2008 MINI COOPER Complaints

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MINI COOPER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER AND THEY ADVISED HIM THAT HE NEEDED A NEW ENGINE DUE TO THE VACCUUM PUMP FAILING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND THEY OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 64,000.

HOUSING FOR THE TIMING CHAIN CAME LOOSE AND CAUSED DAMAGE THAT WILL COST $1800 TO REPAIR. THE SERVICE GUY KNEW EXACTLY WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS. HE SAID HE HAS BEEN SEEING A LOT OF THEM IN THE PAST TWO YEARS AND ITS A 10 HOUR JOB. WHILE I WAS SIGNING FOR THE LOANER, SOMEONE ELSE WAS ON THE PHONE SAYING THEY REPLACED THE TIMING CHAIN ON ANOTHER CAR. THIS APPEARS TO BE A DESIGN FLAW WHERE MINI IS MAKING A TON OF MONEY ON REPAIRS. THE SERVICE GUY ALSO SAID, "IT APPEARS TO BE A PROBLEM WITH THE HOUSING, BECAUSE ONCE WE REPLACE IT THEY NEVER HAVE THE PROBLEM AGAIN. AND I SOME OF THE CARS HAD THIS DONE TWO YEARS AGO." *KB

2008 MINI CLUBMAN. SPEEDOMETER IS NOT ACCURATE OFF BY APPROX. 5-6 MPH AT 60 MPH. DEALER DID NOT CARE. *TR

THE PLASTIC HOUSING FOR BOTH HEADLIGHTS ARE BEGINNING TO CRACK; POTENTIALLY EXPOSING THE XENON LIGHTBULBS. FAILURE OF HEADLIGHT(S) WHILE DRIVING COULD BE EXTREMELY DANGEROUS WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT, ESPECIALLY ON AN UNFAMILIAR ROADWAY. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MINI COOPER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH THE STEERING WHEEL SUDDENLY LOCKED. THE VEHICLE WAS SHUT OFF, AND UPON RESTART THE FAILURE CONTINUED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE STEERING RACK NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 74,000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MINI COOPER S. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER WHO ADVISED HIM THAT THE TIMING BELT TENSIONERS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. A FEW DAYS LATER HE HEARD A NOISE COMING IN THE ENGINE AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER WHO ADVISED HIM THAT THEY WERE UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 20,000.

SHORT FALL OF TIMING CHAIN TENSIONER CAUSING OIL TO BE PUMPED OUT OF THE ENGINE RESULTING IN CATASTROPHIC ENGINE PROBLEMS AND/OR TIMING CHAIN ISSUES. *TR

2008 MINI COOPER S - ENGINE FAILURE DUE TO FAULTY VACUUM PUMP. WHILE DRIVING MY WELL MAINTAINED 2008 MINI COOPER S UNDER NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS, THE ENGINE ISSUED A LOUD, BRIEF METALLIC NOISE AND STOPPED RUNNING. THE ENGINE WAS STILL TURNING, BUT WAS NOT RUNNING. HAD THE CAR TOWED HOME. UPON INSPECTION OF THE VALVE TRAIN, BY REMOVAL OF VALVE COVER, THE EXHAUST CAM GEAR WAS SHEARED OFF AND SEVERAL VALVES HAD BEEN BENT. THE EXHAUST CAM WOULD NOT TURN. FURTHER RESEARCH INTO THE MATTER INDICATES A FAILED VACUUM PUMP CAUSED THE EXHAUST CAM TO LOCK-UP AND SHEAR OFF THE CAM SPROCKET BOLT. THE PISTONS THEN IMPACTED THE VALVES CAUSING SEVERE INTERNAL ENGINE DAMAGE. THIS CAR ALSO FELL VICTIM TO THE "COLD START" ISSUE AND HAD THE VALVE TRAIN REPLACED AT 60,000 MILES. MINI HAS INDICATED THAT SINCE THE WARRANTY PERIOD HAS EXPIRED, THEY WILL NOT ASSIST IN THE REPAIR. I SUGGEST THIS ISSUE SHOULD RESULT IN A PRODUCT RECALL OF ALL R56 EQUIPPED MINI VEHICLES FOR REPLACEMENT OF THE VACUUM PUMP. THIS ISSUE IS WELL DOCUMENTED ON THE INTERNET, AND BMW IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. THIS IS EVIDENCED BY THE PROCEDURE EXECUTED TO REPAIR THE "COLD START" ISSUE INCLUDES A STEP TO REMOVE AND INSPECT THE VACUUM PUMP FOR BINDING. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MINI COOPER CLUBMAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE BEGAN PULLING AND DRIFTING ABNORMALLY. SHE WAS ABLE TO REGAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND AFTER A MINUTE, THE VEHICLE RESUMED NORMAL OPERATION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS PROBABLY DUE TO ROAD CROWN. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 23,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 26,000. UPDATED 06/07/11*LJ THE CONSUMER STATED THE ELECTRONIC STEERING FAILED THREE TIMES. UPDATED 07/11/11*JB

I HAVE 2008 MINI COOPER S, I HAVE BEEN HAVING PROBLEMS WITH IT EVEN THE FIRST YEAR I HAD BOUGHT THE CAR. IT WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY AND THEY WERE ABLE TO FIX THE PROBLEMS. BUT LATELY, THREE YEARS LATER THERE WAS A LOUD RATTLING NOISE IN THE ENGINE. I HAVE BROUGHT IT TO A MECHANIC AND WAS TOLD TO BRING IT TO THE BMW DEALER BECAUSE OF THE TIMING CHAIN DEFECTS THAT MAY LEAD TO ENGINE DAMAGE. THE CAR IS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY, AND THE DEALER WILL NOT FIX THE CAR FREE OF CHARGE. *TR