2007 MINI COOPER Complaints

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 MINI COOPER S. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS AN EXTREMELY ABNORMAL ODOR THAT ENTERED THE CABIN OF THE VEHICLE, SIMILAR TO EGGS. THE VEHICLE WAS MANEUVERED OFF THE ROADWAY AND UPON FURTHER INSPECTION, HE FOUND A SMALL FIRE HAD ERUPTED UNDER THE HOOD. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS NOT CALLED. THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER AND FILED A COMPLAINT. THE MANUFACTURER SUGGESTED TAKING THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION AND POSSIBLE REPAIRS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 52,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

AS I SHUT THE ENGINE OFF I NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. OPENED THE HOOD TO FIND A FIRE TO THE FRONT OF THE ENGINE COMING FROM ELECTRICAL WIRES. WAS ABLE TO PUT OUT THE FIRE WITH OUT TOO MUCH DAMAGE AND DISCONNECTED THE BATTERY TO ELIMINATE POWER TO THE TROUBLED AREA.CAR IS BEING TOWED TO MINI COOPER OF PEABODY MASSACHUSETTS. *TR

AT APPROXIMATELY 35,000 MILES, CAR MADE HOWLING TYPE NOISE WHEN REACHED APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH AND THE NOISE BECAME VERY NOTICEABLY ONCE IT REACHED 60+ MPH. TOOK THE CAR TO DEALER AT SOUTH BAY MINI TWICE, BOTH TIME SOUTH BAY CLAIMED THAT IT WAS 'TIRE' NOISE. TOOK THE CAR TO LOS ANGELES DOWNTOWN DEALER, THEIR COMMENT WAS THE NOISE CAME FROM THE TRANSMISSION, ALTHOUGH THEY CAN NOT PINNED DOWN EXACTLY WHERE AS THE TRANSMISSION IS A CLOSED COMPARTMENT. EXTENDED WARRANTY (FIDELITY) REFUSED TO COVER COST OF REPLACEMENT AS THEY CLAIMED THAT THEY NEED THE DEALER TO TEAR APART TRANSMISSION COMPARTMENT AND IDENTIFY WHERE THE PROBLEM HAPPENED EXACTLY. DOWNTOWN DEALER REFUSED TO TEAR APART TRANSMISSION COMPARTMENT. CAR IS STILL HAVE NOT FAIL (AS OF 2011-10-28) BUT THE NOISE MAY (OR MAY NOT) CAUSE FAILURE AT ANYTIME GOING FORWARD. AS AN OWNER, I DON'T FEEL COMFORTABLE TO DRIVE THE CAR KNOWING THAT IT MAY FAIL CAN CAUSE CASUALTY TO MYSELF AND OTHERS. *TR

STRANGE ENGINE KNOCKING/RUBBING NOISE COME FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. IT APPEARED TO BE THE TIMING CHAIN FAILURE. THE CAR WAS BOUGHT TO THE DEALER TWICE FIRST TIME THEY REPLACED THE TIMING CHAIN TENSIONER AND THIS TIME THEY REPLACE THE TIMING CHAIN. *TR

OIL RETURN LINE EXITING TURBOCHARGER LEAKS ENGINE OIL, WHICH DRIPS DIRECTLY ONTO HOT ENGINE EXHAUST DOWNPIPE, THIS LEADS TO SMOKE FROM THE ENGINE BAY AND WILL EVENTUALLY CAUSE A FIRE IF NOT REMEDIED PROMPTLY. BMW SHOULD QUICKLY RECALL AND REPAIR THIS DESIGN DEFECT BEFORE A LOT OF PRIVATE PROPERTY GOES UP IN FLAMES. *TR

