2002 MINI COOPER Complaints

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 MINI COOPER S. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE TRAVELING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO SHIFT GEARS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS FOUND THAT THE SHIFT LINKAGE HAD FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER 02V201000 (POWER TRAIN). THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 34,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

WE HAVE HAD THE POWER STEERING AND FAN GO OUT ABOUT 3 TIMES ON THIS CAR. WE HAVE OWNED IT NEW FROM 2002. THERE WAS A RECALL AND WE ONLY RECEIVED $525 DOLLARS WHEN WE SPEND OVER $2000. WHY WOULD WE NOT RECEIVE A FULL REFUND AS WE HAD THE WORK DONE ALWAYS AT THE MINI DEALER AND WE HAD TWO RECEIPTS FROM THE DEALER SHOWING THE DEFECT. MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THE WARRANTY IS NOT INCREASED TO 13 YEARS AND 150000 MILES. WHEN THE DEFECT HAPPENS THE CAR GETS NOISY FROM THE PUMP AND WHEN IT FAILS THE STEERING BECOMES SLUGGISH. WHY WOULD THEY BE ALLOWED TO ONLY REIMBURSE PART OF THE AMOUNT WHEN THIS IS SUCH A BIG ISSUE. $2000 FOR STEERING REPAIRS ON A $27,000 DOLLAR CAR SHOULD NOT BE TOLERATED. *TR

THE CAR HAS GONE BACK TO A MINI DEALER 4 TIMES SINCE WE'VE OWNED THE CAR BECAUSE OF THE AIR BAG LIGHT ON. LITTLE DID WE REALIZE WHEN WE TOOK IT ON A TRIP TO FLORIDA, THE WHOLE SYSTEM WAS SHUT DOWN. TOOK IT TO A MINI DEALER IN FLA. ON FEB. 15, 2012.....$2126.04 LATER. DROVE IT HOME TO HAVE THE LIGHT GO ON AGAIN , TOOK IT TO MINI OF BEDFORD, NH ON 5/28/13, PICKED IT UP ON 6/4/2013.....$1527.09 LATER. DROVE IT HOME ON 6/4/2013, ONLY TO HAVE THE LIGHT GO BACK ON APPROX 6/10/2013. AAA HAD TO USE A RAMP TRUCK TO BRING IT BACK TO BEDFORD, NH.....BECAUSE THE DRIVERS SEAT TIPPED OVER BACKWARDS WHILE DRIVING & ALMOST CAUSED A SERIOUS COLLISION. ALSO THERE IS A NEW PROBLEM WITH STEERING WHEEL. BOTH LATER ISSUES OCCURRED AFTER THEY HAD TORN IT APART IN DEALERSHIP & KEPT IT FOR A WEEK "FIXING THE PROBLEM". NOW IT SITS AT MINI OF BEDFORD..& THEY ARE TELLING US ANOTHER AIRBAG SENSOR HAS TO BE REPLACED...IT NEED A NEW SEAT....AND THEY'RE NOT SURE ABOUT THE STEERING WHEEL, BECAUSE THEY CAN'T TEST UNTIL THEY PUT IN A NEW SEAT. EVERYTHING IS ON HOLD AT THE MOMENT...#1 WE CAN'T KEEP PAYING FOR SHODDY WORKMANSHIP...#2 WE ARE VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THE SAFETY OF THIS CAR. HAVE BEEN READING SOME WEBSITES & SEE STORIES SIMILAR TO THIS AIR BAG PROBLEM. *TR

I WAS DRIVING ABOUT 60 MPH AND ALL OF A SUDDEN THE POWER STEERING STOPPED WORKING. STEERING BECAME VERY TIGHT AND HEAVY. ALMOST LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 MINI COOPER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THE VEHICLE BECAME EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO STEER. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS BUT NO CAUSE FOR THE FAILURE WAS IDENTIFIED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 130,000.

