2008 MINI COOPER S Complaints

THE OIL FEED LINE FOR THE TURBOCHARGER LEAKED ENOUGH OIL TO ALLOW ENOUGH SMOKE INTO THE CABIN TO GREATLY DECREASE VISIBILITY. THE FITTING IS COMPRISED OF A BANGO FITTING THAT IS CRIMPED TO THE FEED LINE WITH AN O-RING IN THE FEED LINE. THE O-RING IS THE COMPONENT THAT FAILED AND MY ENGINEERING BACK ROUND HAS LED ME TO THE ROOT CAUSE BEING THAT THE O-RING HAS SEEN ENOUGH THERMAL CYCLED TO DETERIORATE LEADING TO THE LEAK. THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE FROM A RELIABILITY STANDPOINT AND I KNOW THAT I AM NOT THE ONLY MINI OWNER THAT HAS HAD THIS HAPPEN TO THEM. MINI NEEDS TO OWN UP TO THIS DESIGN FLAW. *TR

THE TIMING CHAIN TENSIONER BACKED OUT OF THE ENGINE BLOCK ALLOWING ENGINE OIL TO BE PUMPED OUT OF THE ENGINE. THE TENSIONER WORKS ON ENGINE OIL PRESSURE AND IT BACKED OUT FAR ENOUGH TO ALLOW THE ENGINE OIL THAT NORMALLY PRESSURIZED THE PISTON TO BE PUMPED OUT OF THE ENGINE. I WAS LUCKY ENOUGH TO SEE THE STREAK OF OIL AS I BACKED OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY, BUT IF I HAD NOT I AM SURE THAT MORE DAMAGE AND POTENTIAL FIRE WOULD HAVE OCCURRED. THIS IS SURPRISING AS THIS SAME PART WAS REPLACED UNDER A RECALL FOR BEING FAULTY. I BELIEVE THAT THIS IS STILL A DESIGN FLAW AND SOMETHING THAT SHOULD BE ADDRESSED BY MINI. *TR

ENGINE TIMING CHAIN BROKE WHILE DRIVING BECAUSE OF A FAULTY PLASTIC TENSIONER PIECE BRAKING. THIS ISSUE HAS SURFACED REPEATEDLY GLOBALLY, BUT NO RECALL ISSUED. THIS NEEDS TO BE RECALLED, IT IS CLEARLY A SAFETY ISSUE AND BECAUSE OF ONE SMALL LITTLE PLASTIC FAULTY PART COST ME CLOSE TO $5000. MINI/BMW NORTH AMERICA DOES NOT ACKNOWLEDGE THIS ISSUE NOR WANTS TO REIMBURSE ME FOR THE EXPENSES INCURRED TO KEEP DRIVING SAFELY. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MINI COOPER S. THE CONTACT STATED THAT SMOKE WAS SEEN COMING FROM THE ENGINE. THE VEHICLE WAS UNABLE TO COOL DOWN SO THE CONTACT HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO A DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS BUT THEY WERE UNABLE TO DUPLICATE OR DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE RECURRED AND HE WAS UNABLE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE FOR MORE THAN A FEW MILES WITHOUT IT OVERHEATING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 7,400. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 8,234. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

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

AS I WAS DRIVING MY CAR STARTED CHUGGING. I PULLED OVER AND KEPT CHUGGING. I STOPPED THE CAR, LOOKED UNDER THE HOOD AND SAW IF SOMETHING WAS WRONG. DID NOT SEE ANYTHING. STARTED IT UP AGAIN AND ONCE I ACCELERATED IT STOPPED CHUGGING. DROVE IT VERY SCARCELY AND BROUGHT IT INTO THE DEALERSHIP. WAS TOLD IT WAS A TIMING CHAIN. VERY LUCKY THAT IT HAS NOT SNAPPED OR SKIPPED BECAUSE YOU WOULD HAVE POSSIBLY LOSE CONTROL. THE CAR ONLY HAS 36000 MILES ON IT AND HAS HAD THE OIL LEVEL TOPPED OFF EVERY FEW FILL UPS. THEY DO NOT LOOK AT THIS AS A MANUFACTURING DEFECT, EVEN THOUGH IT HAS HAPPENED ON QUITE A FEW CARS. MY LOCAL MECHANIC SAID HE HAS NEVER HEARD OF A TIMING CHAIN SNAPPING OR STRETCHING TO WHERE IT NEEDS TO BE REPLACED AT 36000 MILES. IT IS DANGEROUS AND ALSO VERY COSTLY TO PAY FOR. *TR