AS I APPROACHED THE STREET ON WHERE I LIVE, THE CAR STARTED TO SEVERELY SHAKE AND JERK , AS IF POWER WAS NOT GOING TO THE ENGINE. I WAS ABLE TO PARK IT ON MY DRIVEWAY, BUT THE NEXT MORNING, THE CAR HAD TO BE TOWED TO THE DEALER BECAUSE IT WOULD NOT START. WHEN THE CAR ARRIVED AT THE DEALER AFTER BEING TOWED IN, THE CAR COULD NOT BE JUMP-STARTED, EVEN AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS. TWO WEEKS PRIOR, I HAD BROUGHT MY CAR IN FOR SERVICE BECAUSE THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. THEY REPLACED THE TIMING CHAIN AND FOUND SEVERAL MISFIRE FAULTS, WHICH WERE SUPPOSEDLY CORRECTED. THE CYLINDER HEAD WAS REMOVED AND DISASSEMBLED AND FOUND TO HAVE CARBON BUILD UP. THE INTAKE VALVES AND EXHAUST VALVES WERE CLEANED. SINCE THE INCIDENT, THE CAR IS STILL AT THE DEALER. AN EXTENDED ROAD TEST IS SCHEDULED TO BE PERFORMED WITHIN THESE NEXT FEW DAYS. NO WORD ON WHAT HAS CAUSED THE CAR'S ENGINE TO DIE. *TR

MY WIFE AND I BOTH NOTICED A BURNING SMELL INSIDE OUR 2007 MINI COOPER S LAST WEEK WHILE TRAVELING ON AN EXPRESSWAY IN EITHER TENNESSEE OR NORTH CAROLINA ON VACATION. I OPENED MY WINDOW FOR 3-4 MINUTES, SUSPECTING THE SMELL MIGHT BE GETTING INTO THE CAR FROM A PICKUP TRUCK RUNNING APPROXIMATELY 40-50 YARDS AHEAD OF US. THERE WAS NO SIGN OF SMOKE OR FIRE AROUND THE PICK-UP TRUCK. THIS SMELL HAPPENED VERY BRIEFLY TWICE ON THE SAME DAY; I OPENED MY WINDOW FOR A FEW MINUTES IN BOTH CASES, AND THE BURNING SMELL DID NOT RETURN AFTER THAT. WE DROVE 2200 MILES IN 9 DAYS AND DID NOT HAVE ANY PROBLEMS WITH THE CAR. *TR

I ALMOST HAD A TIMING CHAIN/TENSIONER FAILURE. TOOK MY '07 MCS INTO THE MINI DEALER FOR ITS 4 YEAR SERVICE. THEY FOUND THAT THE 'TIMING CHAIN TENSIONER IS WEAK AND NEEDS TO BE REPLACED' OR 'TENSIONER WORN AND CAUSING EXCESSIVE CHAIN SLACK AND CHAIN NOISE'. I BOUGHT MY MINI NEW, IT NOW HAS 35464 MILES AND THIS SHOULD FALL INTO THE CATEGORY AS 'UNUSUAL'. THIS SHOULD NOT BE A PART THAT WEARS OUT OR SUFFERS FAILURE WITH SO FEW MILES. AS I CHECKED OUT THIS FAILURE ON THE WEB I QUICKLY FOUND OUT THAT THIS IS NOT UNUSUAL BUT IS HAPPENING QUITE FREQUENTLY. I MISSED THIS BEING COVERED UNDER THE WARRANTY BY 2 WEEKS. MY LOSE? MAYBE; MAYBE NOT, AT LEAST I DID NOT DESTROY THE ENGINE. ACCORDING TO THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT PAPERWORK THEY REPLACED THE CHAIN TENSIONER WITH AN UPDATED 551 TENSIONER, P/N: 11 31 7 607 551, @ $26.21 ($146 FOR INSTALLATION). IT APPEARS THAT MINI/BMW KNOWS ABOUT THE PROBLEM AND REDESIGNED THE PART TO PREVENT PROBLEMS IN THE FUTURE, HOPEFULLY. IF THIS IS TRUE WHY DON'T THEY RECALL THE CARS AND JUST TAKE CARE OF IT. HAD I HAD THE BAD LUCK OF DESTROYING THE ENGINE MY OPINION ON ALL THEIR PRODUCTS WOULD HAVE DRASTICALLY CHANGED. I ALSO OWN A '11 BMW 335XI. *TR

