2007 MINI COOPER S Complaints

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 MINI MINI COOPER S. THE CONTACT WAS TRAVELING 55 MPH WHEN THE CONTACT TRAVELED OVER A SLICK AREA IN THE ASPHALT. THE CONTACT LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, ROLLED OVER AND CRASHED INTO A DITCH UPSIDE DOWN. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE CRASH CAUSED NO INJURIES AND THE POLICE WERE CONTACTED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED OF THE INCIDENT. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED AND THE FAILURE WAS NOT INSPECTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 74,500.

EIGHT MONTHS AFTER MINI OF CONCORD REPLACED MY HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP FOR THE GASOLINE LEAK AND STRONG GAS SMELL WITHIN THE CABIN, AGAIN THE GAS SMELL STARTED UP IN THE CABIN (FOR ALL TRIPS). I TOOK IT BACK TO MINI OF CONCORD (THIS IS 22 MONTHS AFTER BUYING CAR), AND THEY AGAIN FOUND A LEAK IN THE HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP AND LINE, AND REPLACED THE PARTS - AGAIN. THIS WAS THE FOURTH REPLACEMENT OF THE HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP ON MY CAR! THEY ALSO REPLACED THE TIMING CHAIN TENSIONER BECAUSE OF THE LOUD NOISE IT WAS MAKING ON STARTUP. AND THE INLET CAMSHAFT POSITION SENSOR. *TR

ONE MONTH AFTER MINI OF CONCORD REPLACED MY HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP FOR THE GASOLINE LEAK AND STRONG GAS SMELL WITHIN THE CABIN, AGAIN THE GAS SMELL STARTED UP IN THE CABIN (FOR ALL TRIPS). I TOOK IT BACK TO MINI OF CONCORD (THIS IS 14 MONTHS AFTER BUYING CAR), AND THEY AGAIN FOUND A LEAK IN THE HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP AND LINE, AND REPLACED THE PARTS - AGAIN. THIS WAS THE THIRD OF FOUR REPLACEMENTS OF THE HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP ON MY CAR. *TR

IN AUGUST OF 2008, 12 MONTHS AFTER PURCHASING MY CAR, IT FOR A 2ND TIME IN 1 YEAR, STARTED TO SMELL STRONGLY LIKE GASOLINE INSIDE THE CABIN. I BROUGHT IT IN TO MINI OF CONCORD, AND THEY FOUND A LEAK IN THE HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP AND LINE, AND REPLACED THE PARTS - FOR A 2ND TIME. THIS WAS THE SECOND OF FOUR REPLACEMENTS OF THE HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP IN MY CAR. *TR

IN EARLY JANUARY 2008, 5 MONTHS AFTER PURCHASING MY CAR, IT STARTED TO SMELL STRONGLY LIKE GASOLINE INSIDE THE CABIN, AND I WAS CONCERNED THAT THERE WAS A RISK OF FIRE. I PULLED OVER AND LET THE CAR SIT, AND RESTARTED IT, BUT THE SMELL RESUMED. I BROUGHT IT IN TO MINI OF SF, AND THEY FOUND A LEAK IN THE HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP AND LINE, AND REPLACED THE PARTS. THIS WAS THE FIRST OF FOUR REPLACEMENTS OF THE HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP ON MY CAR. *TR

I JUST BOUGHT A MINI COOPER S WITH 70,000 MILES ON IT AND THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. I NOW SEE WHERE ERROR CODE P0012 IS AFFECTED BY SERVICE BULLETIN SIM-11-02-07 AND PUMA MEASURE 10686850-13. THE FACT THAT THE ENGINE PROCESS AFFECTING THE OIL CONDITION IS THE START OF THIS OCCURRENCE AND YIELDING SOME ISSUES WITH THE VANOS UNIT AND THE TIMING CHAIN, I AM AT A LOSS. NOW THIS IS MY PROBLEM, AND IT IS ALL THE FAULT OF MINI. I AM WONDERING WHAT TO DO?? *TR

