I did a search, but didn't find any posts. My air bag light is on and I was wondering what things could have caused it that I can check? Is there any sensors or anything besided the airbag itself causing it? Can I reset the system by disconnecting the battery for a few minutes to see if that helps? This is a used car so I'm not sure if the airbag was deployed at anytime in the past.

 

There's airbags in both front seats so if they're aftermarket or have been disconnected it will turn the light on.

 

OK so the seats themselves have airbags. In my 350z there were airbags also in the sides of the seats next to the door. I'm pretty sure these seats are stock, but I will check them to make sure they are connected. Any other airbags that could cause the light to be on such as the dash airbags? Could they have been deployed and then just not been replaced by new ones? Is there any side airbags?

 

I didn't think that Mini's have air bags actually mounted in the seats. It has driver & passenger bags, roof air bags and side air bags. I assumed the side bags were mounted in the door, but some of the brochures I have seen make it look like they are mounted just above the window.
If it is the passenger side air bag light that is on (mounted up by the rear-view mirror); mine comes on when I put a not too awfully heavy item in the passenger's front seat. If it is the one in the instument cluster, I'd take it in and have an expert check it out. Even if they have been deployed during an accident sometime, a repuitable body shop should have been able to reset the light when they re-commissioned the air bags.
Also it isn't that hard to do a check on a vehicle to see if it has been in a reported accident.

 

Ok thanx Cougsfan. I will run a carfax and do a visual inspection, but my friend who is bringing it said it looks mint condition inside and out. Do you know if i disconnect battery and plug back in will it require a code for the radio?

 

If you disconnect your battery you might lose your radio station presets and your clock will go to 12:00. But I can't imagine having to enter a code.

 

Are the side airbags in the seats Amg? I was just out looking around in my car, and the seats seem like the only feasible place for the side bags. The ceiling panel has a grab rail on the passenger side that would seemingly become a missle if a bag were beneith it. And I see no place in the door that looks like it could contain bag. But the side of the seat looks like it indeed might. I did look at a brocure that made it appear that they dropped down from the ceiling panel just inside the side window.

 

The side airbags are definitely in the seats, there should be an airbag tag on them. If you swap them out of aftermarket seats you have to trick the computer into thinking the airbag is plugged in by putting a resistor in the plug that's connected to the bottom of the OEM seat.

The other airbags are in the steering wheel/upper dash and in the a pillars.

 

And no, you won't need a code for the radio and yes, resetting the car (unplugging the battery) could be a good idea. If it's a fake problem it will go away but if there's really a problem the light will come back on.

 

I recently had the same problem with the airbag light being on, mine turned on because the wiring harness for the airbags needed replacement. its about $200 if you do it at the dealer.