MINI Complaints

I TOOK MY 2015 MINI IN FOR ITS LAST SERVICE BEFORE CONVERTING MY LEASE INTO A FINANCING DEAL AND PURCHASING CAR. I WAS INFORMED THERE WAS AN ENGINE RECALL DUE TO CRANKSHAFT BEARING PROBLEM. THEY HAVE KNOW ABOUT THIS ISSUE FOR 2 YEARS YET NEVER INFORMED ME. MY DEALER SAYS THEY HAVE DONE HUNDREDS OF ENGINE REPLACEMENTS. WHY IS THIS NOT PUBLIC? I THINK BMWUSA IS HIDING THIS FROM THE PUBLIC! WHILE ITS NICE THEY REPLACE THE ENGINE, THIS IS GOING TO EFFECT MY RESALE VALUE.

MY MINI COOPER WAS PARKED IN MY GARAGE FOR OVER TWO WEEKS. ON AUGUST 10, 2017 I MOVED IT OUT OF THE GARAGE TO GET TO SOME THINGS IN MY GARAGE. WHEN I BACKED IT BACK IN, I HEARD A POP AND WITHIN MINUTES I SAW SMOKE COMING FROM THE HOOD. WHEN WE WERE ABLE TO OPEN THE HOOD THE ENGINE WAS ON FIRE. WE HAD TO CALL 911 AND THEY TOLD US WE COULD NOT LEAVE THE CAR IN THE GARAGE BECAUSE OF THE FIRE INCIDENT. WE HAD TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO GET THE CAR INTO NEUTRAL SO THAT WE COULD MOVE IT OUT OF THE GARAGE WITHOUT STARTING THE CAR. ONCE PARKED ON THE DRIVE WAY, MY CAR PROCEEDED TO SMOLDER TWO MORE TIMES. WE DISCONNECTED THE BATTERY AND FINALLY ALL THE SMOKING STOPPED. MY CAR HAS BEEN AT THE BMW MOMENTUM DEALERSHIP SINCE AUGUST 12, 2017 WITH NO RESOLUTION ON WHAT CAUSED THE FIRE. ACCORDING TO MINI, THEY WERE SENDING A FIRE SPECIALIST TO SEE MY CAR WHICH THEY SAID WOULD TAKE SOME TIME. MY CAR WAS FINALLY LOOKED AT THE FIRST WEEK OF OCTOBER AND AS OF THIS EMAIL, BMW HAS NOT INFORMED ME AS TO WHAT CAUSED THE FIRE. THIS INCIDENT IS VERY CONCERNING TO ME. MY THREE KIDS WERE UPSTAIRS DOING HOMEWORK WHEN MY CAR CAUGHT ON FIRE. HAD I NOT PAID ATTENTION TO THE POP I HEARD AND CLOSED THE GARAGE DOOR, THE CAR WOULD HAVE BEEN ON FIRE IN OUR ATTACHED GARAGE WITH ALL OF US IN THE HOUSE. THIS ALL TOOK PLACE ABOUT 8 PM AS WE WERE WINDING DOWN FOR THE DAY. THE OUTCOME OF THIS COULD HAVE BEEN CATASTROPHIC FOR ME AND MY FAMILY. I WANT RESOLUTION TO THIS WHOLE INCIDENT WHICH AS OF TODAY BMW HAS NOT GIVEN ME ANY INDICATION AS TO WHAT CAUSED THE FIRE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 MINI COOPER S. WHILE DRIVING 15 MPH, THE POWER STEERING FAILED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE POWER STEERING PUMP NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. MAG MINI DUBLIN IN COLUMBUS (5825 VENTURE DR, DUBLIN, OH 43017, (614) 389-6854) WAS CONTACTED AND STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V660000 (STEERING). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 103,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 MINI COOPER S. WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED, THE CHECK ENGINE AND OIL PRESSURE WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER (SOUTH BAY MINI IN TORRANCE, CA, 310-939-7150), BUT THE TECHNICIAN WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED A CODE FROM THE SPARK PLUG. THE TECHNICIAN ALSO DIAGNOSED THAT THE VALVE COVER WAS PUNCTURED AND LEAKED OIL; HOWEVER, THE TECHNICIAN WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE HOW THE FAILURE OCCURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO ANOTHER INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO SPECIALIZED IN MINI VEHICLES AND DIAGNOSED THAT THE TIMING TENSIONER EXPLODED AND PUNCTURED THE VALVE COVER. THE TIMING CHAIN TENSIONER WAS REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THERE WAS NO RECALL AND REFERRED THE CONTACT TO THE DEALER (UNIVERSAL CITY MINI IN NORTH HOLLYWOOD, CA, 8148-452-1139) AND THE FUEL PUMP WAS REPLACED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 130,000.

