2008 MINI COOPER S Complaints

2008 MINI COOPER S CLUTCH FAILURE #1 @ APPROXIMATELY 23K #2 CLUTCH FAILURE @ 36K IN BOTH CASES IT LEFT THE DRIVER STRANDED IN THE MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC AND NEEDING A TOW TO THE DEALERSHIP! *TR

MY 2008 MINI COOPER S, WHEN COLD, OFTEN STARTS UP WITH A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF RATTLING FROM THE ENGINE. SO MUCH SO THAT IT SOUNDS LIKE A DIESEL (BUT ITS NOT A DIESEL MOTOR). NUMEROUS ONLINE FORUMS HAVE DOCUMENTED THIS PROBLEM, INCLUDING SOME COMPLETE ENGINE FAILURES. IT IS A VERY EXPENSIVE PROBLEM TO FIX AND I WOULD LIKE MINI TO ISSUE A RECALL TO PERMANENTLY FIX THE PROBLEM AND TO HAVE AN UNLIMITED WARRANTY ON THIS SPECIFIC PROBLEM. *TR

INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6) KUMHO TIRE USA.,INCORPORATED AND DISCOUNT TIRE, COMPANY ON 12-18-2009 [XXX] DAUGHTER OF [XXX] PURCHASED TWO TIRES FROM DISCOUNT TIRE COMPANY LOCATED AT 2930 GEORGEBUSBEE PARKWAY NW, KENNESAW GA 30144 SO SHE WOULD HAVE SAFE DRIVING FROM ATLANTA, GEORGIA TO HOUSTON, TEXAS DURING CHRISTMAS AND PAM TOOK A FLIGHT OUT TO ATLANTA SO [XXX] WOULD HAVE SOMEBODY TO DRIVE BACK TO HOUSTON WITH AND SHARE THE DRIVING. THE TIRES PURCHASED WERE TWO RUN FLAT 205/45R-17 84V XL RF KUM ECSTA VR SPT KU31 BSW @ 169.00 PER TIRE. INVOICE TICKET 3311383 PHONE# 678-797-0447 SO [XXX] ARE DRIVING FROM ATLANTA TO HOUSTON ON I-20 INTERSTATE HIGHWAY, WHEN IN TUSCALOOSA, ALABAMA THE KUMHO TIRE EXPLODES AND PAM BARNWELL IS DRIVING TRYING EVERYTHING TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE MINI COOPER NOW THE FRONT LEFT TIRE IS NOW JUST A RIM AND WITH RIM DAMAGE. [XXX] ARE SHAKEN AND FRIGHTENED BUT UNHARMED ONLY BECAUSE PAM IS MORE EXPERIENCED DRIVER. SO WE HAVE FILED CLAIMS WITH BOTH KUMHO AND DISCOUNT TIRE AND BEEN DENIED REPLACEMENT AND OR REFUND! THERE IS TOWING CHARGES, HOTEL CHARGES, RIM REPLACEMENT CHARGES, TIRE REPLACEMENT AND LABOR CHARGES THAT [XXX] INCURRED. TWO ALABAMA STATE TROOPERS WERE ON THE SCENE AND COULD NOT BELIEVE THE TIRE WAS BRAND NEW AND THE DAMAGE DONE TO THE TIRE AND RIM. THEIR NAMES ARE MOORE AND ROGERS. WILLIAM SULCA WITH KUMHO TIRE USA CLAIM DEPARTMENT 800-445-8646 EXT 358 DENIED OUR CLAIM AND HAS NOT RETURNED THE TIRE WE SENT TO HIM FOR THEIR DETERMINATION EVEN THOUGH WE REQUESTED THE TIRE BE RETURNED. WE HAVE PICTURES! *TR

2008 MINI COOPER S CAUSES FIRE WHILST PARKED IN THE GARAGE AT 2AM, BURNS DOWN ANOTHER CAR AND PROPERTY. THE SUGAR LAND, TEXAS FIRE DEPARTMENT REPORTS THE CAUSE OF ORIGIN OF THE FIRE IS SUSPECTED FROM MINI COOPER. *TR

MY COMPLAINT IS NOT ABOUT AN ACCIDENT BUT RATHER AN UNSAFE CONDITION IN MY RELATIVELY NEW MINI COOPER. THE SIZE AND POSITION OF MY INTERIOR REAR VIEW MIRROR SIGNIFICANTLY OBSCURES THE VIEW OF THE ROAD ON RIGHT HAND TURNS (ESPECIALLY ON EXIT RAMPS). I THINK THAT THIS SHOULD BE CORRECTED. *TR

MY 2008 MINI CLUBMAN S WAS PARKED AT THE POST OFFICE, WHEN SOMEONE CAME IN TO TELL ME MY CAR WAS ON FIRE. I RAN OUTSIDE TO FIND SMOKE POURING FROM UNDER THE HOOD, AND CALLED THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. I RAN BACK INSIDE TO GET A FIRE EXTINGUISHER, AND CAME BACK OUT TO FIND FLAMES COMING OUT FROM UNDER THE HOOD, ALONG WITH THE SMOKE. I EMPTIED THE EXTINGUISHER, BUT THE FLAMES KEPT COMING. BY THE TIME THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ARRIVED, ONLY FIVE MINUTES LATER, THE FLAMES WERE 12 FEET HIGH, AND THE CAR WAS TOTALED. I HAVE FOUND REPORTS OF AT LEAST 30 OTHER SIMILAR INCIDENTS OF MINIS SPONTANEOUSLY COMBUSTING, BUT THE MANUFACTURER HAS, AS FAR AS I KNOW, DONE NOTHING TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. *TR

NOISE IN ENGINE AFTER COLD START. ENGINE WAS REPLACED BY MINI OF PEABODY MA AFTER A INTERNAL ENGINE FAILURE. THIS IS A 2008 COOPER S JCW AND THE ENGINE HAS BEEN NOISY SINCE IT WAS REPLACED. NOISE GOES AWAY AFTER IT WARMS UP. DEALER TELLS ME NOTHING IS WRONG. ORIGINAL ENGINE FAILED AT 8,000 MILES AND SO DID THE TRANSMISSION AND HAD TO BE REPLACED AS WELL. NOW AT 17,000 MILES TRANSMISSION OK BUT ENGINE SOUNDS LIKE IT IS KNOCKING AT START UP. *TR

THE MINI COOPER CLUBMANS 2008 AND 2009 HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM THAT THE TOYOTAS HAVE WITH THE FLOOR MATS. THEY ARE REALLY DANGEROUS. *TR

"PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF" LIGHT WILL ILLUMINATE, INDICATING THAT PASSENGER AIRBAG IS TURNED OFF, WHEN A FULL SIZED ADULT IS OCCUPYING THE PASSENGER SEAT WITH SEAT BELT BUCKLED. *TR

2008 MINI COOPER S SPONTANEOUS ENGINE FIRE 10/02. I HAD JUST RETURNED HOME FROM WORK AND I HAD DRIVEN THE CAR FOR ABOUT 45MINS AND THEN 10MINS AFTER SHUTTING THE CAR DOWN A FIRE HAD STARTED IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. *TR