Recall 15V205 covers 91,800 2005-2008 MINI Cooper, Cooper S, and Convertible vehicles for a passenger air bag sensor defect. Repair is free at MINI dealers.
MINI is recalling 91,800 2005-2008 Cooper, Cooper S, Cooper Convertible, and Cooper S Convertible vehicles because the front passenger seat occupant detection mat can fail to detect a passenger. If that happens in a crash, the passenger frontal air bag will stay inactive, increasing injury risk, and the dealer repair will be free once available.
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What's wrong?
The front passenger seat occupant detection mat is a sensor built into the passenger seat on affected 2005-2008 MINI Cooper, Cooper S, Cooper Convertible, and Cooper S Convertible vehicles. Its job is to detect when someone is sitting in that seat and send that information to the air bag control system. When the system reads the seat correctly, it knows the front passenger air bag is needed in a crash.
In NHTSA campaign 15V205, manufacturing, installation, and exposure issues can keep the mat from working properly. If the mat does not read the passenger seat correctly, the air bag control system receives the wrong signal or no usable signal. In a crash, the front passenger air bag can fail to deploy for the person in that seat.
There is no warning sign before failure. The defect is tied to whether the mat reads the seat correctly, so an owner should not rely on a visible symptom to confirm whether this recall applies.
Who's affected?
Spans four MINI Cooper body and trim variants across the 2005-2008 model years, all tied to the front air bag.
| 2008 MINI Cooper S Convertible | front air bag |
|---|---|
| 2008 MINI Cooper Convertible | front air bag |
| 2007 MINI Cooper Convertible | front air bag |
| 2005 MINI Cooper Convertible | front air bag |
| 2005 MINI Cooper S Convertible | front air bag |
| 2007 MINI Cooper S Convertible | front air bag |
| 2006 MINI Cooper Convertible | front air bag |
| 2006 MINI Cooper S Convertible | front air bag |
| 2005 MINI Cooper | front air bag |
| 2005 MINI Cooper S | front air bag |
| 2006 MINI Cooper S | front air bag |
| 2006 MINI Cooper | front air bag |
| Units affected | 91,800 |
A matching 2005-2008 MINI Cooper model does not guarantee inclusion. Check your VIN to confirm whether your specific car is included.
What's the safety risk?
When the passenger seat occupant detection mat functions improperly, the passenger frontal air bag stays inactive even with someone in the seat. In a crash, that air bag will not deploy, increasing the passenger's injury risk. Schedule the recall repair soon and limit front seat passenger use until it is complete. Repair will be free at any franchised MINI dealer once available.
What should I do?
- Check your VIN to confirm your 2005-2008 MINI Cooper S Convertible, Cooper Convertible, Cooper, or Cooper S is included in this recall.
- Review the owner notice MINI mailed on October 12, 2015, or call MINI customer service if you never received it.
- Contact a franchised MINI dealer about the free front passenger seat occupant detection mat replacement, the repair that restores proper passenger air bag detection.
- Reference recall number 15V205 when you call the dealer or MINI customer service.
- Ask the dealer whether the passenger seat should stay empty until the repair is complete.
What happens at the repair
The dealer repair will be free once available for your VIN. At the dealer, a MINI technician replaces the front passenger seat occupant detection mat. That mat helps the vehicle identify whether a passenger is in the seat so the air bag system can respond correctly in a crash. Parts and labor are covered under the recall. Confirm scheduling with the MINI service desk before planning the visit.
Timeline
| April 6, 2015 | NHTSA published the recall |
|---|---|
| October 12, 2015 | Owner notification mailed |
Frequently asked questions
What is recall 15V205?
Recall 15V205 covers 91,800 2005-2008 MINI Cooper, Cooper S, Cooper Convertible, and Cooper S Convertible vehicles with a front passenger seat occupant detection mat that can fail to read an occupied seat. In a crash, the passenger frontal air bag will not deploy, increasing injury risk. MINI dealers replace the mat for free.
What should I do if my 2005-2008 MINI Cooper S Convertible, Cooper Convertible, Cooper, or Cooper S is on this recall?
Check your VIN to confirm your specific vehicle is included in recall 15V205. If it is, contact a franchised MINI dealer to schedule replacement of the front passenger seat occupant detection mat. Reference recall number 15V205 when you call. The repair is free.
Is the recall repair free?
Yes. Federal recall law requires manufacturers to repair safety defects at no cost, and MINI dealers replace the front passenger seat occupant detection mat free of charge. Parts and labor are covered at any franchised MINI dealer.
What is the safety risk?
The safety risk is that the passenger frontal air bag can stay inactive when someone is sitting in the front passenger seat. In a crash, that air bag will not deploy, increasing the passenger's risk of injury. Confirm your VIN, then schedule the free dealer repair if your vehicle is included.
What if I bought my MINI used?
The free recall repair still applies. Recall coverage follows the vehicle, not the original owner. If you never received the 2015 owner notice, check your VIN to see whether your specific MINI is included, then call a franchised MINI dealer with recall number 15V205.
More information
| NHTSA campaign page | nhtsa.gov/vehicle-recalls/15V205000 |
|---|---|
| MINI customer service | 1-866-825-1525 |
| NHTSA recall # | 15V205 |
| NHTSA recall # (full) | 15V205000 |
Source documents
-
Download Recall Document (PDF) (PDF) - Download Recall Document (PDF) (PDF)
- Download Recall Investigation Document (PDF) (PDF)
- Download Recall Document (PDF) (PDF)
- Download Owner Notification Letter (PDF)
- Download Owner Notice (PDF)
- Download Recall Report (PDF)
- Download Quarterly Report (PDF)
- Download Recall Acknowledgement (PDF)
This article is generated from NHTSA's primary recall filings and reviewed against the source on June 1, 2026. RecallNotify does not paraphrase NHTSA's consequence language; that text is reproduced as written above. Editorial standards →