2009 MINI COOPER Complaints

IT'S THE ENGINE BURNED UP WAS DRIVING CAR GOT HOT STARTED SMOKING AND THE ENGINE BURNED UP VERY DISAPPOINTED DIDN'T EVEN FINISH PAYING FOR IT.

CAR WAS TAKEN IN TO DEALER JUST AFTER REPORT OF MINI AIRBAG RECALL OF EARLIER MODELS [INCLUDING 2006]. SINCE CAR WASN'T LISTED ON RECALL LIST BUT I HAD EXPERIENCED SEVERAL MONTHS OF PASSENGER AIRBAG LIGHT PROBLEMS [ FOR NO APPARENT REASON]; I WAS CONCERNED AND ASKED FOR REPAIR. THE PIECE REMOVED AND REPLACED LOOKED LIKE IT HAD MELTED. I WAS TOLD IF MY MODEL WAS EVER RECALLED THEY WOULD REIMBURSE ME THE COST OF THE REPAIR. I DO NOT SEE MY COMPLAINT ON YOUR LIST AND SURPRISED AS I THOUGHT I WAS TOLD IT WOULD BE REPORTED BY THE DEALER. AFTER THE REPAIR, I ASKED FOR THE DAMAGED PART; HOWEVER, IT MYSTERIOUSLY COULD NOT BE FOUND. MY QUESTION WOULD BE ARE THESE SAFETY TYPE ISSUES REQUIRED TO BE REPORTED BY DEALERS? I REVIEWED YOUR LIST OF COMPLAINTS AND THERE ARE A NUMBER OF SIMILAR COMPLAINTS TO MINE [8 POSTINGS BY OWNERS AND 2 MANUFACTURER COMMENTS]. I HOPE MY DRIVERS SIDE COMPONENTS NEVER FAIL AS I AM NOT SURE IT WAS REPLACED. MECHANIC DIAGNOSIS; RAN SHORT TEST FOUND PASSENGER SEAT MAT SENSOR BAD. REPLACED SEAT MAT SENSOR NO FAULT FOUND AFTER REPAIR.

PASSENGER SEAT AIR BAG ALARM IS ON CONSTANTLY. WE WERE TOLD BY MINI DEALER THAT THE PAD THAT CONTROLS THE AIR BAG IS FAULTY, OR CRACKED. THEY ALSO INFORMED US THAT THIS EXACT PROBLEM IS UNDER RECALL FOR MODELS 2005 TO 2008, BUT NOT OUR 2009. WE CONTACTED MINI USA AND THEY SAID THEY DON'T CONTROL RECALLS.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 MINI COOPER S. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 75 MPH, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO DECREASE IN SPEED WHILE THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE VACUUM PUMP FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 120,000.

