2008 MINI COOPER CLUBMAN Complaints

THE TIMING CHAIN ASSEMBLY IS FAILING AFTER HAVING THE CAR FOR LESS THAN 5,000 MILES AFTER BUYING IT USED FROM A MINI DEALERSHIP WHO HAD PERFORMED THEIR USUAL INSPECTIONS AND RESALE MAINTENANCE. APPARENTLY THE TIMING CHAIN IS INSIDE THE ENGINE CASING AND THE METAL CHAIN RUNS ALONG A PLASTIC GUIDE. THE TOP PORTION OF THE PLASTIC GUIDE HAS, IT APPEARS, FAILED, CAUSING A VERY LOUD ENGINE NOISE AND RISKING COMPLETE TIMING FAILURE WHICH, OF COURSE, COULD POTENTIALLY PRESENT SERIOUS MECHANICAL AND SAFETY ISSUES IF IT HAPPENS AT HIGH SPEED. I HAVE FOUND WIDE REPORTS OF THIS HAPPENING SIMILARLY IN OTHER CARS, HOWEVER AFTER A QUICK SEARCH, I DON'T SEE THIS ISSUE LISTED ON THIS NHTSA SITE, SO I THOUGHT IT SHOULD BE ADDED. SEE THESE LINKS FOR REFERENCE: HTTP://WWW.CONSUMERAFFAIRS.COM/NEWS/CONSUMERS-COMPLAIN-OF-MINI-COOPER-TIMING-BELT-FAILURES-080113.HTML AND HTTP://BLOG.AUTOWORKSTX.COM/2014/10/MINI-COOPER-TIMING-CHAIN-ISSUES/

VEHICLE STARTED HAVING TROUBLE TURNING ON AND WHEN IT DID COME ON A LOUD CLANKING NOISE BEGAN. THE CAR COULD BARELY GO OVER 30MPH. 3 HR. DRIVE TOOK US ALMOST 6 HOURS TO GET TO DEALERSHIP. DEALERSHIP STATES IT IS THE TIMING CHAIN AND THE OIL PAN NEEDS TO BE REPLACED.WE FOUND EXCESSIVE WATER IN THE SPARE WHEEL HUB. THE BRAKE LIGHT SENSOR WOULD NOT GO OFF, AIRBAG LIGHT APPEARED, A KNOCKING NOISE IN THE GAS TANK CONSISTED. ETC.

THE SEAT BELT WARNING INDICATOR IS LIT UP WHILE THERE IS NO ONE PRESENT IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT.WHEN THERE IS A PASSENGER IN THE SEAT, THE AIR BAG IS OFF INDICATOR LIGHT IS SOMETIMES ILLUMINATED. THE WARNING INDICATOR IS INTERMITTENT AND THE SEAT BELT WARNING INDICATOR IS INTERMITTENT. THERE ARE NO ERROR CODES THAT ARE PULLING FROM THE STANDARD OBD PORT. THERE IS A LONG HISTORY OF KNOWN ISSUES RELATED TO THE PASSENGER MAT. I AM CONCERNED ABOUT THE SAFETY OF MY PASSENGERS AND THE AIRBAG SYSTEM AS A WHOLE.

I TOOK THE CAR TO THE LOCAL AUTHORIZED MINI COOPER DEALER WHERE A DIAGNOSTIC WAS RUN. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE PASSENGER SEAT MAT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED IN ORDER TO MAINTAIN THE INTEGRITY OF THE AIRBAG SYSTEM. MINI COOPER HAS BEEN FORCED TO RECALL 2008 CONVERTIBLES FOR THIS PROBLEM, BUT REFUSES TO FIX THE SAME YEAR COUNTRYMAN MODELS. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE THAT REQUIRED ME TO PAY TO HAVE THE PASSENGER SEAT REPLACED. THIS REPAIR COST ME $ 1,800, AND MINI COOPER REFUSES TO COMPENSATE ME FOR THE REPAIR.

THE CAR DEVELOPED ENGINE TROUBLE AT 51,934 MILES. WE CALLED OTTO'S MINI DEALERSHIP AND WERE TOLD THAT THE CAR WAS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY. WE THEN TOOK CAR TO A LOCAL REPAIR SHOP AND WERE TOLD THAT THE ENGINE NEEDED REPLACING DUE TO FAULTY TIMING CHAIN THAT RESULTED IN EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO THE CYLINDER HEAD AND PISTONS. UPON RESEARCHING THIS PROBLEM IT APPEARS THAT IT IS VERY COMMON. WE PROCEEDED WITH THE REPAIR AT THE LOCAL SHOP AND FILED WITH MINI TO REQUEST COVERAGE. COVERAGE WAS DENIED SINCE WE DID NOT HAVE CAR SERVICED AT THE DEALER. THE NATURE OF THIS REPAIR AND THE LARGE NUMBER OF REPORTED ISSUES WOULD SUGGEST ONE TO EXPECT MINI TO STAND BEHIND THEIR PRODUCT. *TR