WHILE IN MOTION, CAR BEGAN TO BECOME JERKY WHILE EXCELERATING, THAN THE TRANSMISSION DISINGAGED. NO GEAR WOULD WORK THEREAFTER.

AFTER SITTING IN THE PARKING LOT FOR 12 HOURS, THE CAR SPONTANEOUSLY BURST INTO FLAMES. THE CAR WAS A TOTAL LOSS.

I OWN A 2017 MINI COOPER CLUBMAN THAT WAS RECALLED FOR AN UNSAFE BRAKE LIGHT CONDITION. THERE WERE 4 FUNCTIONAL BRAKE LIGHTS ON THE REAR BUMPER. AFTER MY CAR WAS "FIXED", I ONLY HAVE 2 FUNCTIONAL BRAKE LIGHTS ON THE REAR BUMPER. I FAIL TO UNDERSTAND HOW THIS APPROVED "FIX" MADE MY CAR SAFER. THREE WEEKS AFTER THE "FIX" WAS COMPLETED, I WAS REAR ENDED WHILE TURNING ONTO MY STREET. I FEEL THAT THE NHTSA APPROVED A "FIX" FOR A CONDITION THAT MADE MY CAR LESS SAFE. HOW COULD YOU ALLOW MINI TO PERMANENTLY DISABLE BRAKE LIGHTS AS A FIX?

ABS, ACSM CRASH SAFETY CONTROL MODULE, EMERGENCY BRAKE, ACC CRUISE CONTROL, MID LEVEL AND SPORT MODE INOPERABLE ONLY FUNCTIONS IN GREEN MODE WITH SEVERE LIMITATIONS THAN FROM BEFORE THIS OCCURRED. IGNITION, ACCELERATION, TOP SPEED... ALL OF THESE ARE AFFECTED AND MY CONCERN IS NOT ONLY THE SOFTWARE AND THE ACSM BUT BECAUSE THE DRIVE HAS CHANGED SIGNIFICANTLY I BELIEVE IT COULD BE MORE OF A PROBLEM THAN A SOFTWARE UPDATE AND THE ACSM. I WAS TRAVELING/IN MOTION ON A CITY STREET AT 45MPH IN GREEN MODE AND ACC ACTIVATED. I LIVE IN ARKANSAS, THE STREETS ARE WINDING CURVY ROADS JUST LIKE I PREFER MY ASPHALT AND DRIVE TO BE HOWEVER I HAVE NEVER EXPERIENCED ANYTHING ELSE THAT HAS CAUSED THIS MUCH CONCERN AND I HAVE NOT "DUKES OF HAZARD" MY MINI. I HAVE NOT BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT OR RECEIVED ANY DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE.

AFTER A BATTERY FAILURE (LOSS OF CHARGE OR BATTERY REPLACEMENT) CRITICAL SAFETY FEATURES ARE DISABLED UNTIL THE CAR IS RETURNED TO A DEALER TO "PROGRAM THE NEW BATTERY". THE SAFETY FEATURES THAT ARE DISABLED INCLUDE: 1) TURN SIGNALS, 2) 4 WAY FLASHERS, 3) FRONT WINDOWS LOWERING, 3) CONTROL OF THE HEADLIGHTS (NO CONTROL OF DIMS AND BRIGHT LIGHTS), AND 4) DASH LIGHTS (CAN'T SEE THE SPEEDOMETER). WHILE A SIMPLE WARNING LIGHT IN THIS SITUATION WOULD WORK, THE MANUFACTURER CHOSE TO DISABLE CRITICAL SAFETY FUNCTIONS OF THE CAR. IN MY CASE, ITS A 1 1/2 DRIVE IN AN UNSAFE CAR TO GET THE SITUATION CORRECTED. THIS SITUATION IS BEING EXPERIENCED BY OTHER DRIVERS AND OTHERS CAN BE FOUND WITH A SIMPLE GOOGLE SEARCH.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MINI COOPER S. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, SPECIFICALLY WHEN ATTEMPTING TO TURN THE VEHICLE, THE POWER STEERING SUDDENLY FAILED AND CAUSED STEERING CONTROL TO BECOME DIFFICULT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE POWER STEERING PUMP WOULD OVERHEAT, WHICH CAUSED THE CONTACT TO PARK THE VEHICLE UNTIL IT COOLED IN ORDER FOR THE POWER STEERING TO FUNCTION CORRECTLY. THE CONTACT CALLED MINI OF KENNESAW (2275 BARRETT LAKES BLVD, KENNESAW, GA 30144; 678-496-9565) WHO ADVISED THE CONTACT TO BRING THE VEHICLE IN FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT COVERED UNDER THE EXTENDED WARRANTY OR A RECALL. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 115,000.