I OWN A 09 MINI S. ABOUT A YEAR OR SO AGO I NOTICED THAT THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR WAS STICKING WHEREAS I HAD TO JIGGLE IT IN ORDER TO OPEN IT. I TOOK THE DOOR PANEL OFF TO LOOK FOR ANY OBSTRUCTIONS AND FOUND NONE. I GREASED THE DOOR HINGE AND IT WORKED BETTER. I HEADED TO THE STORE ONE DAY AND UPON EXITING THE VEHICLE I HEARD A LITTLE DIFFERENT SOUND THAN USUAL AT LEAST I THOUGHT. AFTER COMING FROM THE STORE I ONCE AGAIN HAD TO JIGGLE THE DOOR FROM THE INSIDE DOOR LATCH AND THE OUTSIDE DOOR LATCH. I GOT THE DOOR OPEN AND DECIDED TO STOP FOR GAS ON THE WAY HOME. AFTER ARRIVING AT THE GAS STATION I RELEASED MY SEAT BELT AND ATTEMPTED TO GET OUT BUT THE DOOR WOULD NOT BUDGE. AFTER NUMEROUS FAILED ATTEMPTS I COULD NOT OPEN THE DRIVER'S DOOR. I HEADED HOME AND IN MY DRIVEWAY I TRIED FOR SOME TIME MY USUAL TECHNIQUE ALONG WITH REPEATED ATTEMPTS WITH THE UNLOCK AND LOCK TOGGLE SWITCH, I COULD NOT OPEN THE DOOR. THE WINDOW IS TOO SMALL TO CLIMB OUT AT LEAST FOR ME SO I EXITED THE VEHICLE BY CLIMBING OVER TO THE PASSENGER'S SIDE AND EXITED THROUGH THAT DOOR. THIS COULD OF BEEN A BAD SITUATION AND A 911 CALL. THE 1ST RESPONDERS WOULD OF ARRIVED AND TRIED TO HELP ME GET OUT AND IF I WASN'T NIMBLE AS I AM TO CLIMB OUT THROUGH THE PASSENGER'S SIDE DOOR THEY WOULD HAVE TO CALL THE FIRE DEPARTMENT TO COME AND CUT ME OUT OF MY PERFECTLY GOOD CAR AS FAR AS NOTHING ELSE IS WRONG WITH IT. I AM THE SECOND OWNER AND THERE ARE NO MODIFICATIONS ON THE DOORS OR ANY KNOWN ACCIDENTS. I SPOKE WITH A MECHANIC AND HE DIAGNOSED IT TO BE A FAULTY DOOR LATCH MODULE. I HAVEN'T HAD IT FIXED YET.

TAKATA RECALL....MY PASSENGER AIR BAG LIGHT HAS BEEN ON FOR TWO YRS NOW AND FOR NO REASON I'M A SINGLE MAN WITH NO DEPENDENT CHILDREN SO RARELY IS ANYONE SITTING ON THE PASSENGER SIDE. DEALERSHIP WANT 100'S FOR REPAIR.RREALLY..SO I HAVE LET IT ON.

TAKATA RECALL: THE AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON OVER A YEAR AGO AND IT SAYS THAT THE PASSENGER AIR BAG IS TURNED OFF. IT WILL COME ON AND OFF RANDOMLY. I BROUGHT IT IN TO THE CERTIFIED INDEPENDENT MINI MECHANIC IN TOWN WHO SAID THE PASSENGER OCCUPANCY SENSOR IS FAULTY AND WILL NEED TO BE REPLACED. AS IT IS RIGHT NOW, THE PASSENGER AIRBAG WOULD NOT DEPLOY IN THE CASE OF AN ACCIDENT.

I NOTED THAT AT IDLE THE ENGINE OF MY 2009 MINI COOPER WAS NOT RUNNING SMOOTH AND INSTEAD BEGINNING TO PULSATE/VIBRATE. WITHIN IN 3 DAYS I HAD MY MINI AT THE SERVICE CENTER. ON THE WAY TO THE APPOINTMENT THE ENGINE CUT OFF AT IDLE AT A STOP LIGHT BUT WAS ABLE TO RESTART. NO SENSOR LIGHT. I WAS INFORMED THAT THERE WAS A TIMING CHAIN FAILURE. AS A RESULT THERE WAS EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO THE ENGINE. THE DAMAGE ALSO CAUSED AN OIL LEAK SO THAT THE ENGINE WAS RUNNING WITHOUT OIL, THOUGH I'D RECENTLY RECEIVED AN OIL CHANGE. ADDITIONALLY, THE VACUUM PUMP WAS ALSO LEAKING. AT NO TIME DID ANY SENSOR LIGHTS COME ON AS A WARNING, INCLUDING A CHECK ENGINE, LOW OIL, OR LOW COOLANT . I WAS INFORMED THAT REPAIRS WOULD BE UPWARDS OF $3500.00, OVER HALF OF THE VALUE OF THE VEHICLE. DESPITE THE CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT SETTLEMENT THAT I INQUIRED ABOUT, MINI FAILED TO ACKNOWLEDGE KNOWLEDGE OF THE PROBLEM. IT WAS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THE SETTLEMENT OF THE LAWSUIT RESULTED IN EXTENDING THE WARRANTY ON THESE VEHICLES FOR THE TIMING CHAIN ISSUE TO 7 YEARS/100,000MI. MY MINI ONLY HAD 64,000MILES AND WAS WITHIN THE 7 YEAR MARK. ADDITIONALLY, I LEARNED THAT MINI HAD PREVIOUSLY ISSUED A RECALL FOR THE VACUUM PUMP. HOWEVER, I WAS REPEATEDLY TOLD THAT FOR BOTH OF THESE ISSUES "[MY] VEHICLE WAS NOT ONE OF THE AFFECTED VEHICLES."