MINI ISSUED A SERVICE BULLETIN ON FAILED TIMING CHAIN TENSIONERS IN 2009. SERVICE BULLETINS SIM-11-02-07 AND PUMA MEASURE NUMBER 10686850-13. THE BULLETIN STATES THAT WHEN A CUSTOMER COMES IN WITH A TENSIONER PROBLEM THAT ALL CARS AFFECTED WILL RECEIVE A NEW TIMING CHAIN, CHAIN GUIDES, CAM SPROCKETS AND VANOS UNIT. ON 6/23/10 MY VEHICLE REQUIRED THIS REPAIR. BECAUSE I WASN'T AWARE OF THE SERVICE BULLETINS THE MINI DEALERSHIP ONLY REPLACED MY VEHICLES TENSIONER WITHOUT REPLACING THE OTHER PARTS...THE TENSIONER IS AN EASY REPLACE AND THE ACTUAL TIMING CHAIN IS A 9.9 HOUR JOB SO I'M ASSUMING THEY TOOK THE EASY ROUTE WITH LESS ACCUMULATING LABOR. NOW WE'RE 23 MONTHS INTO THAT REPAIR AND THE TIMING CHAIN TENSIONER HAS GONE BAD...AGAIN. THIS TIME THE TENSIONER GOING OUT ALSO CAUSED THE TIMING CHAIN TO FAIL ALONG WITH THE CHAIN GUIDES. MINI WILL REPLACE THE TENSIONER AGAIN, WHICH IS A 26 DOLLAR PART, BECAUSE IT IS WITHIN THE 24 MONTH WARRANTY...BUT BECAUSE THE MINI DEALER THAT LAST REPLACED THE TENSIONER DID NOT FOLLOW THE BULLETINS ISSUED AND REPLACE THE OTHER PIECES INVOLVED IN THE BULLETIN, THEY SAY I'M RESPONSIBLE. MINI NOW WANTS TO CHARGE ME 1967 DOLLARS FOR THE REPAIR OF THE TIMING CHAIN AND CHAIN GUIDES BECAUSE IT SAYS THE OTHER PARTS ARE NOT COVERED. THE CAR HAS 50,062 MILES (WARRANTY IS TO 50K). THERE ARE WELL OVER 200 ENTRIES THAT I FOUND ON THE INTERNET WITH THIS PROBLEM AND A PETITION WITH OVER 650 SIGNATURES. WHEN IS SOMETHING GOING TO BE DONE? *TT

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 MINI COOPER S. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, THE ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR BEGAN TO ILLUMINATE AS A LOUD RATTLING NOISE EMITTING FROM THE ENGINE AREA. THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY STALLED AND FAILED TO RESTART. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER WHO WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM OR DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF FAILURE. THE MALFUNCTION CONTINUED TO OCCUR. MOST RECENTLY THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT AUTO SHOP AND THEY STATED THE ENGINE TIMING TENSIONER AND THE HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE TECHNICIAN ADVISED THE VEHICLE BE TAKEN TO A DEALER FOR REPAIR. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE DEFECT. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 36,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

CAR MISFIRED AND HAD BACKFIRED; CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. TOOK CAR RIGHT TO DEALER , THEY TOLD US IT IS A KNOWN ISSUE AND DOING NOTHING BUT CHARGING CUSTOMERS FOR THE REPAIR. THE TIMING CHAIN AND TIMING TENSIONER HAS A DESIGN FLAW THAT IS RECOGNIZED BUT NOTHING DONE. IF FULL FAILURE ON ROADWAY CAN CAUSE CATASTROPHIC ISSUES TO ME AND OTHERS . *JS

TIMING BELT TENSIONER FAILED RESULTING IN SLACK IN THE TIMING BELT. FINAL RESULT WAS THE TIMING BELT SLACK CONTACTED PLASTIC CHAIN GUARDS WHICH BROKE OFF AND LODGED INSIDE THE ENGINE. AFTER BEING TOWED TO MINI SERVICE, THEY RECOMMENDED REPLACING THE ENTIRE ENGINE. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE BECAUSE THE CRITICAL TIMING CHAIN FAILURE LED TO PREMATURE ENGINE FAILURE. THERE WAS A STRONG SMELL OF SMOKE AND I HAD INITIAL CONCERN THAT THE CAR WAS GOING TO CATCH ON FIRE. I WAS LUCKY THAT THE INCIDENT DID NOT OCCUR WHILE DRIVING IN TRAFFIC AS I WOULD HAVE BEEN STUCK ON THE ROAD WITHOUT ANY POWER ENDANGERING MYSELF AND OTHER DRIVERS. MINI IS WELL AWARE OF THE ISSUE WITH THE TIMING BELT TENSIONER, BUT HAS FAILED TO PROACTIVELY ADDRESS THE ISSUE. THE SERVICE MANAGER AT MINI EVEN HAS A BAG FULL OF BENT RODS AT HIS DESK THAT HE SHOWED ME AND TOLD ME HE HAS HAD MULTIPLE CARS COME IN WITH THE SAME ISSUE. *JS