2009 MINI Cooper Clubman Seats Problems

“The passenger side airbag sensor has been going off indicating that the airbag will not deploy even when someone of normal adult size (160lbs) is in the front passenger seat. I have contacted Mini and they refuse to fix it unless I pay for the costly repair, even though they have been slowly recalling other models for the same problem. The improperly functioning mat in my Mini Cooper Clubman 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. …”

“Following approximately 12 months of slow deterioration, the passenger-side airbag deployment system in this vehicle appears to have become continuously inoperative (red airbag failure annunciator continuously illuminated on instrument cluster in conjunction with continuous illumination of the amber Passenger Airbag OFF informational annunciator in the overhead console). Failure now occurs whether passenger seat is empty or occupied, although it previously only occurred when the seat was unoccupied and ambient temperatures were colder (below approximately 40 degrees F). …”