2012 MINI COOPER S Complaints

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2012 MINI COOPER S COUNTRYMAN. AFTER DRIVING FOR APPROXIMATELY FOUR HOURS, THE CONTACT PARKED THE VEHICLE AND BLACK SMOKE APPEARED UNDER THE HOOD. THE CONTACT EXITED THE VEHICLE AND CALLED 911. THE POLICE AND FIRE DEPARTMENTS ARRIVED AND THE FIRE DEPARTMENT EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. A POLICE REPORT AND A FIRE REPORT WERE FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED AND TOWED TO AN IMPOUND FACILITY. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 84,000. *LN*JB*PM*JB

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 MINI COOPER S CLUBMAN. WHILE THE CONTACT'S DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING AND CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP, THE VEHICLE BEGAN MAKING HISSING AND POPPING SOUNDS. AFTERWARDS, THE ENGINE FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S HOME AND THEN TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE MECHANIC DIAGNOSED THAT THERE WAS A BLOWN HEAD GASKET, A FRACTURED AIR FLOW SENSOR, AND SEVERAL OTHER FAILURES. CENTURY MINI (2930 LAURENS RD, GREENVILLE, SC 29607, (800) 430-0508) WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND PROVIDED A REPAIR COST ESTIMATE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BY ANOTHER INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 62,000. *DT THE FREEZE CAP BLEW FOR SOME MYSTERIOUS REASON.*JB

THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT OCCUPANCY DETECTOR SENSOR FAULTS WHICH WERE COVERED IN RECALLS ON EARLIER MODELS ARE STILL A PROBLEM, YET NO LONGER COVERED FOR REPAIR. THIS SENSOR CONTROLS AIRBAG INFLATION DURING ACCIDENTS

CLUTCH SLIPPING, TAKING A LOT OF RPMS TO GET MOVING, LOT OF CHATTER ACCELERATING AROUND CORNERS (LIKE MAKING A TURN FROM OUT OF A DEAD STOP). STALLED OUT AT BUSY INTERSECTIONS, AND AT TRAFFIC SIGNALS ON HILLS, NEARLY CAUSING A FEW ACCIDENTS. BACKING UP INTO DRIVEWAY, JUST TRYING TO GET OVER THE CURB SLOPE WAS ENOUGH TO CAUSE A BURNING SMELL FROM THE CLUTCH. RESEARCH SHOWS THAT THE CLUTCH IN THIS MAKE/MODEL YEAR SUBJECT TO PREMATURE AND EXCESSIVE WEAR (ONLY 7 YRS AND 40K MILES ON THIS VEHICLE - BY CONTRAST, I ALSO DRIVE A VW 10 YEARS OLDER WITH TWICE THE MILEAGE, CLUTCH STILL WORKING PERFECTLY). REPAIR TECH REPORT STATES CLUTCH WORN DOWN TO THE RIVETS, FLYWHEEL HEAVILY SCORED - VEHICLE HAS NO HISTORY OF RACING OR EVEN HEAVY USE, IS ONLY A DAILY DRIVER ON A SHORT (3 MI.) COMMUTE.

WHILE MOVING IN TRAFFIC AND ACCELERATING, THE FUEL PUMP CUT OUT AND THE ENGINE DIED, FORCING THE DRIVER TO MANEUVER IN TRAFFIC (COASTING) EVENTUALLY COMING TO STOP IN A LEFT HAND TURN LANE WHICH WAS THEN BLOCKED WITH THE DEAD VEHICLE. THOUGH THE VEHICLE WAS UNDAMAGED, THE POSSIBILITY OF A COLLISION EXISTED. RESEARCH INDICATES THAT MINIS FROM 2010-EARLY 2012 HAD SIMILAR PROBLEMS, RESULTING IN MINI USA EXTENDING THE WARRANTY ON THE FUEL PUMP TO 10 YEARS/ 120,000 MILES. VEHICLES PRODUCED ON OR AFTER 3/1/2012 (INCLUDING MINE) WERE FITTED WITH DIFFERENT EQUIPMENT. NO RECALL WAS CONDUCTED. MY CAR HAD 25,000 MILES ON IT WHEN THE FUEL PUMP FAILED.

