2003 MINI COOPER Complaints

I OWN A 2003 MINI COOPER WITH A CVT AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION, TRANSMISSION AND FRONT DIFFERENTIAL FILED AT 58000 MILES LUCKY FOR ME I WAS NOT ON THE INTERSTATE OR BUSY TRAFFIC AS A SERIOUS ACCIDENT COULD HAVE OCCURRED. MINI USA ARE TOTALLY AWARE OF THE PROBLEM AND STOPPED PUTTING THIS DEFECTIVE PART IN NEWER MODEL VEHICLES. THEY WILL ALSO NOT STAND BEHIND THEIR PRODUCT AND ARE UNWILLING TO RECTIFY IT. THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE WITH THIS SAME ISSUE CONCERNING THIS TRANSMISSION BUT FOR WHATEVER REASON THERE IS STILL NO SAFETY RECALL. I HOPE IT IS NOT GOING TO TAKE SOMEONE TO BE KILLED OR SERIOUSLY INJURED BEFORE ANYTHING IS DONE. ALSO THE BUSHINGS ON THE DRIVERS SIDE A FRAME ARE BAD WCH IN MY OPINION IS A SERIOUS FAULT AND COULD BE EXTREMELY DANGEROUS. COST OF REPLACEMENT IS 7,000+ THESE CARS ARE ROLLING DEATH TRAPS IN MY OPINION AND SOMEONE NEEDS TO BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE. *LN

MINI COOPER DOORS CANNOT BE OPENED USING EITHER THE INSIDE OR OUTSIDE DOOR HANDLES UNDER CERTAIN FREEZING CONDITIONS. THIS HAS OCCURRED MULTIPLE TIMES DURING FREEZING WEATHER, USUALLY WHEN SNOW OR ICE IS PRESENT. THE FAILURE OCCURS INTERMITTENTLY ON BOTH THE PASSENGER AND DRIVER SIDE DOORS. AT TIMES, IT OCCURS AFTER THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN PARKED FOR MANY HOURS WHEN TEMPERATURES ARE BELOW FREEZING. HOWEVER, IT CAN ALSO OCCUR AFTER THE DOOR HAS BEEN OPENED AND THE VEHICLE DRIVEN FOR 30 MINUTES OR MORE. WHEN THE FAILURE OCCURS, NEITHER THE INSIDE NOR OUTSIDE HANDLES WILL OPEN THE DOOR. THE ONLY RECOURSE IS TO EXIT (OR ENTER) THE VEHICLE USING THE OTHER DOOR (SO FAR THERE HAS NOT BEEN AN INSTANCE WHEN BOTH DOORS FROZE) AND WAIT FOR THE CONDITION TO RECTIFY ITSELF. *TR

WHEN I BOUGHT THE MINI BACK IN MARCH THE NIGHT I BROUGHT IT HOME THE STEERING SUDDENLY GOT REALLY STIFF. THEN WENT AWAY FOR ABOUT 8 MONTHS WORKING FINE, THEN ABOUT 3 WEEKS AGO GOT STIFF AGAIN, WENT AWAY AND NOW IS COMPLETELY OUT. *TR

2003 MINI COOPER. POWER STEERING FAILED INTERMITTENTLY THEN COMPLETELY. STEERING FAILED BUT WOULD RESTART AFTER CAR WAS RESTARTED. STEERING SHUT OFF AND CAME BACK ON SUDDENLY DURING A LONG SWEEPING CURVE CAUSING A NEAR LOSS OF CONTROL. I THINK THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS DEFECT. REPLACE THE PUMP WITH A REBUILT AT MY OWN EXPENSE SINCE THE CAR WAS BOUGHT USED. SECOND PUMP HAS ALSO FAILED AFTER ABOUT A YEAR. *TR

MY 2003 MINI COOPER POWER STEERING PUMP WENT OUT WHILE ROUNDING A CORNER. BARELY GAINED CONTROL IN TIME TO STOP. I WHEN TO THE MINI DEALER AND THE MECHANIC SAID " THIS IS A COMMON FLAW IN MINIS FROM 2002-2005. I SEE IT ALL THE TIME". THEN I FIND OUT THERE IS A CLASS ACTION SUIT ON THE DEFECT. SOME CARS HAVE EVEN CAUGHT ON FIRE. CAR ONLY HAS 63K IN IT. *TR

