2006 MINI COOPER Complaints

ON 29SEP2007, MY 2006 MINI COOPER S WAS SERVICED TO PERFORM THE LOW MILEAGE SERVICE AT 3,354 MILES. THE CAR WAS NOT DRIVEN ON 30SEP2007. ON 01OCT2007, THE CAR WAS DRIVEN A DISTANCE OF APPROXIMATELY ONE MILE EACH WAY TO A BUS STOP. THE CAR WAS PARKED OVERNIGHT IN THE GARAGE BENEATH MY TOWNHOUSE. AT 6:00 AM ON 02OCT2007, WHEN I WANT TO THE LOWER LEVEL OF MY TOWNHOUSE AND OPENED THE DOOR TO THE GARAGE, I SAW THAT THE GARAGE WAS FILLED A "FOGGY SMOKE" AND THERE WAS A "BURNING ODOR". THE POLICE WERE CALLED TO INVESTIGATE THE CAUSE OF THE SMOKE. AS THE SMOKE BEGAN TO SPREAD INTO THE UPPER LEVEL OF MY HOME, THE FIRE DEPT WAS CALLED AS BACK-UP. THE FIREMEN LOCATED THE SOURCE UNDER THE HOOD OF MY CAR AND DETERMINED THE SMOKE TO BE FROM A "BURNED POWER STEERING BELTON THE VEHICLE IN THE GARAGE". THE FIREMEN MOVED THE CAR TO THE PARKING LOT AND DISCONNECTED THE BATTERY. I WAS INSTRUCTED TO HAVE THE CAR TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP. I TOLD THE DEALERSHIP THAT THIS VEHICLE WAS DEFECTIVE AND WOULD NO LONGER FEEL SAFE DIVING THE CAR. THEY AGREED TO REPLACE THE CAR WITH A NEW 2007 MINI COOPER S ([XXX]). I WAS LED TO BELIEVE THAT MINE WAS AN "ISOLATED INCIDENT" BUT HAVE NOW BECOME AWARE THAT OTHERS HAVE HAD SIMILAR PROBLEMS WITH MINI COOPER S FROM 2007-2009. WHEN I CONTACTED THE DEALER, I WAS ADVISED TO NOT PARK MY CAR IN THE GARAGE UNTIL THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM HAS BEEN DETERMINED OR IF THERE IS A RECALL. I NOW AM NOT PARKING IN THE GARAGE. I AM SUBMITTING THIS REPORT ON THE 2007 INCIDENT SINCE IT WAS NEVER REPORTED AND I AM AFRAID THAT THE RATE OF OCCURRENCE MAY BE UNDER-REPORTED. THANK YOU. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

THE PASSENGER SEAT AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT IS ON ALL THE TIME, INDICATING LESS THAN 25 LBS IS ON THE SEAT, EVEN THOUGH THERE IS NOTHING ON THE SEAT. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 MINI COOPER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED INTERMITTENTLY. THE DEALER ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT IT COULD POSSIBLY BE THE AIR BAG SENSOR THAT WAS FAULTY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE HOWEVER, DID NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE. NO REPAIRS WERE PERFORMED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 60,000 AND THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 58,000.

MY WIFE NOTICED AN UNUSUAL ELECTRICAL HUMMING NOISE THAT RAPIDLY BECAME PROGRESSIVELY LOUDER COMING FROM SOMEWHERE IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT WHEN THE CAR WAS RUNNING. VERY QUICKLY IT BECAME HARDER AND HARDER TO STEER UNTIL IT FELT LIKE THERE WAS NO ASSISTED STEERING AT ALL. SHE HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO DRIVE IT SINCE. RECENTLY WENT TO A MINI DEALERSHIP TO HAVE IT CHECKED OUT WITH THE RESULT THAT THEY SAID THE PUMP DID INDEED FAIL. NO RECALL HAS BEEN ISSUED AS OF YET, EVEN THOUGH THIS SEEMS TO BE A WIDESPREAD PROBLEM. *TR

I WASDRIVING IN CT. WHEN MY CAR WOULD NOT START AGAIN. MY CAR WAS HAULED AWAY AND BMW (MINI COOPER) AND MINI OF FAIRFIELD COUNTY IN STAMFORD CT TRY TO CLAIM THAT THIS ENGINE WAS HYDROLOCKED. THAT IS IMPOSSIBLE WHEN IT WAS NOT RAINING TO MAKE THIS CLAIM. ENGINE COMPLETELY SEIZED. *TR

I WAS DRIVING MY VEHICLE ON AN ENTRANCE RAMP TO A PARKWAY.HALFWAY THROUGH THE CURVE,MY STEERING STOPPED WORKING. I COULD NOT TURN THE WHEEL. I HIT MY BRAKES AS THE VEHICLE JUMPED THE CURB. I JUST MISSED HITTING A TREE. I CALLED A FRIEND TO SEE IF I LOST A BELT OR SOMETHING. WHEN HE STARTED THE CAR,THE STEERING WORKED. HE DECIDED TO DRIVE THE CAR TO A SHOP FOR ME AND THE SAME THING HAPPENED TO HIM. THE MECHANIC AT THE SHOP TOLD ME I WOULD NEED A NEW POWER STEERING PUMP. HE SAID THIS HAS HAPPENED TO MANY MINI COOPERS. I DON'T KNOW IF ANYONE HAS GOTTEN KILLED BY THIS YET,BUT IT SHOULD BE RECALLED BEFORE IT HAPPENS. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 MINI COPPER S CONVERTIBLE. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH THE VEHICLE DECELERATED AND THE INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE OVERHEATED AND STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACTS HOME. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 51,000.

THE AIRBAG SENSOR LIGHT ALONG WITH THE SEATBELT LIGHT STAYS ON CONSTANTLY FROM STARTUP.TRIED TO RESET BY INSTRUCTIONS IN THE OWNERS MANUAL BUT DIDN'T WORK.MINI SERVICE WANTS 100.00 TO JUST EVALUATE THE PROBLEM.THE PROBLEM IS THAT MINI /BMW KNOW THERE IS DEFAULT WITH THE SEAT SENSORS BUT WON'T TAKE ON RESPONSIBILITY AS THE CAR OWNERS ARE PAYING $1500-2200 + TO HAVE THIS REPAIRED. THIS IS A VERY SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE AS NONE OF THE AIRBAGS WILL WORK IN THE CAR AT THIS POINT. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 MINI COOPER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING, A LOUD SOUND WAS COMING FROM THE ENGINE. A LOCAL MECHANIC DIAGNOSED THAT THE CRANK PULLEY FAN BELT THAT CONTROLLED THE AIR CONDITIONING AND HEATER WAS LOOSE. THE MANUFACTURER DENIED ANY ASSISTANCE WITH REPAIRS TO THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 31,039.

STEERING HAS BECOME DIFFICULT. MORE DIFFICULT THAN AN UNASSISTED STEERING SYSTEM. *TR