2002 MINI COOPER S Complaints

THE POWER STEERING PUMP ON 2002 MINI COOPER S HAS REPEATEDLY SEIZED UP WHEN DRIVING OVER A COURSE OF A FEW MONTHS AND NOW IT WONT TURN OFF WHEN THE CAR IS OFF SO THE BATTERY DRAINS OUT. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 MINI COOPER S. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 50 MPH, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY LOST POWER STEERING. THE CONTACT SPOKE WITH THE DEALER WHO STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS RELATED TO THE STEERING COLUMN AND SHE WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR REPAIR COSTS. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED AT THE TIME OF THE COMPLAINT. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE WHEN THE COMPLAINT WAS FILED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 42,392.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 MINI COOPER S. WHILE DRIVING AT 45 MPH, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL SUDDENLY BECAME VERY DIFFICULT TO TURN. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL MECHANIC WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE POWER STEERING NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 90,000. UPDATED 09/24/10. *LJ UPDATED 09/24/10

METAL TABS CONNECTING GLASS SUNROOF TO SUNROOF GUIDES BROKE. THE METAL SPLIT POSSIBLY DUE TO METAL FATIGUE INDUCED BY VIBRATION. POTENTIAL FOR A VEHICLE TO LOSE SUNROOF IF IT WAS TO LOSE THE OTHER MOUNT. *TR

AIRBAG LIGHT ON. CONTINUOUSLY ON. SEE NHTSA ACTION PE05053 SAME ISSUES AS PE05053, BUT DIFFERENT CABLES AND CONNECTORS IN THE SAME CIRCUIT ARE CAUSING THE SAME PROBLEM. BMW IS NOT COVERING THESE FAILURES UNDER WARRANTY AT THIS TIME. ENTIRE CIRCUIT NEEDS TO BE EVALUATED. *TR

THE NEW MINIS FROM BMW, RANGING FROM 2002 - 2005, HAVE CHRONIC PROBLEMS WITH THE POWER STEERING FAILING WHILE DRIVING, MAKING THE CARS SUDDENLY IMPOSSIBLE TO STEER. THIS IS NOT AN ISOLATED PROBLEM. I'VE SEARCHED THE WEB AND FOUND HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE COMPLAINING ABOUT THIS VERY SAME THING. HERE'S A LINK TO A BBC STORY ABOUT IT. HTTP://WWW.BBC.CO.UK/BLOGS/WATCHDOG/2009/02/MINI_STEERING_SYSTEM_FAILURES.HTML. *TR

DRIVER SIDE AND HEAD AIRBAG DEPLOYED WHEN A "BUMP" (PAVEMENT AT DIFFERENT HEIGHTS DURING REPAVING) IN THE ROAD WAS HIT BY THE VEHICLE. *TR

I HAVE A 2002 MINI COOPER S. THE CAR?S ENGINE COOLING SYSTEM HAS ONGOING ISSUES, PARTICULARLY THE COOLANT EXPANSION TANK. I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE COOLANT EXPANSION TANK THREE TIMES WITHIN APPROXIMATELY 50,000 MILES. THIS MEANS MY CAR IS NOW ON ITS FOURTH COOLANT EXPANSION TANK. HERE IS A SHORT SUMMARY OF THE COOLANT EXPANSION TANKS THAT MY CAR HAS HAD: DATE TANK INSTALLEDDATE TANK FAILED/REPLACEDCAR MILEAGE WHEN REPLACED WHEN CAR WAS BUILTJUNE 19, 200414,130 JUNE 19, 2004OCTOBER 23, 200417,528 OCTOBER 23, 2004OCTOBER 24, 200750,143 OCTOBER 24, 2007NOT YETNOT YET THE RADIATOR ALSO FAILED AT 50,143 MILES, WHICH IS AN EVENT I AM ALSO NOT PLEASED WITH. ADDITIONALLY, IT NOW APPEARS--AS OF SEPTEMBER 2008--THAT I MAY HAVE ANOTHER COOLING SYSTEM ISSUE. I WILL BE CALLING MY MECHANIC SOON TO CHECK INTO IT. ALL OF THESE FAILURES OF THE COOLANT EXPANSION TANK TOOK UP SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNTS OF MY TIME IN TAKING MY CAR TO THE REPAIR SHOP AND THEN GOING TO RETRIEVE IT AFTER THE REPAIR. AND IN ONE CASE LEFT ME STRANDED ON THE SIDE OF A VERY BUSY CALIFORNIA FREEWAY AT RUSH HOUR. ADDITIONALLY, I FEAR THAT THE MULTIPLE FAILURES OF THE EXPANSION TANK HAVE STRESSED THE OTHER PARTS OF THE ENGINE'S COOLING SYSTEM (AS EVIDENCED BY THE RADIATOR FAILURE AND THE NEED TO REPLACE ANOTHER COOLANT PART). THE LOCAL MINI COOPER DEALER REPLACED THE FIRST TWO EXPANSION TANKS UNDER WARRANTY AND DECLINED TO REPLACE THE THIRD EXPANSION TANK. AFTER I COMPLAINED--AND AFTER SIX MONTHS OF FOLLOW-UP CALLS AND LETTERS--THEY FINALLY REIMBURSED ME FOR THE COST OF THE THIRD EXPANSION TANK. IN ALL INSTANCES, MINI DECLINED TO LET ME KEEP THE OLD PART--EVEN THOUGH I ASKED EACH TIME. *TR

MY MINI COOPER S 2002. MY POWER STEERING LOCKED UP MAKING IT ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO STEER. VERY DANGEROUS AND THE FAN KEPT RUNNING WHEN OFF WHICH DRAINED THE BATTERY. IT IS NOT DRIVABLE NOW. *TR

2002 MINI COOPER S MODEL. AIRBAG LIGHT STAYS ON. HAS BEEN REPAIRED MANY TIMES AND STILL STAYS ON, DEACTIVATING SAFETY FEATURES OF THE RESTRAINT SYSTEM. THIS APPEARS TO BE A VERY COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE MINI. BMW NEEDS TO ISSUE A RECALL I FEEL FOR OUR SAFETY... *TR