THE HEATER CORE IS PLACED NEXT TO THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL IN THE FOOT WELL. THE CAR DESIGN HAS THE HEATER CORE ON ALL THE TIME. THE ONLY INSULATION BETWEEN THE HEATER CORE AND THE FOOT ON THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL IS A PLASTIC COVER WHICH BECOMES TOO HOT TO TOUCH. *TR

MY MINI COOPER SPONTANEOUS CAUGHT ON FIRE. THURSDAY 8/25/11 BEFORE ALL THIS HAPPEN, I TOOK THE CAR IN FOR SERVICE. I STATED TO THE SERVICE ADVISOR([XXX]) THE CAR WAS NOT DRIVING RIGHT AND I'M SURE SOME SERVICES NEEDS TO BE LOOKED AT (OIL CHANGE ETC....). MY SERVICE TECH ([XXX] VISTA MINI COCONUT CREEK) PUTS THE KEY INTO THE CARD READER NOPE NOTHING SHOWED UP YOU GOOD TO GO I EXIT WITH SOME DOUBT ON MY FACE NEVER THINKING TWICE, COULD BE MY MIND PLAYING CAR GAMES. I'M REALLY ADMIT ABOUT FUNNY NOISES, AND SINCE THE DEALER ISN'T FAR FROM MY JOB. I'D JUST STOP ON BY FOR A CHECK UP. I DO HAVE EXTENDED WARRANTY SERVICE. SATURDAY 8/27/11 (10:30P) CAR SITTING FROM A SHORT DRIVE TO HAVE DINNER. CAME HOME (10PM) PARKED THE AND DIDN'T HEAR OR NOTICE ANYTHING. I USUALLY TAKE A QUICK WALK AROUND THE CAR. SUNDAY 8/28/11 (4:00P) POLICE CAME KNOCKING " ARE YOU THE OWNER OF A BLACK MINI COOPER " YOUR CAR WAS ON FIRE AND THE PLANTATION FIRE DEPT ARE IN THE PROCESS OF PUTTING OUT THE FIRE/FLAMES. AS I WALK OUT THE SHOCK OF MY CAR BURNING. AFTER SPEAKING WITH THE FIREMEN. HE COULDN'T PIN POINT WHERE THE FIRE STARTED AND THE CAUSE UNKNOWN BUT HE SAID WHEN THEY STARTED TO HOSE IT DOWN IT LOOKED AS IF THE FIRE WAS COMING FROM THE DRIVER SIDE ENGINE COMPARTMENT ANOTHER FIRE DEPT GUY SAID FROM THE LOOKS OF THIS INCIDENT, WHAT'S SEEMS TO CAUSE THIS WAS ELECTRICAL MALFUNCTION. FLAMES WERE SHOOTING 8'FT IN THE AIR. THE CAR IS DAMAGED AND NOT REPAIRABLE,THERE'S NO ENGINE THERE'S NOTHING LEFT BESIDES THE SOME ASHE, MELTED METAL, THERE'S NO WINDSHIELD, THE HEADLINER IS COMPLETELY GONE, SIDE GLASS ARE BLOWN OUT. ALL I CAN THINK ABOUT IS MY BABY DAUGHTER IN THE CAR WHILE I WAS DRIVING. BMW YOU HAVE CAUSED SOME DAMAGE, LEAVING ME SECOND GUESS YOU INTEGRITY OF YOUR CRAFTSMANSHIP/FLAGSHIP AUTO. SOMEONE PLEASE CONTACT ME ABOUT THIS SITUATION. UPDATED09/07/11 *BF [XXX] *TR UPDATED 2/23/12 *CN