2010 MINI COOPER Complaints

WHILE ON A RECENT ROAD TRIP, PASSENGER AIRBAG WARNING LAMPS BEGAN TO COME ON INTERMITTENTLY WHILE THE SEAT WAS OCCUPIED. AT FIRST, THE SYSTEM SEEMED TO RESET WHEN THE ENGINE WAS SWITCHED OFF, BUT OVER THE COURSE OF 2 DAYS, IT STOPPED RESETTING AND THE WARNING LIGHTS, AS WELL AS THE WARNING TONES, WOULD JUST GO ON AND OFF SPONTANEOUSLY WITH THE SEAT OCCUPIED. NOW THE "PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF" INDICATOR LAMP ABOVE THE REARVIEW MIRROR, WARNING LAMP NEAR TACHOMETER (AREA 1 AS INDICATED BY MINI OWNER'S MANUAL), AND AIRBAG SYSTEM FAILURE LAMP (AREA 2) ARE CONTINUOUSLY LIT WHEN PASSENGER SEAT IS UNOCCUPIED. I HAVE NOT HAD THE SYSTEM CHECKED BY A MECHANIC YET; CURRENTLY, THE NEAREST MINI DEALERSHIP/SERVICE CENTER IS 202 MILES FROM ME. I HAVE NOTICED THAT THIS IS VERY COMMON ISSUE REPORTED HERE AND ON SEVERAL ONLINE FORUMS. THE TIMING CHAIN TENSIONER ALSO FAILED AND HAD TO BE REPLACED IN SPRING OF 2015.

THE MINI COOPER CLUBMAN HAS A DEFECTIVE TIMING CHAIN TENSIONER THAT CAN CAUSE SEVERE DAMAGE TO THE ENGINE AND CRASHES. BMW HAS AGREED TO REPLACE THE CHAINS IN SOME MODELS, BUT NOT OTHERS, LEAVING OPEN THE POSSIBILITY OF CRASHES RELATED TO THE FAILURE OF THIS KNOWN PROBLEM. BMW HAS KNOWN ABOUT THE DEFECTIVE PART SINCE 2008, WHEN THE COMPANY ISSUED A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN ADDRESSING THE PROBLEM; HOWEVER, FOLLOWING THE NOTICE, BMW FAILED TO ISSUE ANY RECALL OR PROVIDE COMPENSATION FOR THOSE WHO HAD ALREADY REPLACED THEIR CHAINS OR ENGINES. BMW'S FAILURE TO NOTIFY DRIVERS OF THIS PROBLEM IS A DANGER TO THE DRIVING PUBLIC.

FAULTY FRONT PASSENGER SEAT WEIGHT SENSOR FOR AIRBAG. WEIGHT SENSOR FAILS TO DISTINGUISH WHEN SOMEONE IS OR IS NOT IN THE SEAT, CAUSING THE AIRBAG FOR THE FRONT PASSENGER CONSTANTLY READ "PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF."

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 MINI COOPER S. UPON INSPECTING THE VEHICLE, A TECHNICIAN HEARD AN ABNORMAL NOISE AND STATED THAT THE TIMING CHAIN NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN AND FAILURE MILEAGE WERE NOT AVAILABLE.

TENSIONER BROKE CAUSING TIMING CHAIN SHEARED THE CAMSHAFT GEAR AND DESTROYED ENGINE...HAD CAR 7 MONTHS...BOUGHT USED AT TOYOTA OF NICHOLASVILLE IN NICHOLASVILLE KY

THE HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP (HPFP) FAILED AT 88400 MILES AND I HAD TO PAY OVER $1300 TO HAVE IT REPLACED. MINI COOPER ISSUED AN EXTENDED WARRANTY ON SELECT 2007-2009 MODELS TO REPLACE THE HPFP AT NO CHARGE BECAUSE OF THIS HPFP PROBLEM IN SO MANY OF THEIR VEHICLES WITH THE R14 ENGINE. OUR VEHICLE WAS MANUFACTURED IN SEPTEMBER OF 2009. MINI COOPER IS SAYING THAT OUR VEHICLE IS NOT COVERED BY THEIR WARRANTY. I BELIEVE THIS FUEL PUMP WAS ONE OF THE FAULTY UNITS THAT PROMPTED THE REQUIREMENT AND APPLICATION OF THE WARRANTY EXTENSION AND THAT MINI SHOULD REIMBURSE US FOR THE TOTAL COST OF REPLACEMENT PLUS TAX. THE VEHICLE STARTED ACTING UP WHEN IT WAS STARTED IN A STATIONARY POSITION.

THE TIMING CHAIN GUIDE RAIL, CHAIN TENSIONERS,SLIKE RAIL FRICTION WHEEL ETC ALL HAD TO BE REPLACED AND IT ONLY HAS 13000 MILES I KNOW THAT BMW IS BEING SUED AND HABBERSTAD SAID THAT WE WOULD BE INFORMED OF THE SUIT IF OUR VEHICLE IS PART OF THE SUIT. PLEASE HELP US WITH THIS MATTER.

THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG LIGHT INDICATED THE AIR BAG WAS NOT ENGAGED. THE PASSENGER SEAT STARTED GETTING VERY HOT (THIS MODEL DOES NOT HAVE HEATED SEATS). WE REMOVED THE SEAT FROM THE VEHICLE AND INNVESTIGATED. WE FOUND THAT THE AIR BAG SEAT MAT WAS OVERHEATING. THE CIRCUIT WAS MELTED FROM THE HEAT. IF WE HAD NOT REMOVED THE SEAT FROM THE CAR IT WOULD HAVE CAUGHT FIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN THE GARAGE AT THE TIME. HOWEVER, THE CAR WAS DRIVEN EARLIER IN THE DAY AND THE LIGHT WAS ON THEN TO INDICATE THE PASSENGER AIR BAG WAS NOT ON. THERE ARE NO RECALLS FOR THIS 2010 MODEL FOR THIS PROBLEM. HOWEVER, THERE HAVE BEEN NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS FROM OTHER OWNERS ON THE WEB. THIS DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE AN ISOLATED INCIDENT. FIXING THE PROBLEM IS EXPENSIVE TOO.

TIMING CHAIN TENSIONER MAKES VERY LOUD RATTLE WHEN ENGINE IS COLD. REQUIRES REPLACEMENT. COST $1500. KNOWN ISSUE BY MINI BUT THEY ARE UNWILLING TO REPAIR OR RECALL

MY DAUGHTER WAS IN TRAFFIC, DRIVING THE VEHICLE HOME FROM AN OIL CHANGE, WHEN THE TIMING CHANGE BROKE CAUSING HER TO LOSE POWER. THE LOSS OF POWER CREATED A DANGEROUS AND HAZARDOUS SITUATION. FORTUNATELY, SHE WAS ABLE TO GET IT OFF THE MAIN ROADS AND WE HAD IT TOWED BY AAA TO THE MINI DEALERSHIP. DUE TO THE FACT THAT THERE HAS BEEN A CLASS ACTION SETTLEMENT WITH BMW MINI OVER THE DEFECTIVE TIMING CHAINS, THE PROBLEM COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED IF THERE HAD BEEN A RECALL EFFORT BY THE MANUFACTURER.