2010 MINI COOPER S Complaints

TOOK MY 2010 MINI COOPER S TO A MINI DEALERSHIP IN ANN ARBOR MI, WHERE THEY HAD THE CAR FOR 8 DAYS AND FINALLY CAME BACK TO ME SAYING THAT ITS THE TIMING CHAIN THAT NEEDS REPLACING, WHICH IS A FIX WITH A TOTAL COST OF AROUND $1,500. I PREVIOUSLY HAD A 2007 MINI COOPER, WHICH ALSO HAD THE SAME ISSUE, WHERE IN THAT CASE THE TIMING CHAIN HAD ACTUALLY BROKEN. THIS ISSUE SEEMS TO BE WIDESPREAD AND MINI NA NEEDS TO ISSUE A RECALL ON THIS PARTICULAR PART FOR THE MODEL YEARS THAT THIS DESIGN DEFECT HAS AFFECTED. PRIOR TO THIS ISSUE, I HAD ONLY OWNED THE VEHICLE FOR 6 WEEKS AND WAS PURCHASED FROM MOTOR CITY MINI, WHICH IS AN OFFICIAL MINI DEALER. THIS VEHICLE ALSO WENT THROUGH AN INSPECTION BEFORE BEING SOLD TO ME. *TR

ENGINE NOISE DUE TO TIMING CHAIN AND TENSIONER DEFECT. IF THE CHAIN OR TENSIONER FAIL COMPLETELY THIS COULD CAUSE THE VEHICLE TO STALL IN MOVING TRAFFIC OR CREATE A ROADSIDE HAZARD. *TR

ENGINE EXPERIENCE RAPID OIL LOSS WHICH COATED UNDERSIDE OF VEHICLE INCLUDING TIRES. WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED THE VEHICLE BECAME UNSTABLE BUT I WAS ABLE TO AVOID A CRASH. WHILE PULLING TO THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY THE OIL LIGHT CAME ON. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A MECHANIC. HE REPORTED THAT A FASTENER ON THE CAM CHAIN TENSIONER HAD BECOME LOOSE WHICH CAUSED THE LEAK. THAT PART HAD NEVER BEEN MODIFIED OR SERVICE. THERE WAS NO LEAK WHEN I BEGAN MY COMMUTE. THE PROBLEM OCCURRED IN ONLY A FEW MILES. SEARCHING ONLINE FORUMS INDICATES THAT THIS IS NOT AN ISOLATED INCIDENT. *TR

THE CAR HAS A RECALL FOR WATER PUMP, NEVER DONE UNTIL THE CAR ENGINE STOP. NOW THE ENGINE IS TOTALLY LOST. I THINK THE CAR HAS A PREVIOUS RECALL THE TIMING CHAIN TENSOR BUT NEVER WAS DONE. *TR

2010 MINI COOPER S. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO ISSUES WITH TIMING CHAIN *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED THE ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED ONE WEEK AFTER BEING SERVICED. THE FIRST NOTICEABLE PROBLEM STARTED WITH A LEAK. IT WAS REPAIRED BY REPLACING A SEAL. IT WAS THEN DISCOVERED THERE WAS A RECALL FOR THE WATER PUMP, WHICH WAS THEN REPLACED. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS TESTED, THE COMPUTER NOTED MISFIRE FAULTS AND IT WAS AT THAT POINT, THE TIMING CHAIN WAS REPLACED AND ALL ITS RELATED PARTS. THE TECHNICIAN NOTED CARBON BUILD-UP. THE CONSUMER STATED THE FAN STAYS ON MUCH LONGER THAN NORMAL. *JB

ON JULY 3, 2012, I WAS BURNED ON MY CALF BY THE EXHAUST PIPE LOCATED IN THE MIDDLE BACK OF THE MINI COOPER S. I HAVE A LARGE HALF MOON SCAR REMAINING. MY DAUGHTER WAS ALSO BURNED LAST YEAR BY THE SAME VEHICLE 2 PLACES ON HER CALF. I HAVE RESEARCHED AND SEE A REPORT ON THE R56 MODEL BUT WAS ONLY PERTAINING TO 2007-2008. IF BMW DID ANYTHING TO RESOLVE (SHORTENING THE PIPE), IT DIDN'T WORK SINCE I WAS BURNED LIKE OTHERS BY A 2010 MODEL. I OWNED A 2004 FOR 7 YEARS AND NEVER HAD AN ISSUE. NOT THAT THE POSSIBILITY WASN'T THERE, BUT IT NEVER HAPPENED. I CHECKED TO SEE IF LASER COULD REMOVE THE SCAR, BUT WAS TOLD IT WOULD NOT. BMW MUST REDESIGN AND/OR RECALL IN ORDER TO PROVIDE BETTER SAFETY. I EXPECT AND KNOW THE RISK OF BURN WITH A MOTORCYCLE, BUT NEVER EXPECT TO GET BURNED BY A CAR (MINI). *TR

OIL LEVEL IS DECREASING RAPIDLY AFTER EACH OIL CHANGE. DEALER STATES IT IS NORMAL FOR THIS CAR TO BURN ONE QUART OF OIL EVERY 800 MILES. HOWEVER, I DISAGREE AND BELIEVE THIS IS DUE TO A DEFECT SINCE CARS SHOULD NOT BURN THIS MUCH OIL, ESPECIALLY WHEN NEW. *TR

THE AIRBAG "OFF" LIGHT COMES ON INTERMITTENTLY WHEN A PASSENGER IS IN THE SEAT. DEALER SAYS THERE IS NOTHING WRONG BUT PROBLEM PERSISTS. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 MINI COOPER. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 12V008000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING) AND TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR REPAIRS. TWO DAYS AFTER THE RECALL REPAIR WAS PERFORMED ON THE VEHICLE, THE CONTACT NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD OF THE VEHICLE WHILE SITTING AT A TRAFFIC STOP. THE CONTACT TURNED THE VEHICLE OFF BUT THE VEHICLE PROCEEDED TO IGNITE INTO FLAMES. THE POLICE AND FIRE DEPARTMENT WERE CALLED TO ASSIST AND A REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND THE VEHICLE WAS PENDING INVESTIGATION. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 32,000.

I HAVE OWNED THIS VEHICLE FOR 1 YEAR AND THREE MONTHS. I DID NOT HAVE THE CHOICE OF SELECTING ANY OTHER TIRE. MINI COOPER( BMW) PUT RUN FLATS ON VEHICLE BECAUSE THERE IS NO WHERE FOR A SPARE TIRE. I KEEP THE VEHICLE IN THE GARAGE AT A CONDO IN FLORIDA WITH NO ACCESS TO ANYONE. I HAVE 4250 MILES ON THE VEHICLE. I HAVE HAD THREE FLATS. MINI RELATED THAT I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO BUY A TIRE AND SUSPENSION WARRANTY WHEN NEW FOR 800.00 PLUS DOLLARS. I CAN'T REMEMBER THE LAST TIME I HAD ONE FLAT ON ANY OTHER VEHICLE. MY WIFE OR I HAVE USED THIS VEHICLE FOR LESS THAN 5 MONTHS AND THIS IS THE THIRD FLAT. MINI DENIES ANY DEFICIENCIES WITH THE TIRES BUT I DON'T BELIEVE THEM. THIS AVERAGES OUT TO A FLAT ABOUT EVERY 1400 MILES. MY FATHER GOT BETTER MILEAGE OUT OF RETREADS. STATISTICALLY IT SEEMS SIGNIFICANT AND THERE IS A DEFECT. PLEASE INVESTIGATE AND RESPOND. *TR