2009 MINI COOPER Complaints

THE TIMING CHAIN HAS AN ISSUE AND RATTLES REALLY LAUD. THIS IS CAUSING ISSUES WITH THE VEHICLES IDLE AND SPEED DURING DRIVING. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 MINI COOPER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SRS WARNING LAMP ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG SEAT SENSOR WAS DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 70,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 90,000. *TR

MY CAR IS 2009 MINI. BOUGHT NEW. AIR BAG SENSOR IN PASSENGER SEAT WENT OUT @ 70,000 MI. PASSENGER AIR BAG WONT WORK. DEALER IN BIRMINGHAM, AL. GAVE A QUOTE FOR $1300 FOR A PASSENGER SEAT. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE, MINI MUST STEP UP TO THE PLATE FOR RECALLS LIKE CHEVY, FORD, HONDA, NISSAN FOR RECALLS. I WONT GIVE YOU SHARKS $1300 FOR A NEW SEAT. MY WIFE DIES, MY ATTORNEY'S WILL BE IN TOUCH. GIVE ME A RECALL I CAN LIVE WITH. *TR

MINI RELEASED A SERVICE BULLETIN (CAMPAIGN: SIM 11 02 12) REGARDING FAULTY TIMING CHAIN TENSIONER. AT APPX. 40K MILES, MY COOPER S WAS TAKEN IN FOR SERVICE AND IT WAS REPORTED THERE WAS A "RATTLE" IN THE FRONT OF THE ENGINE. THE DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE TENSIONER UNDER WARRANTY. NOW THE SAME ISSUE HAS OCCURRED. I AM BEING TOLD THE ENTIRE TIMING CHAIN ASSEMBLY NEEDS REPLACEMENT AT AN APPROXIMATE COST OF $3K. MINI HAS OFFERED TO PAY 1/2 THE COST. THERE IS NO EXPLANATION WHY THE REPAIR IS NOT COVERED UNDER 2 YEAR REPLACEMENT TENSIONER WARRANTY; SINCE THIS ORIGINAL ISSUE WAS ONLY PARTLY ADDRESSED WHILE IN 50K CAR WARRANTY. MY MINI NOW HAS 77K. ONCE WARRANTY REQUEST IS SUBMITTED FROM DEALER TO MINI CORPORATE, DECISION IS FINAL. THERE IS NO APPEAL. FAILURE TO PERFORM SERVICE WILL RESULT IN ENGINE FAILURE IN NEAR FUTURE. *TR

TIMING CHAIN TENSIONER FAILURE. NO WARNING WHATSOEVER. TIMING CHAIN BROKE, CAUSING COMPLETE ENGINE FAILURE. OUT OF WARRANTY SO MINI WON'T TOUCH IT. WILL COST $7500+. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 MINI COOPER S. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE PARKED, THE ENGINE FAN FAILED TO DEACTIVATE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 12V008000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING). THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 49,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 MINI COOPER S. THE CONTACT STATED THAT SHE NOTICED THE ENGINE HAD A LEAK. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION AND THEY STATED THE WATER PUMP AND THE TURBO CHARGER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 75,000.

I LIVE WHERE THE WEATHER GETS INTO THE TEENS REGULARLY THIS TIME OF YEAR. MY CAR STARTED MAKING A WEIRD NOISE WHEN I STARTED IN ONE MORNING. THEN WHEN I TRIED TO DRIVE IT, IT HAD NO POWER. I TOOK IT IN AND HAD TO HAVE THE THROTTLE BODY AND NEW INTAKE MANIFOLD PUT IN FOR THE COST OF OVER $1100. I WAS TOLD BY THE SERVICE TECHNICIAN THAT THEY HAVE ONLY HAD TO DO THIS REPAIR ON MINI'S THAT LIVE IN COLD CLIMATES AND THAT IT WAS NO FAULT OF MINE. HOWEVER THERE IS NO RECALL ON THIS DEFECT AND I'M CURIOUS AS TO WHY? *TR

THE TIMING TENSIONER ON MY MINI COOPER S BACKED OUT, RESULTING IN A MASSIVE OIL LOSS WHILE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. THIS IS APPARENTLY A KNOWN ISSUE BY MINI, BUT NO KNOWN RECALL HAS BEEN ISSUED AT THIS POINT. *TR

12/14/12: I DROVE HOME FROM WORK. I HAD NO PROBLEMS DRIVING, BUT HEARD A BIT OF A COLD START KNOCK. 12/15/12: CAR DIDN'T START IN THE MORNING. I IMMEDIATELY GOT THE CAR TOWED TO HERB CHAMBERS IN BOSTON, WHERE I HAD EXCLUSIVELY TAKEN IT TO EVERY MAINTENANCE CHECK-UP AND ISSUE I HAD SINCE I PURCHASED IT NEW AT THE SAME LOCATION, EVEN AFTER MY WARRANTY HAD EXPIRED. 12/16/12: HERB CHAMBERS PERFORMED A DIAGNOSIS FOR $135, AND SAID THAT THE TIMING CHAIN WAS BROKEN, WHICH WOULD COST $2,500 TO FIX. HOWEVER, THEY ALSO SAID THAT OTHER ENGINE PARTS MAY BE BROKEN, BUT THEY WOULDN'T KNOW UNTIL THEY STARTED WORKING ON THE TIMING CHAIN. AS YOU CAN SEE, I WAS NOT HAPPY AT ALL WITH THIS INCONCLUSIVE DIAGNOSIS. DO I PAY $2,500 FOR THEM TO THEN TELL ME IT ACTUALLY NEEDS A NEW ENGINE FOR CLOSE TO $10,000, OR DO I TOW IT ELSEWHERE? 12/17/12: TOWED CAR TO GERMAN PERFORMANCE SERVICE FOR A MORE COMPLETE DIAGNOSIS, WHICH SHOWED THAT THE TIMING CHAIN AND TENSIONER WERE BROKEN, AS WELL AS MOST VALVES AND OTHER ENGINE PARTS. WE CONCLUDE THAT IT IS CHEAPER TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE ENGINE ($3,213 + $1,980 OF LABOR = $5,193) THAN TO FIX EVERYTHING INDIVIDUALLY, WHICH WOULD BE MORE LABOR INTENSIVE. 12/21/12: I CONTACTED MINI USA TO INFORM THEM ABOUT MY SITUATION AND HOW UNPLEASED I WAS WITH HERB CHAMBER'S EXTREMELY VAGUE DIAGNOSIS, AS WELL AS MINI'S MAJOR TIMING CHAIN FLAW. MINI USA COMPLETELY IGNORED MY REQUEST FOR THE SOLE REASON THAT I TOOK MY CAR TO A 3RD PARTY MECHANIC. THEY SAID THAT IF I HAD STAYED AT THE DEALER (EVEN THOUGH THEY GAVE ME AN INCOMPLETE DIAGNOSIS), THAT THEY MAY HAVE HELPED ME OUT. 12/30/12: I CONTACTED HERB CHAMBERS BOSTON WITH THE SAME CONCERNS. THEY UNDERSTOOD MY POINTS, BUT SAID THAT UNFORTUNATELY THEY CANNOT FORCE THE MANUFACTURER TO DO ANYTHING THEY DO NOT WANT TO DO. AS A SMALL GESTURE, THEY DID GIVE ME BACK WHAT THEY CHARGED ME FOR THEIR INITIAL DIAGNOSIS ($135). *TR