2008 MINI COOPER S Complaints

I BOUGHT CAR NEW IN NOV 2007. CAR WAS USED AS TRANSPORTATION EVERY DAY TO AND FROM WORK (~100 MI TOTAL). CAR WAS WELL CARED FOR, SERVICE WAS PERFORMED AS REQUIRED, ETC. IN SEPT 2008 AFTER SITTING UNDRIVEN FOR 10 DAYS WHILE I WAS AWAY ON VACATION, I DROVE 50 MI TO WORK AND THERE WERE NO SIGNS OF TROUBLE EXCEPT THAT AN INDICATOR FOR A BLOWN HEADLAMP CAME ON WHEN I INITIALLY STARTED UP. WHEN I ARRIVED AT WORK AND PULLED INTO A PARKING SPACE I NOTICED WISPS OF SMOKE COMING FROM THE GRILL AND INTAKE AND SUSPECTED OVERHEATING. I PEERED INTO THE INTAKE AND SAW GLOWING ORANGE, AND SMELLED THE SMOKE AND REALIZED THIS WAS A FIRE NOT AN OVERHEATING. I HAD A COLLEAGUE CALL 911 AND GRABBED A FIRE EXTINGUISHER. WHEN I GOT BACK TO THE CAR SMOKE WAS POURING OUT OF THE HOOD. NOT WANTING TO OPEN THE HOOD I AIMED THE FIRE EXTINGUISHER INTO THE GRILL, INTAKE, AND GAPS BUT IT DIDN'T DO MUCH. AT THAT POINT I GRABBED VALUABLES FROM CAR AND WALKED AWAY. FLAMES BEGAN COMING OUT OF THE HOOD OVER THE WINDSHIELD. CAR WAS COMPLETELY ENGULFED WITHIN 10 MINUTES. THERE WERE NO INJURIES OR PROPERTY DAMAGE EXCEPT FOR THE CAR ITSELF. INSURANCE DECLARED IT A TOTAL LOSS. MINI WAS NOTIFIED. I HAVE PHOTOS OF IN-PROGRESS AND AFTERMATH. HAVING SEEN THE RECENT PUBLICITY ABOUT THE INVESTIGATION INTO THE ENGINE FIRES I THOUGHT I SHOULD LOG MY VERY RELEVANT EXPERIENCE. *TR

ON AUGUST 15, 2011, I DROVE MY VEHICLE TO WORK AS I DO EVERY MORNING. ON THE WAY, I STOPPED FOR GAS. AFTER FILLING UP THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START. IT SHOULD ALSO BE NOTED THAT THE ENGINE WAS VERY, VERY HOT AND THE COOLANT OVERFLOW TANK WAS OVERFLOWING. THE CAR WAS TOWED TO THE CLOSEST DEALERSHIP AND, AFTER INVESTIGATING, IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE ENGINE WAS STARVED OF OIL, HAD SEIZED, AND WOULD NEED TO BE COMPLETELY REPLACED. THIS VEHICLE HAS ALWAYS RECEIVED REGULAR SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE SINCE IT WAS PURCHASED NEW FROM MINI IN 2008. THE LAST SERVICE WAS PERFORMED BY THE DEALERSHIP ON A LEAKING OIL PAN GASKET. FURTHERMORE, THERE HAD BEEN NO WARNING SIGNALS WHATSOEVER THAT THE ENGINE WAS IN DANGER. *TR

HOUSING FOR THE TIMING CHAIN CAME LOOSE AND CAUSED DAMAGE THAT WILL COST $1800 TO REPAIR. THE SERVICE GUY KNEW EXACTLY WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS. HE SAID HE HAS BEEN SEEING A LOT OF THEM IN THE PAST TWO YEARS AND ITS A 10 HOUR JOB. WHILE I WAS SIGNING FOR THE LOANER, SOMEONE ELSE WAS ON THE PHONE SAYING THEY REPLACED THE TIMING CHAIN ON ANOTHER CAR. THIS APPEARS TO BE A DESIGN FLAW WHERE MINI IS MAKING A TON OF MONEY ON REPAIRS. THE SERVICE GUY ALSO SAID, "IT APPEARS TO BE A PROBLEM WITH THE HOUSING, BECAUSE ONCE WE REPLACE IT THEY NEVER HAVE THE PROBLEM AGAIN. AND I SOME OF THE CARS HAD THIS DONE TWO YEARS AGO." *KB

THE PLASTIC HOUSING FOR BOTH HEADLIGHTS ARE BEGINNING TO CRACK; POTENTIALLY EXPOSING THE XENON LIGHTBULBS. FAILURE OF HEADLIGHT(S) WHILE DRIVING COULD BE EXTREMELY DANGEROUS WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT, ESPECIALLY ON AN UNFAMILIAR ROADWAY. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MINI COOPER S. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER WHO ADVISED HIM THAT THE TIMING BELT TENSIONERS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. A FEW DAYS LATER HE HEARD A NOISE COMING IN THE ENGINE AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER WHO ADVISED HIM THAT THEY WERE UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 20,000.

