Reference my call in report ref. # 10598125: The "passenger air bag off" light (located in the overhead console) remains illuminated after the system does it's initial check at start up. If anyone sits in the passenger seat the light goes out. The system did not operate this way until the car reached approximately 15,000 miles. Originally the light would come on for a few seconds at start up then go out. After checking several owner blogs online, I found out that all owners experiencing this issue have been unsuccessful in getting a definitive explanation from their dealers. Some dealers repaired the issue by replacing the seat pan sensor or repairing the under seat connector. Some dealers have said the condition is normal. I took my car to my dealer, "South MINIof miami" and was initially told there was an obvious problem and scheduled the car for troubleshooting and repair. After the scheduled service, I was told that the system was checked and that all components were operational and nothing was faulty. I was also told that the light remaining on without a passenger in the seat was normal. My concern is that none of the usa MINIdealerships can definitively explain the correct operation of the system or why it suddenly started working in a different way. It can't be correct both ways; it was either faulty for the first 15,000 miles or it is faulty now. This appears to be a common issue with several MINIcoopers and some BMW models. I believe further investigation is warranted given the potential for catastrophic failure of the "smart airbag system".

- Big Pine Key, FL, USA

The contact owns a 2011 MINIcooper S countryman. The contact stated that while driving approximately 3 mph, the vehicle crashed into the rear of another vehicle. During the impact all air bags inside the vehicle erroneously deployed. The contact indicated that during the incident the front bumper of the vehicle was not damaged and there was no damage to the rear bumper of the other vehicle. The dealer examined the vehicle but the failure was unable to be replicated, the manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 42,000.

- West Port, CT, USA

The contact owns a 2011 MINICooper countryman. The contact stated that the passenger air bag off light illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to a dealer. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure and current mileage was 15,000.

- Big Pine Key, FL, USA