I WAS ON THE FREEWAY WHEN MY POWER STEERING FAILED AND I NEARLY CRASHED WHILE TRYING TO CHANGE LANES AND EXIT THE FREEWAY. *TR

I WAS TRAVELING THROUGH CITY TRAFFIC AND THE POWER STEERING CEASED TO OPERATE. STEERING BECAME IMMEDIATELY VERY HEAVY. PULLED INTO PARKING LOT, LOOKED UNDER HOOD, LOOKED UNDER CAR FOR FLUIDS, BELTS, ETC., AND FOUND NOTHING VISIBLE. GOT BACK INTO CAR, STARTED IT UP AND IT BEGAN TO WORK AGAIN, AS NORMAL. TWO WEEKS LATER WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, POWER STEERING AGAIN FAILED ABRUPTLY. POWER STEERING PUMP IS SCHEDULED TO BE CHECKED/REPLACED TODAY AT DEALERSHIP TODAY. THIS COULD BE A VERY SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE. HAD I BEEN IN A CURVE AT THIS SPEED, I'M NOT SURE I COULD HAVE MAINTAINED CONTROL OF THE CAR. *TR

I WAS TRYING TO GET ONTO AN OFF RAMP AND WHEN I WAS INTO THE TURN I ALMOST RAN INTO A CONCRETE BARRIER BECAUSE THE WHOLE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP. THE STEERING WHEEL ALWAYS LOCKS UP SOMETIMES IT WITH A FEW MILES AND OTHERS IT IS GOOD UNTIL IT LOCKS UP. VERY DANGEROUS. *TR

AFTER A SHORT TRIP, I HAD JUST PARKED THE MINI. FORTUNATELY, IT WAS OUTDOORS AND WITHIN 50FT OF MY TOOL CHEST. ON TURNING OFF THE IGNITION AND REMOVING THE KEY, I NOTICED AN UNUSUAL NOISE; THE [ELECTRIC] POWER STEERING PUMP CONTINUED TO RUN. A FEW SECONDS LATER, SMOKE APPEARED. I RACED TO MY TOOL DRAWER, GRABBING THE FIRST SUITABLE TOOL, CHANNEL LOCK PLIERS, AND PROCEEDED TO HASTILY DISCONNECT ONE OF THE BATTERY TERMINALS. SMOKE WAS HEAVY AT THAT POINT. DISCONNECTING POWER PREVENTED FURTHER DAMAGE, AND WAS FORTUNATELY DONE IN TIME, BEFORE THE WIRING HARNESS WAS INCINERATED, OR THE SITUATION BECAME A SELF-SUSTAINING CONFLAGRATION. APPARENTLY, ALTHOUGH THERE IS A 100A FUSE PRESENT, THE FAULT PROTECTION ON THE POWER STEERING PUMP CIRCUIT IS INADEQUATE. I REMOVED THE POWER WIRE TO THE PUMP, TO ALLOW THE VEHICLE TO BE DRIVEN, WITH HEAVY [NON-ASSISTED] STEERING, PENDING SERVICE. SINCE THE OUTCOME IS NOT SO BAD, WHY SHOULD I COMPLAIN? CONSIDER IF THE VEHICLE WERE PARKED INDOORS, AND/OR IF THE SAME EVENT WERE TO HAPPEN TO SOMEONE WITH LESS ELECTRICAL APTITUDE. I DON'T EXPECT ACCESSORIES TO LAST FOREVER; THE VEHICLE IS 11 YEARS OLD WITH 123K MILES. I DO OBJECT TO THE FAILURE MODE, IN WHICH THE POWER STEERING PUMP CIRCUIT BECOMES AN INCENDIARY DEVICE... *TR

POWER STEERING PUMP FAILURE AND DRAINED BATTERY (RECENTLY REPLACED). CAR WILL NOT START, AND CAN NOT ACCESS PASSENGER OR TRUNK DOOR DUE TO ELECTRICAL FAILURE. *TR