POWER STEERING PUMP FAILED WHILE CAR WAS DRIVING. IT FRIED ONE BATTERY. PLACED SECOND BRAND NEW BATTERY IN TO CONFIRM THE FAULTY POWER STEERING PUMP DEFECT. LEARNED FROM CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT POSTED ONLINE THAT BMW KNEW OF THE DEFECTIVE PROBLEM. BMW CLAIMED THEY FIXED THE PROBLEM IN 2007 TO GET NHSTA TO STOP INVESTIGATION. HOWEVER, I WAS NEVER CONTACTED OR INFORMED OF THE PROBLEM BY BMW BETWEEN 2003 TO 2010. BMW CUSTOMER SERVICE TOLD ME THEIR INVESTIGATION FOUND NOTHING WRONG WITH THE POWER STEERING PUMP THEREFORE NO RECALL! THEY WILL NOT PAY FOR ANY PART OF REPAIR AFTER THEY TOLD ME TO TOW MY CAR TO THE DEALER. IF THE CAR FAILED DURING HIGH SPEED ON FREEWAY I WOULD HAVE BEEN HURT. NO WARNING OF WHEN THE POWER STEERING PUMP WILL FAIL SO CONSUMERS WILL HAVE NO WARNING OF THIS PROBLEM UNTIL IT HAPPENS. IF I DID NOT STOP THE CAR IMMEDIATELY, MY ENGINE WOULD HAVE BEEN ON FIRE.

HI THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH MY MINI COOPER LOSING POWER STEERING , I HAVE LOST THE POWER STEERING FEW TIMES THIS WEEK AND WHEN I TOOK IT TO THE BMW NEAR MY AREA THEY TOLD ME ITS A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH MINI CARS FROM 2001 TO 2005 AS THE PSP ( POWER STEERING PUMP ) ON THE MODELS HAVE A FAULT AND YOU MAY LOSE THE STEERING POWER AT ANY TIME . I ALMOST HAD 2 ACCIDENTS BECAUSE OF THIS WEEK AND THEY ARE ASKING MY TO PAY 550 FOR A NEW PUMP . IF THEY HAVE A FAULTY PUMP AND THEY NOW IT CAN RISK LIVES THEY SHOULD RECALL IT OR OFFER TO FIX THIS FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE AFFECTED . *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 MINI COOPER S. THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED AND SHUT OFF FOR APPROXIMATELY 30 MINUTES WHEN THE CONTACT WAS ADVISED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS ON FIRE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT FIRE WAS COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. THE FIRE EXTINGUISHED INDEPENDENTLY AND THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR FACILITY. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE POWER STEERING REMAINED ON WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS SHUT OFF AND CAUSED THE FIRE. THE POWER STEERING PUMP, WIRING HARNESS AND BATTERY WERE ALL REPLACED. THE FAILURE DID NOT RECUR. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 50,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 92,000.

I PURCHASED A 2003 MINI COOPER S USED IN NOVEMBER 2007. IT HAD 30,000 MILES. SHORTLY AFTER PURCHASE THE POWER STEERING PUMP WENT OUT. THE DEALERSHIP REPLACED IT PROMPTLY, DEC. 2007. I AM NOW EXPERIENCING INTERMITTENT POWER STEERING FAILURE AGAIN, AT 79,000 MILES, 49,000 MILES ON A NEW PUMP. IT COMES AND GOES WHILE DRIVING. VERY DANGEROUS WHILE TAKING CURVES. *TR

I AM THE 2ND OWNER OF THIS 03 MINI COOPER S SINCE 5/09. I PURCHASED WITH 12,500 MILES. CURRENTLY, 32K MILES. THE XENON LOW BEAM HEADLIGHT, DRIVERS SIDE, FREQUENTLY DOES NOT IGNITE. THE SELF LEVELING HEAD LIGHT SYSTEM DOES NOT OPERATE PROPERLY. THE AIMING DISTANCE IS VERY POOR, LIGHT SHINES APPROX 20FT IN FRONT OF THE CAR. OTHER TIMES, THE LIGHT SHINES HIGH, BLINDING ON-COMERS. THE 1ST OWNER COMPLAINED ABOUT THIS SAME PROBLEM TO A MINI DEALERSHIP IN 10/03 WITH 1,971 MILES. AGAIN, 5/08 WITH 9,000 MILES WITH CHECKS PERFORMED. THIS ESTABLISHED PROBLEM CONTINUES TO GET WORSE. BALLASTS AND BULBS HAVE BEEN CHANGED. THE PROBLEM CONTINUES. THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD, MAKING IF DIFFICULT TO NAVIGATE AT NIGHT. AFTER DOING OUR OWN RESEARCH AND SEEING HOW MANY OTHERS ARE HAVING THIS EXACT SAME PROBLEM, IT IS TIME FOR MINI/BMW TO IMMEDIATELY ADDRESS THIS OVERDUE SAFETY HAZARD BY IMPLEMENTING A RECALL, OR A SERVICE BULLETIN TO ALL AFFECTED CONSUMERS WHO HAVE COMPLAINED TO CORRECT THIS PROBLEM. I WILL CONTINUE TO COMPLAIN UNTIL SOMETHING IS DONE. *TR