2003 MINI COOPER Complaints

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 MINI COOPER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED AND AN ABNORMAL NOISE WAS HEARD WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH. THE FAILURE OCCURRED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO MINI OF SAN DIEGO (5202 KEARNY MESA RD, SAN DIEGO, CA) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS OPERATING AS INTENDED. THE DEALER ALSO STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS PREVIOUSLY REPAIRED PER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V660000 (STEERING). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED AND THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE POWER STEERING PUMP WAS THE ORIGINAL MANUFACTURED PART, WHICH MEANT THAT NO PARTS WERE REPLACED AS THE DEALER ORIGINALLY STATED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THEY HAD NO RECORDS OF THE VEHICLE BEING SERVICED PER THE RECALL. THE DEALER WAS CONTACTED AGAIN AND STATED THAT THE RECALL WAS SERVICED IN MARCH OF 2017. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 164,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 MINI COOPER S. THE CONTACT NOTICED FUEL LEAKING UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT CHECKED UNDER THE HOOD AND DISCOVERED THAT THE FUEL FILTER HAD A LEAK. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE VIN WAS NOT PROVIDED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 130,000.

AFTER BATTERY WENT DEAD, REPLACED WITH NEW BATTERY AND SHORTLY AFTER AIR BAG LIGHT ILLUMINATED. HAD INDEPENDENT SHOP CLEAR CODE IN 2015 INSPECTED HARNESS FOUND NOTHING OUT OF ORDINARY. 3 DAYS LATER AIR BAG LIGHT RETURNED. NOW IN FEBRUARY 2018 HAD MINI OF TOWSON DIAGNOSE AIR BAG LIGHT THINKING THE DEALERSHIP CAN RESET AIR BAG LIGHT PROPERLY. DEALERSHIP RECOMMENDED UPGRADING WIRING HARNESS UNDER SEAT FOR 525 DOLLARS. I HAVE BEEN ON MULTIPLE FORUMS AND THIS AIR BAG LIGHT IS A COMMON PROBLEM FOR 02-03 MINIS, INCLUDING 05-06, AND 12-15 YEAR MINIS. MY CONCERN IS THAT MINI KNOWS THIS IS A DEFECTIVE PART FROM THE MANUFACTURER BUT REFUSES TO STAND BY THEIR PRODUCT EVEN WHEN IT COULD AFFECT THE SAFETY OF THE PURCHASER OF ITS VEHICLES. IN THE EVENT NHTSA RECEIVES ENOUGH COMPLAINTS TO FORCE MINI TO ISSUE A RECALL FOR THIS ISSUE, I WOULD LIKE TO BE INCLUDED AS ANOTHER DISSATISFIED CONSUMER. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME, GARRETT

I WAS APPROACHING A CORNER ON A BACK ROAD AND HALF WAY THROUGH THE POWER STEERING FAILED WHICH CAUSED THE CAR TO GO OFF THE ROAD ROLLING TWO AND A HALF TIMES LANDING ON THE ROOF.

WHILE IN MOTION, CAR BEGAN TO BECOME JERKY WHILE EXCELERATING, THAN THE TRANSMISSION DISINGAGED. NO GEAR WOULD WORK THEREAFTER.

THE MANUAL TAILGATE RELEASE CABLE WAS NOT FITTED IN THIS AND OTHER EARLY PRODUCTION MINI COOPER S CARS, THOUGH THE OWNER'S MANUAL INDICATES THAT THIS SAFETY FEATURE IS PART OF THE DESIGN. THE MANUAL TAILGATE RELEASE CABLE ALLOWS ACCESS TO THE BATTERY COMPARTMENT, WHICH IS IN THE TRUNK OF THE VEHICLE, WHEN THERE IS AN ELECTRICAL MALFUNCTION SUCH AS A BATTERY FAILURE. WITHOUT THE MANUAL RELEASE CABLE, THE BATTERY IS INACCESSIBLE IN THE EVENT OF A FAILED BATTERY OR OTHER ELECTRICAL MALFUNCTION. THE BATTERY IN MY CAR FAILED AND LEFT ME STRANDED ON THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY WITH NO CONVENIENT ACCESS TO REMOVE THE BATTERY. FURTHER, THE ABSENCE OF THIS MANUAL RELEASE CABLE MEANS THAT THE TAILGATE COULD NOT BE USED AS AN EGRESS FOR VEHICLE OCCUPANTS IN THE EVENT OF AN EMERGENCY.

POWER STEERING WENT OUT WITHOUT WARNING, CAUSING LOSS OF CONTROL WHILE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION; MINI USA ADVISED IT WAS STILL DRIVEABLE, BUT TO BE CAUTIOUS DUE TO LACK OF CONTROL/POWER STEERING; WHEN PARKED, SMOKE BEGAN TO PLUME FROM UNDER HOOD WHERE A FIRE WAS NOTICED IN BACK OF ENGINE. CALLED MINI USA BACK AND THEY ADVISED US TO NOT DRIVE VEHICLE, AS IT WAS A SAFETY HAZARD. CONTACTED MINI TO SET UP RECALLED PART (HYDRAULIC POWER STEERING), BUT THEY WERE NOT WILLING TO HAVE CAR TOWED TO DEALER (120 MILES FROM MY RESIDENCE).

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2003 MINI COOPER. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN THE PARKING LOT, THE NEIGHBORS NOTICED THAT IT CAUGHT FIRE AND CALLED THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. THE POLICE ARRIVED AND FILED A REPORT. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. THE POLICE INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE FIRE ORIGINATED FROM THE ENGINE. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED AND TOWED TO THE DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 120,000.

THE ELECTRO-HYDRAULIC POWER STEERING SYSTEM EXPERIENCES TEMPORARY LOSS OF ASSISTANCE WHEN VEHICLE IS STARTING UP AND IT IS NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE TO MANEUVER THE CAR TO PULL OUT OF A PARKING SPACE. HOWEVER, THE POWER STEERING RETURNS TO NORMAL AS SOON AS YOU BEGIN STREET OR HIGHWAY DRIVING. I TOOK MY CAR TO A MINI DEALERSHIP AND THEY STATED THAT MY PARTICULAR STEERING PUMP ISN'T COVERED IN THE WARRANTY ALTHOUGH I DID RECEIVE A LETTER INDICATING THAT IT SHOULD BE. I HAVE THE EXACT SAME ISSUES HAPPENING WITH MY VEHICLE THAT THE RECALL IS TALKING ABOUT.

WINDSHIELD CRACKED FROM THE BOTTOM WHERE IT MEETS THE HOOD OF THE CAR. DRIVER'S SIDE WINDOW DOES NOT GO DOWN. I ONLY HEAR A CLICKING SOUND. WATER PUMP, OIL PAN AND VALVE COVER GASKETS FAILED PREMATURELY. I CAN'T SHIFT THE CAR INTO FIRST GEAR WITHOUT MULTIPLE ATTEMPTS.