2008 MINI COOPER S - ENGINE FAILURE DUE TO FAULTY VACUUM PUMP. WHILE DRIVING MY WELL MAINTAINED 2008 MINI COOPER S UNDER NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS, THE ENGINE ISSUED A LOUD, BRIEF METALLIC NOISE AND STOPPED RUNNING. THE ENGINE WAS STILL TURNING, BUT WAS NOT RUNNING. HAD THE CAR TOWED HOME. UPON INSPECTION OF THE VALVE TRAIN, BY REMOVAL OF VALVE COVER, THE EXHAUST CAM GEAR WAS SHEARED OFF AND SEVERAL VALVES HAD BEEN BENT. THE EXHAUST CAM WOULD NOT TURN. FURTHER RESEARCH INTO THE MATTER INDICATES A FAILED VACUUM PUMP CAUSED THE EXHAUST CAM TO LOCK-UP AND SHEAR OFF THE CAM SPROCKET BOLT. THE PISTONS THEN IMPACTED THE VALVES CAUSING SEVERE INTERNAL ENGINE DAMAGE. THIS CAR ALSO FELL VICTIM TO THE "COLD START" ISSUE AND HAD THE VALVE TRAIN REPLACED AT 60,000 MILES. MINI HAS INDICATED THAT SINCE THE WARRANTY PERIOD HAS EXPIRED, THEY WILL NOT ASSIST IN THE REPAIR. I SUGGEST THIS ISSUE SHOULD RESULT IN A PRODUCT RECALL OF ALL R56 EQUIPPED MINI VEHICLES FOR REPLACEMENT OF THE VACUUM PUMP. THIS ISSUE IS WELL DOCUMENTED ON THE INTERNET, AND BMW IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. THIS IS EVIDENCED BY THE PROCEDURE EXECUTED TO REPAIR THE "COLD START" ISSUE INCLUDES A STEP TO REMOVE AND INSPECT THE VACUUM PUMP FOR BINDING. *TR

I HAVE 2008 MINI COOPER S, I HAVE BEEN HAVING PROBLEMS WITH IT EVEN THE FIRST YEAR I HAD BOUGHT THE CAR. IT WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY AND THEY WERE ABLE TO FIX THE PROBLEMS. BUT LATELY, THREE YEARS LATER THERE WAS A LOUD RATTLING NOISE IN THE ENGINE. I HAVE BROUGHT IT TO A MECHANIC AND WAS TOLD TO BRING IT TO THE BMW DEALER BECAUSE OF THE TIMING CHAIN DEFECTS THAT MAY LEAD TO ENGINE DAMAGE. THE CAR IS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY, AND THE DEALER WILL NOT FIX THE CAR FREE OF CHARGE. *TR

TIMING CHAIN 2008 MINI COOPER S FAILURE. LOUD KNOCKING NOISE FROM ENGINE. UNDER WARRANTY PARTS REPLACED. *TR

1. HESITATION DURING ACCELERATION; THIS MAY BE DUE TO CARBON BUILD UP. CAR WILL LURCH AND STUMBLE WHEN TRYING TO ACCELERATE. THIS COULD BE A DANGEROUS PROBLEM WHEN CHANGING LANES OR GETTING UP TO SPEED WHEN MERGING. 2. TIMING CHAIN RATTLE DURING COLD START. CAR SOUNDS LIKE THE TIMING CHAIN IS HITTING METAL WHEN COLD. DEALER CLAIMS THIS IS NORMAL, BUT THE METAL ON METAL NOISE SOUNDS LIKE IT COULD CAUSE EXCESS PLAY TO DEVELOP AND POSSIBLY CAUSE ENGINE FAILURE. *TR

THE SEAT HEATERS IN MY 2008 MINI COOPER S GET WAY TOO HOT. THEY HAVE TWO TEMPERATURE SETTINGS (ONE IS HOTTER THAN THE OTHER) AND EITHER ONE GETS TOO HOT AND YOU HAVE TO TURN OFF THE HEATER. IF YOU DON'T TURN IT OFF IT WILL CONTINUE TO HEAT UNTIL IT BURNS YOU. I BELIEVE THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND I AM CERTAIN THAT WITHOUT TURNING THE HEATER OFF THE PASSENGER COULD BE BURNED AND/OR THE WIRING TO THE HEATER COULD MELT OR CATCH ON FIRE. THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH BMW/MINI AND THEY HAVE ATTEMPTED TO FIX IT VIA A WIRING HARNESS INSTALLED IN-LINE WITH THE HEATER TO CONTROL THE VOLTAGE, BUT THIS FIX DIDN'T WORK ON MY CAR. THIS SHOULD BE CONSIDERED FOR A RECALL DUE TO SAFETY. *TR