My 2004 MINICooper S has a passenger seat belt/air bag light that is illuminated at all times. Originally, it was sporadic, and connecting the seat belt would cause the light to go off. Now it is lit all the time, whether there is a passenger in the seat or not. I was told today that the sensor is bad and will cost $1600 to fix, which includes completely replacing the entire passenger seat. My mechanic says that the air bag will not deploy in the event of an accident. This is most concerning. Obviously, the default should be for the airbag to deploy. What if I am in an accident and my passenger is gravely injured (or killed!)"? unacceptable! I have read that BMW has issued a recall for BMW models with a similar problem. MINIcooper should be included in the recall, as they are made by BMW, often using the same parts! where is the oversight?!"

- Belfast, ME, USA

The driver side seatbelt buckle does not release when the button is pressed. This started when I first bought the vehicle in February 2009. This happens everytime I try to remove the seatbelt. I have to jiggle the buckle to get it to release. Nothing has been done to fix this problem yet; the dealer will not warranty the buckle.

- Cambridge, MA, USA