2008 Mini Clubman Complaints

DRIVING WITH AN ADULT IN THE PASSENGER SEAT, THE "PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG IS OFF" LIGHT TURNED ON. AFTER SHIFTING IN THE SEAT THE LIGHT TURNED OFF. THIS HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES. THIS IS AN ISSUE WITH THE AIRBAG MAT AND IS A COMMON PROBLEM FOR MINIS. HAVE ALSO REPORTED THIS PROBLEM WITH A 2005 MINI COOPER. READING ONLINE NUMEROUS OTHER PEOPLE HAVE HAD SIMILAR PROBLEMS. KEEP WAITING FOR A RECALL BECAUSE IT IS AN EXPENSIVE PROBLEM TO FIX. *TR

WHILE DRIVING HOME ON SECONDARY ROAD, A LOUD ENGINE NOISE STARTED AND THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON BLINKING. I PULLED OVER AND HAD CAR TOWED TO MY GARAGE. THE DIAGNOSIS WAS THAT THE TIMING CHAIN TENSIONER BROKE AND HAD TO BE REPAIRD. THIS WAS DONE FOR A COST OF $567.97. IN RESEARCHING INFORMATION ABOUT THIS, IT APPEARS MANY OWNERS HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. I AM FILING THIS COMPLAINT IN HOPES THAT BMW REIMBURSES THIS EXPENSE FOR AN ISSUE THEY SEEM TO BE AWARE OF BUT ARE NOT TAKING RECALL ACTION WITH. *TR

THE PASSENGER SEAT OCCUPANCY LIGHT LIT UP IN 2 PLACES ON DASH INFORMATION-THERE WAS NO OCCUPANT IN THE SEAT. RESEARCHING THIS ISSUE @ MINI COOPER WEB SITES INDICATES THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM AND HAS PERSISTED FOR AT LEAST 10 YEARS. IT IS AN EXTREMELY EXPENSIVE REPAIR (USUALLY BETWEEN $1600 & $2600) AS THE OCCUPANCY SENSOR (FOR AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT) IS SEWN INTO THE BOTTOM OF THE SEAT & THE REPAIR CALLS FOR THE BOTTOM COVER OF THE SEAT TO BE REPLACES WITH A NEW SENSOR PRE-SEWN IN. THE SITES OFFER "EMULATOR" KITS WHICH TRICKS THE SENSOR-BUT WILL PROHIBIT AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT IN MANY CASES. THE KITS SELL FOR APPROXIMATELY $79.00. THIS IS A REAL SAFETY DANGER. *TR

AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT WENT OFF EVEN THOUGH THERE WAS NO ACCIDENT. NO ONE WAS SITTING IN THE PASSENGER SEAT, AND I (THE DRIVER), HAD MY BELT ON. I TRIED BUCKLING THE PASSENGER BELT, BUT THE LIGHT REMAINED ON. I THINK THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE BECAUSE I DO NOT KNOW IF THE AIRBAG IS DEFECTIVE, OR WHETHER THERE IS A SENSOR PROBLEM, AND THE SEAT BELT AND AIRBAGS FOR THE PASSENGER ARE OPERABLE. THERE APPEAR TO BE A LOT OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT FALSE AIRBAG LIGHTS, ILLUMINATING. *TR

PLAYING GOLF, CAR IS IN PARKING LOT. ENGINE CATCHES FIRE, DESTROYED FRONT HALF OF CAR, ENGINE FELL ON PAVEMENT . *TR