I have a strange problem with my 2006 Cooper S. The airbag light won't turn on with the rest of the cluster lights when the key is turned to the second aux position.

I just picked this car up as my first Mini Cooper and have been going though all the basic maintenance items before using it as my daily driver. Just ran into this little problem for state inspection.

I checked the airbag fuse in the driver footwell and that was fine.

I've heard plenty of problems for the light staying on, but none about the light not turning on at all. As far as I understand, the airbag bulb is an led soldered on the speedometer board right? So I wouldn't suspect a past owner just removed the bulb.

 

It's not illuminating because there isn't a fault in the MRS/airbag system.

Not all of the lights cycle at first start.

Does the seat occupation light change from unoccupied to occupied when the passenger seat is sat in?

 

Wow, I did not know that. That simplifies things greatly. Thank you

It looks like the seat occupation light works, it lights up when weight is in the passenger seat. Looks like I need to try a different state inspection station.

 

When it faults , it will flash a couple times at start up , then stays lit.

 

Double checked the manual today, it said the airbag light should illuminate when the key is in the first position. Crap.

Decided to pull the cluster apart to confirm my suspicions, and well the pictures tell the rest.









Stinking electrical tape covering the airbag bulb. Now to get codes pulled and figure out what's wrong with the airbags. Hopefully it has something to do with the seat pad sensor recall.

Moral of the story, don't trust used car dealerships.

 

mystery solved

seat pad sensor recall +1

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...he-airbag.html

or the steering wheel was removed at one time or the seat( with the battery connected ) and then did not want to pay to reset it. Scan tool here for airbag reset.

 

Interesting, someone fancies breaking federal law.

Chances are you'll probably be in for the mat sensor recall, but have the car scanned by someone with a quality scan tool to see if it pertains to any other components of the system.

I've seen a couple cars that had the seatbelt tensioners tripped and the current owner had no idea that it was in an accident.