2003 MINI COOPER Complaints

I WAS STARTING MY VEHICLE AND IT MADE A BAD KNOCKING NOISE THEN IT WAS LIKE CRUNCHING NOISE SO I STOPPED TURN IT OFF AND WAITED FOR A WHILE WENT BACK TO THE CAR STILL MAKING A STRANGE NOISE BUT ONCE I PUT IT IN THE DRIVE IT STOPPED MAKING NOISE DROVE DOWN THE ROAD A BIT AND TALKING ABOUT APPARENTLY SLIPS OFF OF THE CAR SO IT JUST PULLS OVER INSIDE ALL THE ALL THE WEARING LIGHTS CAME ON SO PULLED OVER APPARENTLY THIS HAPPENS QUITE OFTEN BUT THE HARMONIC BALANCER SEPARATED AND WITH SPINNING AGAINST ITSELF AND KNOCKED THE PIECES OFF OF IT AND THROUGH THE SERPENTINE BELT SO THAT NEEDS TO REPLACE NOW THAT SHOULD NOT HAPPEN IT'S ONE PIECE IS THIS ONE PIECE THIS NEEDS TO BE RECALLED FOR THESE WHATEVER CARS HAD THESE HARMONIC BALANCERS IS DANGEROUS AND IT COULD BLOW YOUR CAR UP THANK YOU

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 MINI COOPER S. THE CONTACT STATED THAT ON THREE OCCASIONS, THE MAT OCCUPANCY SENSOR ON THE FRONT PASSENGER'S SEAT WAS REPLACED DUE TO THE WARNING LIGHT BEING ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO MINI OF BIRMINGHAM LOCATED AT 2001 TOM WILLIAMS WAY, BIRMINGHAM, AL 35210, 205-267-4505. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE MAT SENSOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AT A COST OF $1,200. THE CONTACT WAS ALSO INFORMED THAT THE PART MAY ALSO BE AVAILABLE AT THE LOCAL JUNKYARD. THE MAT SENSOR WAS REPLACED HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE SEAT SHOULD BE REPLACED WHICH WAS STILL PENDING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 79,000.

IN MOTION.. THE POWER STEERING WHEEL FEELS TO HARD TO TURN OPERATE;I CHECK THE VIN# NUMBER AND APPEAR (1) RECALL FOR POWER STEERING INCOMPLETE;WE CALL AT BMW OF DALLAS AND THEY SETUP AN APOINMENT ON JANUARY,15,2020...WHEN I SHOW UP...THEY SAY MY CAR DON'T HAVE ANY RECALL;AND I SHOW IM THE OFFICIAL RECALL WITH MY VIN#...BMW RECALL & NHTSA RECALL AND THEY SAY THE CAR WARRANTY IS EXPIRED,I SAID I JUST NEED FIX THE RECALL ON MY CAR AND THEY WANNA CHARGE ME $180 DLLS JUST TO GET THE VEHICLE INSPECTED,IF THE CAR GOT SOMETHING WRONG THEY CHARGE ME THE COST...I DONT ACCEPT...MY CAR GOT THE RECALL AND THEY MAKE ME DRIVE 120 MILES WHIT THE CAR FOR NOTHING

WE KNOW OF TWICE THAT OUR CAR'S POWER STEERING PUMP FAILED WHILE IN MOTION. AFTER BMW WAS FINALLY FORCED INTO A RECALL FOR THE POWER STEERING PUMP FAILURE AND WE RECEIVED A NOTIFICATION, WE TOOK OUR CAR TO CENTURY BMW IN GREENVILLE, SC. THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT CHECKED OUR WORK REGARDING REPLACEMENT PUMP, FAN, ETC. AND DEEMED IT 100% SATISFACTORY. WE SUBMITTED THE PAPERWORK AND INVOICE FOR THE REPAIR AND WAITED (REQUESTED . AFTER 16 WEEKS AND NO REIMBURSEMENT OR NOTIFICATION, WE CALLED AND WAS INFORMED BY THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT MANAGER THAT BMW WOULDN'T PAY US ANYTHING BECAUSE WE DIDN'T USE OEM PARTS. WHY WOULD WE KEEP REPLACING THE PUMP (THIS WAS THE 3RD PUMP THAT WE KNOW OF) WITH A DEFECTIVE ONE (BY ZF) THAT KEPT QUITTING? WE REPLACED IT WITH DORMAN (WELL-KNOWN MANUFACTURER OF QUALITY PARTS) WHICH HAD A LIFE-TIME WARRANTY (LIFE-TIME!) AND WAS MUCH CHEAPER. THE SD MANAGER EVEN SAID THAT SINCE HE'D SEEN SO MANY REPAIRS USING THAT BRAND OF POWER STEERING PUMP HE HAD RESEARCHED THEM AND FOUND NOTHING WRONG WITH THEM. BUT BMW DECIDED THEY WOULDN'T PAY FOR THIS. THERE WAS NOTHING IN THE RECALL LETTER THAT SAID OEM HAD TO BE USED OR THEY WOULDN'T REIMBURSE FOR REPAIRS. I BELIEVE BMW SAW SO MANY DORMAN PUMPS USED THEY KNEW THEY COULD SAVE A LOT OF MONEY BY REFUSING TO PAY. WE FILED A COMPLAINT WITH THE SC DEPT. OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS BUT BMW WOULDN'T ANSWER THEM SO THEY JUST DROPPED IT, LETTING BMW GET BY WITH THIS. WE WERE ONLY REQUESTING $721.04 WHICH IS LESS THAN HALF OF WHAT A REPAIR SHOP WOULD HAVE CHARGED. CAN YOU DO ANYTHING ABOUT THIS? WE FILED THE COMPLAINT WITH SC CONSUMER AFFAIRS IN DECEMBER OF 2017, TOOK THE CAR TO BMW IN MAY OF 2017 SO THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR A WHILE. HAVE OTHER OWNERS HAD THIS PROBLEM? HAS A LAWSUIT BEEN STARTED AGAINST BMW?

