2008 MINI COOPER S Complaints

I WAS TOLD MY WARRANTY EXPIRED END OF JUNE. I BOUGHT MINI-S 08 USED IN FEBRUARY FROM A MINI DEALERSHIP IN WESTCHESTER, ELMSFORD, NY. I NOTICED A KNOCKING NOISE THAT TO ME DIDN'T SOUND NORMAL NOT TOO LONG AFTER I BOUGHT THE CAR. THE PEOPLE AT MINI TOLD ME IT WAS FROM SOMETHING ELSE, A LOOSE PIECE AND THAT THEY "FIXED THE PROBLEM." THIS NOISE ONLY BECAME WORSE, AND NOW THE CAR IS AT 45,000 MILES AND NOT EVEN 6 MONTHS FROM PURCHASE. THE NOISE BECAME EVEN LOUDER, WHICH THEN IT SOUNDED LIKE A TRACTOR TRAILER. I CHANGED THE OIL, THE NOISE WASN'T AS LOUD BUT STILL THERE. MY MECHANIC SAID THAT THE TIMING BELT IS GOING TO SNAP SOON, AND IS A DANGEROUS PROBLEM THAT CAN CAUSE AN ACCIDENT, AND ONCE IT BREAKS, THE WHOLE ENGINE WILL BE DESTROYED. *TR

LOUD SUDDEN DIESEL LIKE RATTLE (COMMONLY KNOWN AS "THE DEATH RATTLE" BY IMPACTED MINI OWNERS) FROM ENGINE COMPARTMENT ON A METICULOUSLY WELL MAINTAINED 2008 MINI COOPER S TURBO. DIAGNOSED BY MECHANIC AS DEFECTIVE TIMING BELT TENSIONER AND IF LEFT UNATTENDED WOULD RESULT IN A CATASTROPHIC ENGINE FAILURE AND POSSIBLE SERIOUS INJURY. COST OF REPAIR IS $1,800. BMW/MINI IS WELL AWARE OF THIS COMMON AND SYSTEMIC TENSIONER DEFECT (DEFECTIVE ORIGINAL PART). THEY SHOULD "DO THE RIGHT THING" AND RECALL AND/OR REIMBURSE GOOD FAITH PURCHASERS FOR THIS DEFECTIVE PART. *JS

MY CAR STARTED MAKING A WEIRD NOISE IN THE FRONT OF THE CAR NEAR THE ENGINE WHEN I TURNED IT ON. THEN IT CONTINUED TO MAKE THE LOUD NOISE AS I DROVE. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER AND THEY SAID THE TIMING CHAIN STRETCHED AND CAUSED THE GUIDE RAIL TO BREAK, WHICH FELL INTO THE OIL PAN. THE DEALER SAID I WAS LUCKY MY ENGINE DIDN'T LOOK UP WHILE I WAS ON THE HIGHWAY. THIS WAS A $2100 FIX ON A 4 YEAR OLD CAR WITH 53,000 MILES. *TR

THE TURBO CHARGER HAS TOTALLY FAILED (CAR IS UNDER HALF POWER) AND THE TOP GUIDE ON THE TIMING CHAIR (TENSIONER SYSTEM) IS BROKEN. I HAVE DONE THE PROPER MAINTENANCE WITH EXCEPTIONAL CARE. THE TURBO IS COOLED BY THE KNOWN FAILED AUXILIARY WATER PUMP WITH INTEGRATED CIRCUIT BOARD AND IS CURRENTLY UNDER RECALL. MINI/BMW IS REFUSING TO COVER THESE FAILURES CLEARLY CAUSED BY DEFECTIVE PARTS AND DESIGN (OIL LINE LEADING TO TURBO GETS GUMMED UP BECAUSE IT IS TOO SMALL). THEY ARE ATTEMPTING TO CHARGE ME OVER $5200 TO REPAIR THE CAR (20% OF THE VEHICLE COST IN 2008) FOR WHAT IS ABSOLUTELY A MANUFACTURER PROBLEM. MY CAR IS NOT OPERATIONAL AND HAS NOT BEEN OPERATIONAL FOR OVER 2 WEEKS WHILE I CONTINUE TO 'FIGHT' BMW'S DETERMINATION NOT TO COVER THESE PROBLEMS. READING COUNTLESS BLOGS WITH OWNERS EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEM(S) I BELIEVE BMW IS INTENTIONALLY SELLING A PRODUCT IT KNOWS IS DEFECTIVE AND COLLECTING THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS ON REPAIRS. NO CAR SHOULD EXPERIENCE A TOTAL FAILURE OF A TURBO AND BROKEN TIMING CHAIN IN 60K MILES. THIS IS OUTRAGEOUS AND NHTSA SHOULD PROTECT US CONSUMERS FROM THIS FRAUDULENT ACTIVITY BY ISSUING A RECALL - SOONER THAN LATER. *TR