BEGAN TO HEAR LOUD KNOCKING NOISE FROM ENGINE OF MY 4 YEAR OLD MINI @ 66000 MILES. HAVE HAD MY MINI SERVICED ACCORDING TO THE SCHEDULE AT THE SAME DEALERSHIP FOR 4 YEARS. AFTER HEARING THE NOISE DID RESEARCH ONLINE TO NOTICE THAT MINIS HAVE A TIMING BELT /TENSIONER ISSUE. NOTICED ON THE SAME NIGHT THAT MY OIL LIGHT CAME ON AND THE INTERESTING THING IS THAT I JUST HAD MY OIL CHANGED IN AUGUST OF 2012 AND THIS WAS NOVEMBER 2012. TOOK CAR TO DEALER AND THE SERVICER SAID THEY HAD HEARD OF SOME MINI'S TIMING CHAINS FAILING AT 14K MILES. AFTER DIAGNOSIS HE NOTES THAT IT IS THE TIMING CHAIN AND THAT THE OIL FILTER GASKET WAS LEAKING WHICH CAUSED THE TIMING CHAIN TO FAIL. THIS IS NOT CORRECT AS MY VEHICLE HAS NEVER LEAKED OIL, AND I HAD JUST GOTTEN MY OIL CHANGED 3 MONTHS EARLIER AND NO MENTION WAS MADE BY MY SERVICE TECHNICIAN. THIS SEEMS TO BE A COMMON ISSUE IN MINIS AND THEY ARE NOT PROVIDING ANY KIND OF RELIEF. *TR

THE TRANSMISSION IN MY CAR IS GOING OUT AT ONLY 53 THOUSAND MILES... EVERY TIME I GOT TO TURN OFF MY CAR THE LIGHT POPS ON SAYING THEIR IS A ISSUE WITH MY TRANSMISSION..IT ALSO TAKES ME TURNING OFF MY CAR AND BACK ON FOR IT TO GET UN STUCK OUT OF PARK.. IM GETTING FED UP AND FEAR THAT SOMETHING WORSE WILL HAPPEN WITH MY CAR WHEN MY CHILD OR HUSBAND IS IN THE CAR WITH ME.. I'VE ONLY HAD THIS CAR A YEAR AND ALREADY PUT $1200 INTO A WATERPUMP AND THERMOSTAT WITH HOUSING ... AND THAT WAS HARDSHIP ON ME. *TR

DRIVING IN THE MOUNTAINS WHEN I BEGAN TO SMELL BURNT OIL. AS SOON AS I WAS ABLE TO I PULLED OVER, IMMEDIATELY THERE WAS A CLOUD OF SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER THE FRONT HOOD. I OPENED THE HOOD AND THOUGH THERE WAS NO FIRE IT APPEARED THAT THE SMOKE WAS COMING FROM OIL LEAKING ONTO THE TURBO FROM THE OIL FEED LINE. AFTER LETTING THE CAR COOL I PROCEEDED HOME. NOW WHENEVER THE CAR IS SITTING IDLE I CAN SMELL BURNT OIL AND AFTER GETTING HOME I CAN SEE OIL POOLING ON THE TOP OF THE TURBO. I HAVE BEEN TOLD THERE IS AN ISSUE WITH THE CONNECTION ON THE TURBO OIL FEED LINE DUE TO THE DESIGN OF THE LINE AND HEAT FROM THE TURBO AND I WILL HAVE TO REPLACE THIS AT MY OWN COST. *TR

KNOCKING NOISE WHEN STARTING AND RUNNING. I THOUGHT IT WAS FROM THE WRONG FUEL ADDED TO IT, OR LOW OIL WHEN I PURCHASED IT. I CORRECTED THOSE TWO ISSUES, BUT IT STILL MAKES THE KNOCKING NOISE. I AM VERY AFRAID IT WILL SEIZE. I BELIEVE THE TIMING CHAIN AND TENSIONER SYSTEM NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. *TR