MINI Cooper Passenger Seat Occupancy Sensor Recall
Front Passenger Seat Occupancy Sensor Mat RECALL 15V-205
This post is in regards to service campaign 15V-205. BMW North America LLC submitted this recall on April 3, 2015 in that the manufacturer claims a total of 91,800 vehicles are/may be affected by this recall. The model vehicles that are affected by this recall are roughly (59,270) 2005-2006 MINI Cooper, Cooper S, as well as an additional (32,530) 2005 – 2008 MINI Cooper Convertibles, and MINI Cooper Convertible S models.
These specific vehicles may have been equipped with a front passenger seat occupant detection sensor that may or may not be functioning correctly in the event you are in a collision. The mat sensor may not be operating correctly due to faulty manufacturer installation as well as field exposure. The function of this sensor is to detect whether or not a human being or object weighing over a certain weight is sitting in the front seat. If the sensor is not functioning correctly and a human being or object is sitting in that seat, there is a high risk that the airbag for that passenger side will not go off, increasing the risk of injury.
Johnson Controls is the supplier of these specific sensor components. Johnson Controls specializes in automotive seats with a portfolio that includes foams, trims, and metals for many different automotive manufacturers. If you happen to own any of the MINI Coopers that were listed above you do not need to contact Haus of Minis to have the sensor repaired or replaced (although we would be happy to answer any questions you may have), you are advised to contact your local MINI dealer. We spoke to several MINI dealers and were told the parts will not be available until some time next month (November 2015). You should check with your local dealer as to when parts will be available before making an appointment.