2007 MINI COOPER Complaints

2007 MINI COOPER, PURCHASED NEW, APPROX 21,000 MILES. PARKED CAR WOULD NOT GO INTO REVERSE. MANY WEB FORUMS INDICATE ONGOING PROBLEMS WITH MINI TRANSMISSIONS. *TR

I HAVE EXPERIENCED MULTIPLE FAILURES OF THE FUEL PUMP ON MY 2007 MINI COOPER 7. IT IS NOW EXPERIENCING THE EARLY SYMPTOMS FOR A THIRD TIME. THE DEALERSHIP FAILED TO FIX THE PROBLEM ON 4 OCCASIONS PRIOR TO THE FUEL PUMP SEIZING. THEY RETURNED THE "REPAIRED" VEHICLE, AND THE REPLACEMENT FUEL PUMP WAS LEAKING (WAS OVERCOME BY THE FUMES TRYING TO DRIVE IT HOME FROM WORK THE SAME DAY IT WAS RETURNED). THEY REPAIRED IT A SECOND TIME, AND I HAD IT CHECKED BY A SECOND DEALER. WHAT ARE MY RIGHTS IN THIS SITUATION? I AM CONCERNED THERE IS A SERIOUS DEFECT WITH MY VEHICLE, AND THAT THE FUEL PUMP COULD SEIZE AGAIN SUDDENLY (AS IT DID LAST TIME). I HAVE NOW MET AT LEAST 3 OTHER OWNERS OF THE SAME MAKE AND MODEL CAR WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEMS (AND WITH THE SAME DEALERSHIP, WESTCHESTER MINI/BMW). *TR

SEVERAL WEEKS AGO I FOUND A CRACK IN WINDSHIELD OF 2007 MINI COOPER S ON PASSENGER SIDE BELOW WIPER. I HAD THE WINDSHIELD REPLACED AND CAR WAS RETURNED TO ME ON SEPT. 10TH. ON SEPT. 16 I FOUND ANOTHER CRACK IN THE NEW GLASS IN APPROXIMATELY SAME SPOT! AFTER LOOKING ON INTERNET I FOUND THAT STRESS CRACKING OF THE WINDSHIELD IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS CAR. ANYWAY, THE DEALER CLAIMS IT IS AN IMPACT CRACK AND ONLY A COINCIDENCE THAT IT OCCURRED IN SAME SPOT! AFTER ARGUING THEY AGREED TO REPLACE THE WINDSHIELD AT THEIR COST--AS A COURTESY. I WAS NOT AWARE OF ANYTHING HITTING THE WINDSHIELD AND EVEN IF A SMALL PEBBLE HIT--THE WINDSHIELD SHOULD NOT CRACK SO EASILY. *TR

THE TAILPIPES, WHEN HOT, APPARENTLY PROTRUDE ENOUGH TO CAUSE SEVERE BURNS TO THE LEG. MY 7 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER SUSTAINED A SERIOUS BURN THIS WAY WHEN GETTING SOMETHING OUT OF THE HATCHBACK. *TR

THE PASSENGER SEAT AIRBAG GOES OFF (THE INDICATOR LIGHT SIGNALS THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG IS OFF), WHEN A 105 POUND ADULT WOMAN IS SEATED IN THE PASSENGER SEAT. I WAS TOLD BY MY LOCAL MINI COOPER DEALER THAT THE SEAT DOES NOT SENSE SOMEONE IN THE PASSENGER SEAT UNLESS THEY ARE 115 LBS OR MORE. I FEEL THAT THIS IS DANGEROUS SINCE THERE ARE PLENTY OF ADULT FEMALES THAT WEIGH LESS THAN 115 LBS. I HAVE TAKEN THIS ISSUE TO MINI CORPORATE AND THEY REFERRED ME TO NHTSA. I SPOKE WITH AN AIRBAG REPRESENTATIVE AT NHTSA WHO TOLD ME THAT THE TESTING CONDITIONS FOR MINI COOPER 2007 WERE DONE WITH A 108 LB FEMALE. I AM FREQUENTLY THE PASSENGER IN THIS VEHICLE AND DO NOT FEEL SAFE KNOWING THAT THE AIRBAGS ARE OFF. IN THE EVENT THAT MY HUSBAND AND I ARE IN AN ACCIDENT REQUIRING AIRBAGS, THEY WILL NOT DEPLOY ON THE PASSENGER SIDE. *TR

RECEIVED BLISTERING AND PERMANENT SCARING BURN FROM EXHAUST PIPE WHILE REMOVING CARGO FROM REAR OF VEHICLE. *TR

RECEIVED BLISTERING AND PERMANENT SCARING BURN FROM EXHAUST PIPE WHILE REMOVING CARGO FROM REAR OF VEHICLE. *TR

HOOD SCOOP ON 2007 MINI COOPER "S" IS MELTING DUE TO EXCESSIVE HEAT FROM TURBO. *TR

AFTER A 30 MINUTE DRIVE, I PARKED AND THEN PULLED SOMETHING OUT OF THE TRUNK. WHILE REACHING IN, I BURNED MY LEFT SHIN ON THE TAILPIPE. I SHOWED IT A COUPLE OF DAYS LATER TO OUR BURN UNIT DIRECTOR AND HE TOLD ME THAT IT WAS A FUNCTIONAL FULL THICKNESS BURN IN AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS LOCATION (BECAUSE OF THE POOR BLOOD PERFUSION TO THE SHIN, HEALING IS IMPAIRED AND INFECTION RISK IS HIGH). HE SENT ME HOME FROM WORK ON ANTIBIOTICS AND I HAD TO BE ON BED REST WITH MY LEG ELEVATED. I SPOKE TO MINI AND THEY SUGGESTED THAT I BE CAREFUL - AS THE TAILPIPE CAN GET HOT. I THANKED THEM FOR THE ADVICE AND MADE THE FOLLOWING POINT: SURE, IT GETS HOT... IT'S AN EXHAUST TAILPIPE. HOWEVER, IT'S THE FIRST THING MY LEG COMES IN CONTACT TO AND IT'S IN THE CENTER OF A CAR THAT REQUIRES YOU TO GET CLOSE IN ORDER TO PULL SOMETHING OUT OF THE TRUNK. I SUGGESTED THAT BMW ISSUE A RECALL AND ADJUST THE TAILPIPE SO THAT THE FIRST THING THE LEG HITS IS THE BUMPER (LIKE MOST CARS). I WAS TOLD THAT NO CHANGE WAS PLANNED AT THIS TIME. MY POINTS: IT'S A BAD DESIGN. IT'S AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS PROBLEM. IT IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM (A SIMPLE GOOGLE SEARCH OR NORTHAMERICANMOTORING SEARCH WILL SHOW THIS). BMW NEEDS TO DO SOMETHING TO PROTECT ITS CUSTOMERS AND EVEN MORE IMPORTANTLY, ITS CUSTOMERS' CHILDREN. *TR ADD PICTURE *121108 CW UPDATED 12/11/08. *JB

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 MINI COOPER S. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CLUTCH ALWAYS EMITTED AN ODOR OF BURNING PLASTIC. THE ENGINE GRADUALLY REVVED WITHIN A 48 HOUR PERIOD. WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THE CLUTCH FAILED. THE DEALER STATED THAT A NEW CLUTCH NEEDED TO BE INSTALLED AT THE ESTIMATED COST OF $3,300. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 5,000.