.

NHTSA ODI 11209263

I GET AN ERROR THAT THE SEAT BELT IS DEACTIVATED AND THE THE AIRBAG IS OFF. RAN DIAGNOSTIC AND GOT CODE 93BF. THIS CAR HAS NEVER BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT AND THIS HAPPENED ALL OF A SUDDEN ONE MORNING AFTER TURNING ENGINE ON WHEN GOING TO WORK.

NHTSA ODI 11175720

I TOOK MY CAR IN FOR SERVICING FOR AN OIL CHANGE AND BECAUSE THE PASSENGER AIRBAG WARNING WAS DISPLAYED. TECHNICIAN SAID THE PASSENGER SEAT OCCUPANCY HAS A SENSOR FAULT. NO GUARANTEE THE AIRBAG WOULD INFLATE IN AN ACCIDENT. $1123 PLUS TAX TO REPLACE. IS THERE A RECALL NOTICE ON THIS? IF SO I HAVE NOT SEEN IT. CAN NOT AFFORD TO REPLACE THAT, IT IS A SERIOUS SAFETY CONCERN. CAN YOU HELP ME WITH THIS IN SOME WAY? SEEMS MANDATORY TO ME THAT MINI COOPER WOULD COVER THIS. MY CAR HAS LESS THAN 35K ON IT MILEAGE. I AM VERY CONCERNED FOR MY PASSENGERS IN FRONT SEAT.

NHTSA ODI 11156739

I WAS INVOLVED IN A CAR ACCIDENT ON 10/15/2015 WHICH I REAR ENDED A PICKUP TRUCK. I WAS GOING ROUGHLY 45-50 MPH WHEN THE TRUCK IN FRONT SLAMMED THEIR BRAKES WHICH CAUSED ME TO CRASH INTO HIS REAR END OF THE TRUCK. THE FRONT OF THE CAR IS IN BAD SHAPE AND LUCKILY I WAS NOT INJURED. HOWEVER, THE AIRBAGS IN THE CAR DID NOT DEPLOY WHICH I FIND VERY DISTURBING.

NHTSA ODI 10783526