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Kristin 
MINI Motorer
Joined: November/10/04
Location: Roy, Washington
Status: Offline
Points: 1670
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 Topic: Airbag light?
Posted: June/10/08 at 9:35pm |
My airbag light has started randomly coming on and going off. There doesn't seem to be any relationship between who (or what) I have in the passenger seat when it does it. I'm guessing a sensor, maybe? I have a service appointment (and MINI loaner request) for Tuesday, but thought I'd see what you guys (and gals) might know in the mean time. Should I worry?
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CINIMIN
MINI Motorer
Joined: August/27/05
Location: Everett WA
Status: Offline
Points: 4676
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Posted: June/11/08 at 1:23am |
Kristin,
This is probably too late to help - but I would advise that you avoid any serious collisions until it has been checked out.  |
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Jack -
<font color=RED>CINIMIN [/COLOR]
2006 CR/W MCS - 6spd - LSD -15% Pulley - Dinan CAI
ASA JH6's Koni FSD's 22mm Bar
Have you hugged a curve today?
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CosmicTraveler
PSMINI Expert Advisor
PSMINI Member
Joined: September/16/07
Location: Covington
Status: Offline
Points: 1485
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Posted: June/11/08 at 3:54am |
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Guessing faulty sensor (most likely) or loose wire in monitored circuit.
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 Take It Easy ... Buck
'06 MCS JCW CR/CR
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Sanderskog
MINI Motorer
Joined: October/08/04
Location: Sammamish
Status: Offline
Points: 1960
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Posted: June/11/08 at 10:39am |
I have been to NW MINI twice for an airbag light. Both times it was the harness under the passenger seat. There is a service bulletin for it and it is under warranty until 150k. That may not be your issue but chances are likely.
Todd
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2012 VW Golf Pirate Edition... Aarrr! - JACK
Speed has never killed anyone, suddenly becoming stationary… that’s what gets you. – Jeremy Clarkson
LIVESTRONG
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Kristin
MINI Motorer
Joined: November/10/04
Location: Roy, Washington
Status: Offline
Points: 1670
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Posted: June/11/08 at 9:13pm |
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Thanks, Todd! I love the thought that it might be a)simple and b)still under warranty. I tend to keep things on the floor on the passenger side of the MINI, and sometimes, in cornering, they end up under the seat, so the harness under the passenger seat could easily be my problem.
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Sanderskog
MINI Motorer
Joined: October/08/04
Location: Sammamish
Status: Offline
Points: 1960
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Posted: June/12/08 at 1:29am |
Do you recall if, when the light pops on, you recently moved the passenger seat or pulled something from under it?
If you do a search on NAM you will find this is pretty common, especially the pre-2005 cars.
Todd
Edited by Sanderskog - June/12/08 at 1:30am
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2012 VW Golf Pirate Edition... Aarrr! - JACK
Speed has never killed anyone, suddenly becoming stationary… that’s what gets you. – Jeremy Clarkson
LIVESTRONG
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Kristin
MINI Motorer
Joined: November/10/04
Location: Roy, Washington
Status: Offline
Points: 1670
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Posted: June/16/08 at 9:18pm |
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It's off to the dealership for me this morning. Here's hoping that Todd's right, it's the harness under the passenger seat and I don't have to pay. Can't wait to see what I get for a MINI loaner. I'll report back this evening. (there's an on-going issue with my work computer - I can access the forum during the day, but I can't post)
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Kristin
MINI Motorer
Joined: November/10/04
Location: Roy, Washington
Status: Offline
Points: 1670
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Posted: June/17/08 at 10:06am |
Well, I have my car back. Rather than being the harness under the seat, which would have been under warranty, it was actually the pyrotechnic located in the passenger seatbelt buckle. (fault code 61 for anyone keeping track of these things). Although I have plenty of life insurance on Rich, I decided to get the seatbelt fixed so he could keep safely accompanying me on MINI events. I am now out $388, but at least the $%^& light has stopped coming on.
Edited by kristin - June/17/08 at 10:07am
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CosmicTraveler
PSMINI Expert Advisor
PSMINI Member
Joined: September/16/07
Location: Covington
Status: Offline
Points: 1485
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Posted: June/17/08 at 2:42pm |
What did this pyrotechnic do? I'm confused. 
