Warning Light On problems of the 2011 Mini Cooper Clubman

We bought our car, a Mini Cooper Clubman 2011, used in 2012, with approximately 32k miles on it. There were issues that the Mini dealer took care of without issue, but for the last 4+ years we have been dealing with the passenger airbag warning lights remaining on. When it first occurred it would intermittently go on and off with reason or known cause. We contacted the dealer who said this was not a warranty or recall issue, but would gladly make necessary repairs for a costly 2k. We do not have 2k to spend on a life saving feature that was included as a standard feature. Life saving equipment should not be a maintenance issue but rather a manufacturer responsibility.