THE OIL SUPPLY LINE TO THE TURBO ON THIS CAR LEAKS DUE TO A POOR DESIGN. THE PART(S) USED BY THE MANUFACTURER ARE NOT SUITABLE FOR THE APPLICATION AND FAIL, CAUSING NOT ONLY AN OIL LEAK, BUT A POTENTIAL TURBO FAILURE, AND WORSE, THE POTENTIAL FOR AN ENGINE FIRE, AS THE OIL LEAKS ONTO A HOT TURBO CHARGER AND EXHAUST MANIFOLD/DOWNPIPE. THE OIL LINE USES A COMPRESSION FITTING WHERE IT ATTACHES TO THE TURBO BODY. THIS FITTING USES AN INTERNAL RUBBER O-RING/SEAL THAT IS SUBJECTED TO HIGH HEAT, AND HEAT CYCLES EVERY TIME THE CAR IS RUN. RUBBER SEALS FAIL UNDER THESE CONDITIONS! THE MANUFACTURER (MINI/BMW) IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM, AND IS DOING NOTHING TO CORRECT IT. (IT'S VERY EXPENSIVE REPAIR) INSTEAD, THE MANUFACTURER IS PROVIDING A "BAND-AID FIX" BY SUPPLYING A "HEAT SHIELD" THAT ATTACHES TO THE FITTING. THIS WILL DO LITTLE-TO-NOTHING TO PREVENT THE RUBBER O-RING FROM FAILING, NOR DOES IT FIX A LINE THAT IS ALREADY LEAKING. THIS FAILURE OCCURS, TYPICALLY, AFTER THE CAR IS OUT OF WARRANTY. IT'S A SERIOUS DESIGN FLAW, AND SHOULD BE A RECALL ITEM DUE TO THE SAFETY ISSUE IT CREATES. *TR

THE BANGO FITTING ON TOP OF THE TURBO STARTED RANDOMLY AND EXCESSIVELY LEAKING OIL WHILE IDLING IN MY DRIVEWAY. COULD HAVE CAUSED A FIRE. GOING TO HAVE TO REPLACE THE OIL INTAKE LINE, OIL, AND DO A ENGINE CLEANING. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS AND COULD HAVE EASILY STARTED A FIRE WITH OIL POURING OVER A HOT TURBO. *TR

DRIVING WITH AN ADULT IN THE PASSENGER SEAT, THE "PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG IS OFF" LIGHT TURNED ON. AFTER SHIFTING IN THE SEAT THE LIGHT TURNED OFF. THIS HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES. THIS IS AN ISSUE WITH THE AIRBAG MAT AND IS A COMMON PROBLEM FOR MINIS. HAVE ALSO REPORTED THIS PROBLEM WITH A 2005 MINI COOPER. READING ONLINE NUMEROUS OTHER PEOPLE HAVE HAD SIMILAR PROBLEMS. KEEP WAITING FOR A RECALL BECAUSE IT IS AN EXPENSIVE PROBLEM TO FIX. *TR

THE PASSENGER SEAT OCCUPANCY LIGHT LIT UP IN 2 PLACES ON DASH INFORMATION-THERE WAS NO OCCUPANT IN THE SEAT. RESEARCHING THIS ISSUE @ MINI COOPER WEB SITES INDICATES THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM AND HAS PERSISTED FOR AT LEAST 10 YEARS. IT IS AN EXTREMELY EXPENSIVE REPAIR (USUALLY BETWEEN $1600 & $2600) AS THE OCCUPANCY SENSOR (FOR AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT) IS SEWN INTO THE BOTTOM OF THE SEAT & THE REPAIR CALLS FOR THE BOTTOM COVER OF THE SEAT TO BE REPLACES WITH A NEW SENSOR PRE-SEWN IN. THE SITES OFFER "EMULATOR" KITS WHICH TRICKS THE SENSOR-BUT WILL PROHIBIT AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT IN MANY CASES. THE KITS SELL FOR APPROXIMATELY $79.00. THIS IS A REAL SAFETY DANGER. *TR

WE STARTED OUR 2008 MINI CLUBMAN S IN A PARKING LOT AND IT IMMEDIATELY INDICATED A CHECK ENGINE LIGHT (CEL) FOR 'LIMP' MODE. UPON FURTHER INSPECTION, THE UPPER GUIDE RAIL FOR THE TIMING CHAIN HAD SHATTERED. THE ODBII CODES WERE P0300, RANDOM MIS-FIRE, P0301 MIS-FIRE CYLINDER 1, P0303 MIS-FIRE CYLINDER 3 AND P1492, DOWNSTREAM THROTTLE AIR LEAK. *TR