general problems of the 2002 Mini Cooper

I purchased the vehicle used with airbag light showing on the speedometer gauge cluster. Searched with VIN for recalls but showed 0 unrepaired recalls. Tried clearing the light with my launch creader BMW v2 scan tool. Light flashes a few times and goes away but immediately appears on the speedometer gauge cluster. This would happen everytime. Wires are intact with no signs of damages to all 3 wire connectors under the seat.

Driverside headlight assembly flickers everytime when you turn the key to position 1 with selector on off or auto. Flickers multiple times but doesn'tturn on unless I cycle the key on off until headlight does. This annoyance would reoccur the very next morning. Passenger headlight assembly doesn't have any issues.

I turned the seat heater on and it melted a hole in the leather seat and the foam padding started to burn.

The contact owns a 2002 Mini Cooper. The contact stated that the headlights and cabin lights would remain illuminated after the vehicle was shut off. In addition, the contact stated that he would often become locked inside or outside of the vehicle intermittently. The vehicle was inspected by a dealer and they advised him that the control module would need to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and they offered no assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 60,000.

Purchased a used 2002 Mini Cooper about 3 1/2 yrs ago w/ about 12k miles. At around 15-17k miles the transmission basically exploded while I was on the highway. I was told that there was a crack in the transmission. Mini replaced it with I'm guessing a rebuilt transmission. At the time of the repair I asked them if they were putting in a new clutch and they said no, which I found strange. Now at 60k miles the clutch is basically done. When the car is cold it shifts pretty normally, but after 15-25 minutes of driving the first two gears become hard to engage and they slip. This is not my first five speed and I'm shocked that this clutch is done after such little mileage. Should they have replaced the clutch when they replaced the transmission? I'm not a mechanic but to lose a clutch at 60k miles doesn't make any sense. My driving habits are pretty normal. I'm not lighting up the tires at traffic lights or racing people. This is an everyday car mostly used on the highway. I'm bringing the car in to have it looked at the Mini service center in freeport NY on 12/29/08. Also had a problem with overheating about 4 months after car was purchased. And air bag light stays lit. Have had this problem corrected once or twice. But the light still stays lit.

I was driving my 2002 Mini Cooper. I had driven 1/4 mile and thought I heard something crack or spark under the dashboard on the passenger side of the vehicle. Then I saw smoke, pulled over, got out, and the whole car went up in flames.

2003 Mini Cooper cvt. Vehicle stalls in traffic conditions. Boggs down, lunges upon acceleration. Power failure. No indicator lights on dash warn of problem. Vehicle has been serviced on three occasions for same problems. Boggs down and lunges corrected by reprogramming on first service. After first service vehicle stalled again in traffic conditions. Returned to service dept. Who were unable to replicate stalling after 400 miles of test driving it. Contacted Mini division of BMW of America. They sent technical specialist who checked the electrical system, no apparent cause. Mini representative is currently having electrical harness replaced. Vehicle out of service for 6 weeks and counting. Major safety concern.

The head light failed twice, the dealer replaced the module and then the computer chip.