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 MINI COOPER. WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THE POWER STEERING COMPLETELY FAILED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO REGAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE; HOWEVER, THE STEERING WAS ROUGH AND STIFF. THE CONTACT PERFORMED HIS OWN INSPECTION ON THE VEHICLE AND NOTICED THAT THE POWER STEERING PUMP WAS LEAKING. THE CONTACT SPOKE WITH AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE MAY BE INCLUDED IN AN UNKNOWN RECALL. THE MANUFACTURER WAS INFORMED OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V660000 (STEERING). THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO MINI OF THE WOODLANDS (16675 I-45, CONROE, TX 77385, 936-344-1258) AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE COULD NOT BE REPAIRED BECAUSE THE STEERING PUMP WAS NOT THE ORIGINAL MINI COOPER STEERING PUMP. THE DEALER OFFERED NO FURTHER ASSISTANCE. THE PUMP HAD NOT BEEN REPLACED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 83,000.

BOUGHT THIS CAR FOR 16 YR OLD DAUGHTER. STEERING WAS CUTTING OUT WHILE DRIVING TOOK CAR TO MINI OF DALLAS RECALL WAS DONE ON HARNESS, PUMP, COOLING FAN. NEXT WEEK NO STEERING AGAIN WHILE DRIVING TOOK CAR BACK. MINI STATED DRIVE BELT BROKE AND WAS REPAIRED FOR 260.00. 3 DAYS LATER WAS CALLED AT A 11:30 AT NIGHT MY DAUGHTER STATING THE STEERING HAD CUT OUT AGAIN. I DON'T WANT MY DAUGHTER IN THIS CAR OR ANYONE ELSE FOR THAT MATTER WHAT SHOULD I DO WITH THIS CAR.

THE WARNING FOR TH EPASSENGER AIRBAG COMES ON, THOUGH APPARENTLY NOTHING IS WROMG WITH IT. IT SEEMS TO BE A COMMMON PROBLEM THAT MINI IS AWARE OFF, PUTS PEOPLE IN DANGER, BUT DOESNT DO ANYTHING TO FIX THE HARNESS UNDERNEATH THE PASSENGER SEAT, WHICH THEY QUOTE AT 1200 TO 1400 TO REPAIR THEIR ILL DESIGN AND FINAL PRODUCT

OCCASIONALLY THE STEERING OVER MY MINI COOPER S IS BECOMING VERY HARD. IT SEEMS LIKE THE POWER STEERING IS FAILING. THE CAR THEN CAN ONLY BE STEERED WITH A LOT OF DIFFICULTY. I CAN NO LONGER RISK TO HAVE MY DAUGHTER OR WIFE DRIVE THIS CAR. I CHECKED THE STEERING FLUID AND IT IS AT OPTIMAL LEVELS. IT USUALLY HAPPENS AT LOWER SPEED, BUT I HAVE NOT DRIVEN IT ON THE FREEWAY SINCE THIS ISSUE STARTED TO APPEAR.

POWER STEERING FAILURE - INTERMITTENT AND DURING MOTION, MINI DEALERSHIP PROVIDED RECORDS THAT THE CLAIM WAS CLEARED WITH # AND MILEAGE, BUT THIS IS FALSE INFORMATION IF STILL COVERED BY NHTSA # 15V660000. ORIGINAL RECALL # THAT WAS ENTERED IN THE "REPAIR HISTORY" FROM MINI THAT NEVER OCCURRED IS M320215. THANK YOU

DRIVING NORMALLY ON CITY PAVED ROAD STARTED TO MAKE TURN ON SIDE STREET AND LOST TOTAL STEERING CONTROL AND WENT UP ON CURB JUST MISSING A PEDESTRIAN ON SIDEWALK.THIS VEHICLE HAS 79300 MILES.THE ELECTRIC HYDRAULIC PUMP COMPLETELY FAILED.MINI USA SAID THIS VIN IS NOT PART OF THE RECALL YET JUST ABOUT EVERY MINI INPORTED TO USA HAS COMPLETE STEERING LOSE 2002-2003-2004-2005 AND I BELIEVE THEY ARE HIDING THIS FROM YOU AND THE PUBLIC WHO ARE STILL BUYING THESE USED CARS AND NOT KNOWING THE DANGEROUS PROBLEM THE MINI HAS AND FLAWED POWER STEERING PUMP DESIGN.THANK YOU.