2005 MINI COOPER Complaints

POWER STEERING SUDDENLY FAILED RESULTING IN NEAR ACCIDENT. UPON REVIEW OF THIS SITE WARRANTY EXTENSION ON POWER-ASSIST STEERING PUMP AND COOLING FAN PUMP WAS ISSUED. DESPITE THE EXTENSION OF WARRANTY AND LACK OF DEALER OR AUTHORIZED SERVICE FACILITY IN LEXINGTON, KENTUCKY, MINI REFUSED TO HONOR WARRANTY UNLESS CUSTOMER TOWED VEHICLE, AT CUSTOMER'S EXPENSE, TO NEAREST AUTHORIZED DEALER WHICH WAS APPROXIMATELY 80 MILES AWAY. LEAVING WARRANTY EXTENSION ON KNOWN PROBABLE DEFECTIVE CONDITION WORTHLESS. BELIEVE INVESTIGATION SHOULD BE PERFORMED TO DETERMINE IF RECALL SHOULD BE ISSUED RELATING TO POWER ASSIST STEERING PUMP FAILURES. *TR

WHEN PASSENGER EXITED VEHICLE, LIGHT AIRBAG OFF NOTIFICATION CAME ON. THIS HAPPENS EVERY TIME SOMEONE EXITS THE PASSENGER SEAT. ALSO AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT & SEATBELT NOT BUCKLED LIGHT COME ON. *TR

PULLED2005 MINI COOPER S IN GARAGE, BRAKES WORKED FINE. NEXT DAY, BACKED CAR OUT THE GARAGE AND THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR. NO BRAKES AT ALL! NO FLUID IN THE RESERVOIR SO I REFILLED IT BUT STILL NO BRAKES AT ALL. HAD CAR FLAT BEDDED TO WALSH'S GARAGE 7 MILE RD REDFORD,MI 313-532-2823 REAR BRAKE LINES WERE TOTALLY RUSTED THRU WHERE THE BRAKE LINES ARE HELD UP TO THE FRAME. LINES WERE RUSTED THRU UNDER THE BRACKET THAT IS TACKED TO THE FRAME. I DO NOT DRIVE THE CAR IN THE WINTER AND HARDLY EVER IN THE RAIN SO I CAN JUST IMAGINE WHAT THE BRAKE LINES WOULD LIKE IF I DROVE IT IN THE WINTER IN MICHIGAN?? I CONTACTED MINI USA AND THEY DID NOT SEEM TO CARE ABOUT MY BRAKE FAILURE?? THE REP STATED: " WHAT DO U WANT MINI TO DO ABOUT IT? *TR

THE AIR BAG LIGHT IS ON AND SAYS THE PASSENGER AIR BAG IS TURNED OFF. IT APPEARS THAT THERE IS A WEIGHT SENSOR IN THE SEAT AND IT IS DEFECTIVE. I HAVE RESEARCHED THIS ISSUE ON THE INTERNET AND HAVE FOUND THIS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM. ONE OF MY CONCERNS IS THAT THERE IS CONFLICTING INFORMATION NOT THERE AS TO WEATHER THE AIR BAGS WILL WORK OR NOT IN THIS CONDITION. THE DEALER FIX COST BETWEEN 1000 AND 1200 DOLLARS TO FIX. THESE SAFETY ITEMS SHOULD LAST THE LIFE OF THE CAR AND NOT COST THIS MUCH TO REPAIR. WHY ISN'T BMW RECALLING THIS CAR AND FIXING AN OBVIOUS DEFECT? *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 MINI COOPER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG LIGHT FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ENTIRE SEAT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE APPROXIMATE MILEAGE FAILURE WAS 60,000.

WAS DRIVING AT 45MPH AND ALL OF SUDDEN COULD TELL SOMETHING WAS DIFFERENT WITH THE STEERING. SLOWED DOWN AND TURNED AT THE NEXT INTERSECTION AND IT WAS LIKE DRIVING A TANK. COULD HAVE BEEN REALLY BAD IF I HAD BEEN DRIVING FASTER. *JS