I HAD JUST EXITED ONTO THE HIGHWAY AND HAD NOT EVEN MADE IT TO THE NEXT EXIT RAMP, WHEN MY SUNROOF EXPLODED. IT SOUNDED AS IF A GUN SHOT HAD GONE OFF IN MY CAR. WE WERE HIT WITH SHARDS OF GLASS AS THE GLASS DID NOT SHATTER INTO SMALL PIECES. GLASS PIECES WERE 1+ INCHES LONG AND 1+ INCHES WIDE. WE HAD NO VEHICLES NEXT TO US. WE DID NOT FIND ANY DEBRIS IN THE CAR OR ON THE ROOF OF THE CAR EXCEPT FOR SHATTERED GLASS.

SIMPLY PUT, MY SHIFT CABLE DETACHED FROM THE TRANSMISSION. I WENT FROM 1ST TO 2ND TO NEUTRAL TO STOP AT THE END OF MY DRIVEWAY TO LOOK BOTH WAYS BEFORE PULLING ONTO THE ROAD TO NO SHIFT CAPABILITIES WHATSOEVER. LUCKILY IT HAPPENED AT THE END OF MY DRIVEWAY AND NOT ON THE HIGHWAY WHERE I NORMALLY DRIVE TO GET TO WORK. I MANAGED TO POP THE LOOP END BACK IN PLACE, BUT FEAR IT MAY FALL OFF, AGAIN. DEALER WANTED 1K TO REPLACE SHIFT CABLES/HARDWARE. TWO CABLES IN MY SITUATION...

TAKATA INFLATORS" I NOTICE A BURNING SMELL INSIDE MY VEHICLE WHICH I REPORTED TO THE DEALER. THEY STATED "THEY COULDN'T FIND ANYTHING. THEN I WOULD DEPART FROM MY CAR WITH THE WINDOWS UP SUNROOF CLOSED AND LOCK IT I WOULD RETURN THE WINDOWS WOULD BE ALL THE WAY DOWN AND TOP UP. THIS TOOK PLACE AGAIN ON 3/6/19.

MY 2012 MINI COOPER COUNTRYMAN WITH 83033 MILES IS REQUIRING REPLACEMENT OF THE THERMOSTAT HOUSING, THE RECALLED WATER PUMP WAS INSTALLED BY THE DEALER ON 10/31/2018, I HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE DEALER, THEY SAID IT WILL COST YOU $1800 TO REPLACE THE THERMOSTAT HOUSING, I HAVE BEEN TOLD NOT TO DRIVE MY CAR ON THE HIGHWAY, IT WILL COST ME $1800. PRE THE DEALERSHIP TO FIX. THERE IS NOT ANY PARTS IN THE UNITED STATES CURRENTLY TO FIX THIS CAR. I HAVE INCLUDED PHOTOS OF THE THERMOSTAT HOUSING THAT WAS REMOVED FROM MY CAR AND BY PAPER WORK FROM THE DEALER. IT LOOK LIKE IT WAS CHIP WHEN THE WATER PUMP WAS REPLACED AND NOT CRACKED. I HAVE ORDER TWO THERMOSTAT AND THEY DO NOT FIX. I AM STILL PAYING FOR THIS CAR THOUGH MINI FINANICEL, MAYBE IT TIME TO HAVE THIS CAR RETURN BACK TO THEM. I CANNOT GET THE CORRECT THERMOSTAT TO GET IT FIX. DO NOT WANT TO KEEP PAYING FOR A CAR I CANNOT DRIVE. SO WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE....

OIL FILTER HOUSING AND/OR OIL FILTER HOUSING GASKETS LEAKING DIRECTLY ON EXHAUST DOWNPIPE, AND IN MY OPINION IS A FIRE HAZARD. THE OIL FLLTER HOUSING IS ONLY HELD ON BY A FEW BOLTS, AND ENGINE VIBRATION AND HEAT CAUSE LEAKING. THIS IS A HORRIBLE DESIGN, AND A COMMON PROBLEM ON THE 1.6 ENGINE. THIS IS A VERY EXPENSIVE FIX, AND AGAIN IN MY OPINION, THERE SHOULD BE A SAFETY RECALL. MY MINI ONLY HAS 106K MILES, AND I HAVE NOT YET FIXED IT DUE TO THE EXPENSE. WITH THE OIL DRIPPING DIRECTLY ON THE EXHAUST, THE OIL BURNS AND SMOKES AND IS A FIRE HAZARD. I KNOW THAT THIS HAS BEEN A COMMON COMPLAINT FOR THOUSANDS OF MINI OWNERS.