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Take It Easy ... Buck
'06 MCS JCW CR/CR
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CINIMIN
MINI Motorer
Joined: August/27/05
Location: Everett WA
Status: Offline
Points: 4676
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Posted: June/17/08 at 2:55pm |
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Bruce - according to Bentley, the pyrotechnic is in the fixed portion of the seatbelt and appears to be part of the seatbelt pre-tensioning mechanism - (I was curious too)
Edited by CINIMIN - June/17/08 at 2:56pm
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Jack -
<font color=RED>CINIMIN [/COLOR]
2006 CR/W MCS - 6spd - LSD -15% Pulley - Dinan CAI
ASA JH6's Koni FSD's 22mm Bar
Have you hugged a curve today?
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CosmicTraveler
PSMINI Expert Advisor
PSMINI Member
Joined: September/16/07
Location: Covington
Status: Offline
Points: 1485
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Posted: June/17/08 at 3:03pm |
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Thanks Jack. I learned something today, so I can go to bed soon. I was getting worried with only 56 minutes left.
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Take It Easy ... Buck
'06 MCS JCW CR/CR
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Kristin
MINI Motorer
Joined: November/10/04
Location: Roy, Washington
Status: Offline
Points: 1670
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Posted: June/17/08 at 9:17pm |
According to NW MINI, it functions to quickly tighten the seatbelt and hold you in place when the airbag deploys. This kind of stuff makes me long for the good old days when cars weren't complicated and it didn't cost $400 to fix a seatbelt problem. (yes, I know we're safer now, but ...)
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EAR2EAR
PSMINI Skilled Member
PSMINI Member
Joined: May/17/05
Location: United States
Status: Offline
Points: 273
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Posted: June/17/08 at 11:44pm |
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Kristin, I'm curious as to why this wasn't covered under warranty. I thought that the restraint system was covered beyond the 3\36 warranty under a different federal law. I had a seat belt replaced on a 10 year old Honda for that reason. Coll
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Kristin
MINI Motorer
Joined: November/10/04
Location: Roy, Washington
Status: Offline
Points: 1670
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Posted: June/18/08 at 9:06pm |
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I talked to Terry yesterday at NW Mini. He said that the seatbelt parts under the extended warranty are ones that MINI had know issues with. (the harness under the seats, for example). NW Mini wasn't aware of any federal law covering all seatbelt items.
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onramp
PSMINI Expert Advisor
PSMINI Member
Joined: November/19/06
Location: Renton, WA
Status: Offline
Points: 2321
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Posted: June/19/08 at 9:26am |
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For $400, I might ask johnf36 to do some of his internet website searching to see what he can find. If what he finds gets you some $ back, I'll bet you'd be willing to share enough to get him and Candus a nice dinner out somewhere, right?
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2006 Hyper Blue JCW
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johnf36
PSMINI Expert Advisor
PSMINI Member
Joined: August/30/07
Location: Ephrata, Wa.
Status: Offline
Points: 8612
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Posted: June/19/08 at 6:07pm |
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I will have to do some poking around but I can see what I turn up. But having to pay to fix a required safety item does not sound right. I know there is a recall on the tire monitoring system for 04.
John
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If everything seems under control, you're just not going fast enough.
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Kristin
MINI Motorer
Joined: November/10/04
Location: Roy, Washington
Status: Offline
Points: 1670
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Posted: June/19/08 at 9:23pm |
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Thanks for the support, guys! If you find something out, of course I'm willing to share any compensation I receive from NW Mini. I wondered if maybe the pyrotechnic in the seatbelt isn't a requirement of the law so that's why it wasn't covered. Until Tuesday, I had no idea it was even there.
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johnf36
PSMINI Expert Advisor
PSMINI Member
Joined: August/30/07
Location: Ephrata, Wa.
Status: Offline
Points: 8612
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Posted: June/26/08 at 5:23pm |
Something I found laying around 
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If everything seems under control, you're just not going fast enough.
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Kristin
MINI Motorer
Joined: November/10/04
Location: Roy, Washington
Status: Offline
Points: 1670
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Posted: June/26/08 at 8:56pm |
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Thanks for the PM on that, John. It was a long day yesterday so I didn't get a chance to really digest it. I'll look closer over the weekend and see what I can find out.
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johnf36
PSMINI Expert Advisor
PSMINI Member
Joined: August/30/07
Location: Ephrata, Wa.
Status: Offline
Points: 8612
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Posted: June/27/08 at 4:14am |
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It would see to me this is a manufacturing problem and I have questions if the Pyro was even changed more so why you had to pay for anything.
John
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If everything seems under control, you're just not going fast enough.
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Airbag light?