MY PROBLEM IS WITH A 2005 MINI COOPER S. WHY IS THEIR NOT A RECALL ON THE WATER PUMP? IT HAS BEEN KNOW FOR GOING OUT PREMATURE AND BMW HAS REDESIGNED THE NEW PUMPS WITH A METAL IMPELLER INSTEAD OF PREVIOUS PLASTIC. TALKING TO THE DEALER, THEY MADE ME FEEL FORTUNATE THAT MY WATER PUMP MADE IT TO 50,000 MILES STATING THEY REPLACE MANY WATER PUMPS IN THE 1ST GENERATION SERIES AROUND 20,000 MILES. I STRONGLY BELIEVE THIS IS DANGEROUS, AS THE FAILURE CAN CAUSE OVERHEATING AND REQUIRES YOU TO SHUT OFF THE CAR, AND SIT ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. CARS ARE NOT MADE TO OVER HEAT. THIS GREATLY INCREASES THE CHANCE OF A FIRE. BMW KNOWS THEY HAVE A PROBLEM BUT IS NOT RECALLING THE WATER PUMPS UNTIL 2006-2011. I THINK THE 1ST GENERATION MINIS SHOULD HAVE THE SAME RECALL AS MOST MINIS INCLUDING MINE HAS/HAD A WATER PUMP ISSUE AND WOULD LIKE OVER A THOUSAND DOLLARS TO HAVE IT REPLACED. I HAVE CAUGHT MINE EARLY BUT ONLY BECAUSE I JACK UP MY MINI TO CLEAN THE UNDERBODY ABOUT ONCE A MONTH. MINI COOPERS ARE WELL KNOWN FOR THEIR WATER PUMPS, THERMOSTATS, AND POWER STEERING, FAILING. I AM 18 YEARS OLD AND WOULD LIKE TO USE THIS CAR TO TRAVEL FROM SOUTH CAROLINA TO WISCONSIN IN THE FUTURE, YET IF MY COOLANT SYSTEM (WATER PUMP OR THERMOSTAT) COULD GO OUT AGAIN AT ANY TIME AND COST A FORTUNE TO REPLACE AND LEAVE ME STRANDED ON THE SIDE OF A HIGHWAY. I WILL BE TAKING A PLANE EVERY TIME I TRAVEL A FEW HUNDRED MILES AND RENT A CAR. THIS MUST BE ADDRESSED! I JUST PAID 1200 FOR MINI TO REPLACE A WATER PUMP THAT SHOULD HAVE HAD AT THE LEAST 30-50 THOUSAND MILES MORE. *TR

THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAGS REMAIN ON WITH OR WITHOUT SOMEONE IN THE SEAT. CAUSES CONCERN IF AIRBAGS WILL OPERATE IN A CRASH. *TR

DRIVING APPROX. 15 MILES - MOSTLY INTERSTATE - TO ATTEND A FRIEND'S BIRTHDAY DINNER. WHILE PULLING INTO THE PARKING LOT, LOST POWER STEERING AND ALL INDICATOR WARNING LIGHTS STARTED FLASHING. I PROCEEDED TO A PARKING SPACE AND SAW SMOKE POURING OUT FROM UNDER THE HOOD. WHEN I RELEASED THE HOOD I COULD SEE AN ORANGE GLOW AT THE BOTTOM OF THE ENGINE (NIGHT TIME). WITHIN 30 SECONDS IT BURST INTO FLAMES. A 911 CALL TO LOCAL FIRE FIGHTERS WAS PLACED WHO RESPONDED WITHIN 15 MINUTES. SINCE THERE WERE TWO RESTAURANTS IN THE COMPLEX, EMPLOYEES OF EACH ONE HAD COME OUT WITH FIRE EXTINGUISHERS AND PUT OUT THE FIRE. THE CAR HAD TO BE TOWED TO MY WORK PLACE, FROM MY WORK PLACE TO ANOTHER CITY FOR REPAIRS. ONLY THE ACTUAL REPAIRS WERE COVERED UNDER WARRANTY, BUT NOT THE TOWING OR RENTALS. I HAD TO RENT A CAR FOR TWO WEEKS AND A WEEK AFTER PICKING MY CAR UP, I HAD OTHER THINGS TO GO OUT ON THE CAR CAUSED BY THE HEAT FROM THE FIRE. (DOMINO EFFECT). THE CAR HAD TO GO BACK INTO A SHOP WHERE IT TOOK MORE THAN 3 WEEKS TO GET ALL PARTS IN AND REPAIRS MADE, WHILE I INCURRED YET MORE EXPENSE OF A RENTAL CAR. I AM NOW IN DEBT ALMOST $3,000.00 AS A DIRECTLY RESULT OF THIS FAULTY SYSTEM. *TR

STARTED OUT BEING AN INTERMITTENT PROBLEM,WHERE IT WOULD SEEM THE POWER STEERING WOULD SHUT OFF THEN COME BACK ON, MAKING HARD TO JUDGE IF YOU COULD JUST RELAX TO STEER OR NOT, NOW ITS MORE OFF THAN ON. CALLED THE MINI ASSISTANCE NUMBER BECAUSE I WAS TOLD THERE WAS AN EXTENDED WARRANTY ON THIS ISSUE, WAS TOLD THERE WAS BUT MY VEHICLE DIDN'T QUALIFY FOR IT, AND THE EXTENDED WARRANTY WAS FOR VEHICLES 2002-2005, MINES A 2005 AND MY VIN WAS NOT COVERED. DON'T UNDERSTAND. *TR