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 MINI COOPER S. WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE OR WHILE PARKED, THE COOLANT IN THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO LEAK PROFUSELY. THE FAILURE WAS PERSISTENT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE WATER PUMP FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 12V008000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 87,178.

I AM THE SECOND OWNER OF A MINI COOPER CLUBMAN S 2009. IT HAD ABOUT 50K MILES WHEN I FIRST PURCHASED THIS CAR. NEW TO THIS MAKE OF VEHICLE, I DID NOT PUT MUCH ATTENTION TO THE NOCKING NOISE IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. I CAME ACROSS A COMMENT AT THE MINI FORUMS WHERE SOMEONE STATED THAT THIS CARS HAD A COMMON DIESEL SOUND. IN THE TWO YEARS THAT I HAVE HAD THIS CAR, I HAVE DONE A FEW REPAIRS AND PEOPLE THAT HAVE HEARD THE SOUND HAVE TOLD ME THE SAME THING. "THERE IS SOMETHING WRONG IN THE ENGINE." " THAT SOUND IS NOT NORMAL." YOU GOT TO TAKE YOUR CAR TO THE DEALER TO HAVE A SPECIALIST CHECK WHAT'S WRONG IN THERE." I DID NOT TAKE THEM SERIOUSLY BECAUSE THEY WERE NOT FAMILIAR WITH THESE CARS. I WOULD TELL THEM THAT IT WAS A NORMAL DIESEL SOUND. SOMETIME IN FEBRUARY I RECEIVED A LETTER REGARDING THIS ISSUE. IT IS NOT A RECALL LETTER BUT INSTEAD IS A "TIMING CHAIN TENSIONER CLASS ACTION SETTLEMENT CLAIM FORM." I HAVE NOT HAD ANY REPAIRS DONE TO THE CAR. IF I SPEND OVER $1K TO GET IT FIXED, I MAY GET REFUNDED. CHANCES ARE THAT I WON'T. I HAVE SCHEDULED AN APPOINTMENT WITH MY LOCAL DEALER AND THEY WILL CHECKING THE CAR FOR THIS ISSUE. THEY DID NOT TELL ME THAT THEY WILL MAKE THE REPAIRS AT NO CHARGE. SINCE IT ISN'T A RECALL YET, I DOUBT THE DEALER PEOPLE WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL COST. LET'S SEE WHAT HAPPENS BUT I AM REALLY UNHAPPY ABOUT ALL THIS. FIRST, VALVE COVER. THEN, FUEL FEED LINE, AFTER THAT, VACUUM PUMP, THEN THE THERMOSTAT HOUSING. RIGHT NOW, TENSIONER CHAIN ALONG WITH VANOS SOLENOID. I WISH I HAD NOT SOLD MY TOYOTA MINI TRUCK I HAD BACK IN THE 80'S. NOT MUCH TECHNOLOGY. WHICH WAS OK. JUST ADD GAS, DO REGULAR OIL CHANGES AND GOOD TO GO WITH NO WORRIES OF SENSOR, CODES HERE AND CODES THERE. NO RECALLS EITHER. MAKE THIS MINI CHAIN TENSIONER A RECALL AND HAVE BMV RESPONSIBLE FOR CORRECTING THEIR BAD ENGINEERING. WHY SHOULD THE CONSUMER HAVE TO PAY?