MY MINI COOPER S HAS LESS THAN 60000 MILES ON IT WITH PROPER MAINTENANCE AND HAS HAD FAILURE OF THE FRICTION WHEEL (AKA TIMING CHAIN OR TENSIONER SYSTEM). THE FIRST SIGNS OF THE ISSUE ARE A VERY LOUD, RATTLING NOISE DURING ACCELERATION AND AS THE PROBLEM GETS WORSE, IT CONTINUES TO RATTLE DURING IDLING. THE MINI CORPORATION IS VERY AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM AND WHILE THE DEALERSHIP ITSELF WORKED WITH ME TO LOWER THE COST BECAUSE THEY SAY IT HAPPENS FREQUENTLY EVEN WITH PROPER MAINTENANCE ON THE CAR AND WHILE THE VEHICLE IS STILL UNDER WARRANTY, THE CORPORATION WOULDN'T ACKNOWLEDGE OR HELP WITH THE COST TO FIX IT. ALSO, IF THE PROBLEM ISN'T FIXED IMMEDIATELY, IT WILL LEAD TO A BLOWN ENGINE. FURTHERMORE, I HAVE READ THAT SEVERAL MINI OWNERS HAVE REPLACED THE FRICTION WHEEL ONLY TO HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM REAPPEAR NOT LONG AFTERWARDS. THIS IS AN ISSUE OF FAULTY MANUFACTURING AND MINI NEEDS TO STAND UP AND ABSORB THE COST TO FIX IT AND/OR RECALL THE MINIS AFFECTED TO ENSURE IT NO LONGER HAPPENS. *TR

I CAME HOME FROM WORK AND PARKED THE CAR IN HIS NORMAL PARKING SPACE ON THE BLACK TOP. I TURNED OFF THE CAR, PUT THE VEHICLE IN GEAR WITH THE PARKING BRAKE AND LOCKED THE DOOR. A MINUTE LATER, THE VEHICLE WAS ON FIRE. THE FIRE DEPT REPORT WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE IF THERE WAS A KEY LEFT IN THE IGNITION.

THERE IS A LOUD KNOCKING NOISE (MOST LIKELY THE TIMING BELT) AND THE CAR KEEPS JUMPING. *JS

TIMING BELT AND TENSIONER NEEDS TO BE REPLACED, HAS BROKEN GUIDES AND CAUSES VERY LOUD "DIESEL" SOUNDS. ONLY 50,000 MILES ON THE CAR. OIL LEAK IN OIL LINE GOING TO TURBO. *TR

I HAVE A 2008 MINI COOPER S THAT HAS A TIMING CHAIN ISSUE THAT SEEMS TO BE A PROBLEM FOR THIS MODEL ,AS I RESEARCHED THIS ISSUE FOUND THAT LOOKS LIKE A PRODUCTION ISSUE WHICH I BELIEVE SHOULD BE CORRECTED BY MINI/BMW. NOT EVERYONE HAS $2000.00 TO HAVE THIS FIXED,I HAVE 28K MILES WHICH I CONSIDER A FARELY NEW CAR STILL NOT FARE FOR US CONSUMER WHO SHELL OUT ALOT OF MONEY FOR A CAR WE BELIEVE TO BE RELIABLE AND IS NOT , PLEASE REVIEW THIS PROBLEM AND HELP US CONSUMERS BE TREATED FAIR WE NEED YOUR HELP TO STOP THESE COMPANY'S FROM TAKING ADVANTAGE OF US UNTIL SOMETHING HORRIBLE HAPPENS. *TR

VEHICLE MAKES A LOUD NOISE FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AT COLD START, DEALER INFORMED ME IT'S THE TIMING CHAIN AND TENSIONER, TOTAL COST ABOUT $1950.00. DEALER INFORMED ME IT'S A COMMON PROBLEM BUT THERE IS NO RECALL FROM MINI USA. *TR