2006 MINI COOPER Complaints

IN SEPTEMBER 2012 THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION BEGAN SLIPPING. I HAD IT CHECKED OUT AND WAS TOLD THAT THE TRANSMISSION WAS FINE AND THAT MINI SAYS IT NEVER NEEDS TO BE SERVICED OR HAVE THE FLUID CHANGED. OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL MONTHS IT GOT WORSE AND I WAS FINALLY TOLD THAT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. FORTUNATELY I NEVER HAD AN ACCIDENT OR ANY OTHER SERIOUS CONSEQUENCE AS A RESULT OF THE FAILING TRANSMISSION. THIS CAR HAS BEEN TRADED IN BECAUSE THE TRANSMISSION WOULD COST $10,000.00 TO REPLACE. *TR

PURCHASED CAR USED. WHEN PASSENGER SITS IN FRONT SEAT, AIRBAG LIGHT INTERMITTENTLY GOES ON AND OFF AND THEN STAYS ON. HAVE SEARCHED ONLINE AND THE PASSENGER SEAT SENSOR IS LIKELY BROKEN AND IS A $1500 FIX AT THE DEALER. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND SHOULD BE COVERED BY MANUFACTURER. *TR

PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG FAILED. SEAT PASSENGER DETECTOR FAILURE IS CAUSE. A REVIEW OF ON LINE TROUBLE SITES SHOW THIS TO BE A VERY COMMON PROBLEM WHICH MANUFACTURER DENIES AND DELAYS REPAIR. THOUGH MINI HAS MULTIPLE REPORTS OF THIS, THEY REFUSE TO REPAIR AS THEY STATE "OUT OF WARRANTY". THIS IS A BASIC SAFETY FEATURE WHICH IS FLAWED AND SHOULD BE SUBJECT TO IMMEDIATE AND BROAD RECALL. *TR

DURING THE PAST COUPLE WEEKS, THE AIR BAG INDICATOR LIGHT WOULD COME ON. AT TIMES IT WOULD STAY ON FOR A LONG PERIOD, OTHER TIMES NOT AS LONG. THIS WEEK THE SEAT BELT INDICATOR LIGHT CAME ON AFTER A PASSENGER LEFT THE CAR AND THE ALARM SOUNDED FOR APX. 10 MINUTES UNTIL I STOPPED AND SHUT OFF THE CAR. THE AIR BAG INDICATOR ALSO CAME ON. I TOOK IT FOR SERVICING TODAY BUT THE GARAGE COULD NOT GET ANY CODES FROM THE SRS CONTROL UNIT. *TR

PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG SEAT WEIGHT SENSOR BEGAN TO INTERMITTENTLY TRIP PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG LIGHT AND AIR BAG LIGHT. ADJUSTING WEIGHT ON SEAT WOULD INITIALLY EXTINGUISH; HOWEVER, PROBLEM IS NOW CONSTANT. COST PROHIBITIVE TO REPLACE. *TR

DRIVING ALONG AT 30 MPH WHEN AIR BAG LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND OVER HEAD PASSENGER AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON AND OFF. HAD PASSENGER SEAT BOTTOM REPLACED ONLY TO HAVE THE LIGHT COME BACK ON 3 DAYS LATER. I HAVE HAD THE SYSTEM CHECKED 3 TIMES ( WITH LIGHT TURNED OFF WHEN RETURNED) ONLY TO HAVE THE LIGHT COME BACK ON A FEW DAYS LATER. *TR

PASSENGER SEAT AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT WON'T GO OFF. I DO NOT KNOW IF THE AIRBAGS WILL WORK IN A ACCIDENT. *TR

THE POWER STEERING WHEN OUT ON THE CAR. THIS MAKES IT DIFFICULT TO STEER. ALSO, BECAUSE OF THE FAILURE, THE STEERING/CAR WILL NOT STRAIGHTEN ITSELF OUT AFTER MAKING A TURN. ONE HAS TO MAKE AN EXTRA EFFORT TO STRAIGHTEN THE WHEEL OUT. I ALMOST HIT A PARKED CAR BECAUSE OF THAT PROBLEM. I SEE CANADA MADE MINI DO A RECALL ON THIS ISSUE. IS IT GOING TO TAKE AN INJURY OR WORSE BEFORE THE USA MAKES MINI RECALL THE CARS ? *TR

WHEN YOU START THE CAR THE PASSENGER SEAT BELT LIGHT AND AIR BAG LIGHT REMAINS ON, WHETHER OR NOT SOMEONE IS IN THE SEAT OR NOT. THE LIGHT STAYS ON, I VISITED THE DEALERSHIP THE FIX COST $1241. WHY IS THIS HAPPENING. DEALER SHOULD FIX THIS ERROR. *TR

IN 2010 MY CAR'S PASSENGER AIR BAG SYSTEM WARNING CAME ON AND I TOOK TO THE DEALER TO HAVE REPAIRED UNDER WARRANTY. THE DEALER REPLACED THE SEAT BECAUSE THE SEAT MAT OCCUPANCY DETECTOR HAD FAILED. IN 2013, THE LIGHTS CAME ON AGAIN. I TOOK BACK TO THE DEALER AND ASKED THEM TO FIX AT NO CHARGE, AS TO HAVE THE SAME SYSTEM FAIL TWICE ON A CAR WITH LESS THAN 50,000 MILES ON IT SIGNALED A DEFECTIVE DESIGN. MINI REFUSED TO REPAIR AT NO COST AND INSTEAD PROVIDED ME WITH A $1,700 ESTIMATE TO REPLACE THE SEAT AND SYSTEM. I HAVE FILED A FORMAL COMPLAINT WITH MINI USA AND AM AWAITING A RESPONSE. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AS THE PASSENGER AIRBAG IS EFFECTIVELY PERMANENTLY OFF. I HAVE READ ON THIS WEBSITE AND ELSEWHERE THAT MANY OWNERS ARE EXPERIENCING SIMILAR ISSUES WITH THIS CAR. *TR