Re: 2002 airbag light/wire fault

 > Marchant, Jon A. wrote:
 > Has anybody found a solution to the airbag light coming on? It's
 > caused by some wire under a seat (passenger, I think) that gets
pulled
 > loose or something when something is under the seat. 
 > 
 > My dealer is happy (now that the warranty is done) to fix it over
and
 > over for several hundred dollars a time. They tell me the answer is
to
 > not let anything get on the floor of the car that could go under
the
 > seat. I have two 7-year-olds so that is obviously not an option.
 > 
 > Question: Has anybody found a real solution to this? It seems that
the
 > wire could be re-routed, or extended and re-routed, or protected or
 > something. Is it really past the skills of BMW's engineers to find
a
 > fix?
 > 
 > It there is no fix, the next question (for those of us in the US)
is:
 > is anybody getting together a class-action law suit to force BMW to
 > fix this? Or a petition drive to the NHTSA?
 > 
 > Anybody?
 > 
 > Help!
 > 
 > 
 > 
 > -- 
 > Jon Marchant -
 > (take one "n" out of address to reply)

I totally
understand your frustration with the airbag light issue on your 2002
Mini. It’s definitely not ideal, especially with kids in the car. Here
are some suggestions that might help.

First off, check the connectors under the seat. The airbag light often
comes on due to loose or dirty connectors. Try disconnecting and
cleaning them, then reconnecting. This has worked for many Mini
owners.

Some owners have had success with re-routing or extending the wires to
prevent them from getting pulled loose. This might require a bit of
DIY or a visit to a trusted mechanic who won’t charge an arm and a
leg. Also, sometimes the issue is with the seatbelt tensioner rather
than the airbag itself, so make sure to check this component as well.

Investing in a diagnostic tool that can read and clear SRS (airbag)
codes can save you multiple trips to the dealer. This way, you can
reset the light yourself after addressing the underlying issue.

Regarding a class-action lawsuit or petition, I haven’t heard of any
ongoing efforts, but it might be worth checking forums and social
media groups dedicated to Mini owners. If enough people are
experiencing the same issue, it could certainly gain traction.
 

This is a response to the post seen at:
http://www.jlaforums.com/viewtopic.php?p=10036153#10036153