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Extended Airbag warranty not honored by MINI USA

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valvashon View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote valvashon Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: Extended Airbag warranty not honored by MINI USA
    Posted: July/11/12 at 4:35pm

(On 7/17/12, I updated this first post to add some information and to delete a few snarky comments.  I left the facts alone as they are what will help others with this problem.  Anything added on 7/17 will be in italics and parenthesis.)


Technically, MINI USA doesn't need to cover my repair, but I doubt that anybody reading this will agree with them.  So let's start from the beginning:


August 8, 2011:


My airbag light in my 2002 R50 (purchased used in 2007 from MINI of Hawaii) had been on for a couple of weeks and this was the date of my appointment to have it looked at.  Don't remember how long it was between the light coming on and when I booked the appointment.  Did some research and discovered that there had been an extended warranty issued for 31,500 2002-2003 MINIs that trigger the airbag light due to high resistance in part of the wiring harness.  More on the NHTSA/safercar.gov website at http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/defects/; look under the "Defect Investigations Summary" for campaigns PE5053 and DP05006.


Seattle MINI finds the airbag light fault is caused by the high resistance defect in the wiring harness (on the left side) and repairs or replaces the connectors with the high resistance.  Faults erased, airbag light off.


August 9, 2011:


Post this extended warranty fix at northamericanmotoring.com (http://www.northamericanmotoring.com/forums/stock-problems-issues/215456-airbag-warranty-almost-up-for-2002-2003-minis.html) to help others out, since the extended warranty didn't seem to be common knowledge.  Helped a few people out this way.


June 5, 2012:


Posted on the previously mentioned thread that my airbag light was back on.  Again, not sure how long it was on before I posted.  End of school, end of Little League season, too busy to make an appointment.  (I thought that the 10 year warranty started from the build date- 3/15/02- so what was the rush to make an appointment?  Surely they'd offer a goodwill fix since this was clearly one of the cars with the bad connectors, and the warranty ended just a couple of months previously...)


June 25, 2012:


Make appointment with Seattle MINI; get confirmation on June 26th.  Appointment is for July 10, earliest day that I can get in.  Happen to have that day off from work already.


July 10, 2012:


Service advisor was Sasa Losic.  Charged $137.10 for diagnosis; "Tech found code for Right side front airbag.  Not covered by warranty in service day 06/09/2002.  Explained to customer that this repair is covered only for 10yrs or 150k.  Repairs declined by customer".  Of course I declined the repairs as it was something that should have been covered by MINI USA since I'm less than a month (oh, it's the build date) out of the extended warranty period; the light had been on since before the 10 year period was up and the other (left) side had already gone bad.  This was obviously one of the cars that ended up having bad parts installed.  Both the service advisor Sasa at Seattle MINI and Mark at MINI USA (888-275-6464) told me that the warranty is for 10 years from the date of the car being in service and not one day more and refused to budge on this. 


Mark even told me that he was a service manager there and that there was nobody else I could speak to about this.  Mark did offer to speak to the service manager at Seattle MINI, but said that was going to be pointless as he would also decline to repair this under warranty.  (I do not remember being offered the opportunity to talk to Service Manager Ryan while I was at Seattle MINI that morning.)


July 11, 2012


Was going to call back but thought better of it, as I shouldn't need to grovel to get safety related warranty work done.  Should I have given them a second chance?  I kind of thought I did when I called MINI USA.


(July 13, 2012)


(Ryan from Seattle MINI calls at about 4:30 in the afternoon.  Wants to meet with me; we set up a meeting for Monday at 11:30 am.)


(July 16, 2012)


(Meet with Ryan.  He offers to do the airbag connector repair and make sure the warning light is off.  They would also keep the $137 diagnostic fee.  I agree to this, and they do the repair that day while I wait, repairing the wiring harness and clearing the airbag fault memory.)





Bruce







Edited by valvashon - July/17/12 at 5:40am
...Now mom may drive to the grocery store, But that's not what this car is really for...
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Rob N View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Rob N Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: July/12/12 at 6:29am
Bruce,
Seattle Mini has fixed mine 3 times.  It's the harness under the seat.  When you raise the seat and move it forward to the end of the track, it stresses and disconnects the harness as it was too short.  This was fixed in later cars.  My most recent fix was about a month ago by Seattle MINI.  Alice was built in 11/2002 but is a 2003.
 
This is a design defect, not wear.
 
BTW, Alice came from MINI of Hawaii too.  She was the 277th car MINI they sold and, I have a T shirt to prove it.
Rob, Vickie and Alice

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote valvashon Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: July/13/12 at 4:54pm
Service Manager Ryan at Seattle MINI called this afternoon to discuss the situation.  We're having a meeting Monday at 11:30.

Bruce


...Now mom may drive to the grocery store, But that's not what this car is really for...
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Jasper Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: July/14/12 at 8:42am
I feel your pain... On the bright side at least its just one problem and not multiple issues.
 
After my very expensive repairs this year, I'm still not happy with how much I had to spend but I have to give credit to Seattle MINI and Ryan, they were fair about all of the cost/repairs as they could have been more difficult with me, on the other hand I can return the favor and take my business elsewhere if I am really upset.  heh, I'll remember all of these issues the next time I go car shopping, MINI might not make the list.
 
The takeaway is I'd recommend giving Ryan/Seattle MINI the benefit of the doubt and see what they have to say before ripping them a new one.  Granted, I think you have a valid arguement and yelling at someone is very therapeutic...    
 
Jasper    


Edited by Jasper - July/14/12 at 8:48am
07 JCW Dark Grey with black top
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote valvashon Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: July/17/12 at 6:24am
First of all, a big thank you to Ryan at Seattle MINI for stepping up and offering a goodwill fix for my car.  My dad owned his own business (Don Hart's Western Shop) while I was growing up in North Dakota.  He taught me that the right thing for a business to do is to take care of its customers.  Maybe it's a quaint idea these days, but I still believe it's the right thing to do.  It's what I would do if I had a business.

PSMINI has an excellent relationship with Seattle MINI.  Being a club member in good standing certainly helped resolve this situation in a positive manner.  It's one of the tangible benefits of being a club member.  Should this fix have been offered to a non-member?  Of course, but think of all the other things the club does or can do for you, and consider joining if you are on the fence.  Thanks to everybody who helps make PSMINI a strong, well organized club.

Lastly, if you still have an early build car (up to January of 2003) you may still be within your warranty period for this, as it starts with the in service date of your car.  Don't hesitate to make an appointment or go directly to the dealer if your airbag light comes on.

My next step is to write a letter to NHTSA urging them to call for an outright recall for this problem.  A problem like this, which can lead to one ignoring the airbag light, should be fixed on all the early build cars.


...Now mom may drive to the grocery store, But that's not what this car is really for...
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote johnf36 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: July/17/12 at 3:27pm
We could just turn all the early models into US Challenge Race Cars and then we
wouldn't have to worry about airbags. People could get like a core charge for turning in their Mini for a new one. Then all of the early models could be purchase at a low cost spec track car ;-)
If everything seems under control, you're just not going fast enough.

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote valvashon Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: July/17/12 at 5:04pm
Originally posted by johnf36 johnf36 wrote:

We could just turn all the early models into US Challenge Race Cars and then we
wouldn't have to worry about airbags. People could get like a core charge for turning in their Mini for a new one. Then all of the early models could be purchase at a low cost spec track car ;-)

A core charge for MINIMNT or Napoleon II?  You've got to be kidding.  Each, in their own way, are the most beautiful cars I have ever seen.  MINIMNT really does look like a big breath mint on wheels, and Napoleon II has a great BRG/W combo on the outside with the beautiful Cordoba Beige and Panther Black interior that goes so well with the green.

How aggressively would you race driving a Silk Green MINI?  Would Silk Green, Yellow and Pepper White comprise the Powder Puff class?

You'll never take our R50's!  We'll hide them in the front room if we have to! Wink

Bruce

...Now mom may drive to the grocery store, But that's not what this car is really for...
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote johnf36 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: July/17/12 at 6:43pm
Hey I was just trying to find these poor early gen ones MINIs a second lease on life. I wasn't the one that said the faulty wireing harnesses made them unsafe to drive and should be recalled.

I might point out that Michael Schumacher drove a Yellow and Green car for team Benetton in the 90's, and Renault and Pennske have a history of yellow cars and a few of John Forces cars were real close to Silk Green.

I am glad Seattle is fixing it for you And everything is working out.

John
If everything seems under control, you're just not going fast enough.

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote CINIMIN Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: July/17/12 at 8:48pm
Check out this Sterling Moss driven Silky Green Aston Martin - now owned by someone from Medina!
 


Edited by CINIMIN - July/17/12 at 8:56pm
Jack -

<font color=RED>CINIMIN [/COLOR]

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote johnf36 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: July/17/12 at 9:56pm
With a yellow nose
If everything seems under control, you're just not going fast enough.

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Rob N Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: July/18/12 at 7:07am
That's what being the former Microsoft chief software architect gets you. 
Rob, Vickie and Alice

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote CINIMIN Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: July/18/12 at 8:14am
Guess I should have taken a different career path.   Oh well....
 
But then there is this: http://www.motorauthority.com/news/1063153_stirling-moss-buys-aston-martin-cygnet    Aalso in Silky Green -
Jack -

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